HIMSS26: AdventHealth CEO to Give Keynote Address at the Executive Summit

Why It Matters

The address underscores a leading health system’s commitment to holistic, tech‑enabled care, setting a benchmark for industry transformation amid mounting operational pressures.

Key Takeaways

• Healthcare designed for episodes, not whole‑person care
• AdventHealth focuses on purpose‑driven, resilient leadership
• AI used to enhance experience, precision, workforce support
• Strategic tech adoption requires maturity and safeguards
• Consumer‑centered model seen as growth opportunity

Pulse Analysis

The HIMSS Global Conference has become the premier stage for health‑IT leaders to articulate the direction of the industry, and this year’s Executive Summit opens with a timely theme: navigating a "perfect storm" of regulatory, financial, and workforce challenges. By positioning the keynote around systemic change, AdventHealth signals that the pressure points affecting hospitals and health systems are not isolated incidents but interconnected forces that demand a unified strategic response. This framing resonates with executives who are seeking frameworks that move beyond crisis management toward sustainable growth.

AdventHealth’s narrative pivots on a fundamental redesign of care delivery—shifting from episodic, diagnosis‑centric encounters to a holistic, consumer‑centered experience that addresses body, mind, and spirit. The CEO emphasizes purpose as the anchor for this transformation, arguing that a clear mission can guide investments, partnership choices, and cultural shifts. By treating patients as whole individuals, health systems can unlock new revenue streams, improve outcomes, and meet rising consumer expectations for personalized, convenient care. This approach aligns with broader trends such as value‑based reimbursement and integrated care networks.

Technology and artificial intelligence are presented not as end goals but as enablers of the broader purpose. AdventHealth cites AI’s role in refining clinical precision, streamlining administrative workflows, and expanding access through telehealth platforms. However, the CEO cautions that successful adoption hinges on tool maturity, data governance, and ethical safeguards. This balanced perspective reflects a growing industry consensus that strategic, responsible tech deployment can amplify human talent rather than replace it, ultimately delivering a more humane and efficient health system.

HIMSS26: AdventHealth CEO to give keynote address at the Executive Summit

David Banks, President and CEO of AdventHealth · Keynote Address at HIMSS26 Executive Summit

Q: Can you briefly describe what you’ll be addressing in your keynote, “Leading Through Healthcare’s Perfect Storm: Addressing the Headwinds of Systemic Change”?

Banks: We’re all feeling the impact of headwinds in a very real way. While I don’t pretend to have all the answers about our current operating environment, I hope to share a perspective that reframes our next step – not simply surviving turbulence, but navigating it through purpose, mindset and positioning, even when conditions are difficult. I’m looking forward to being part of a larger conversation that grounds us in courage, resilience and hope in the face of complexity.

Q: Is there one challenge for health systems that stands out from the others as far as being a priority to be addressed?

A: One pressing, and perhaps foundational, challenge is that the U.S. healthcare system wasn’t originally designed around the whole health of the patient. Too often, patients are treated episodically, depersonalized as a diagnosis or number. But fully shifting to a consumer‑centered model that sees the patient as a whole person – body, mind and spirit – will require a transformation across every part of our system. As the healthcare needs and expectations of consumers become more complex, this has become one of our greatest opportunities. Getting this right could unlock so much of the progress we’re hoping to see.

Q: How has AdventHealth addressed these challenges?

A: Based on what we’ve learned, our approach has been to stay grounded in our purpose while preparing intentionally for change. We’ve resisted the urge to respond reactively to our complex environment and instead focus our efforts on building strong foundations, strengthening the systems and partnerships that advance our purpose. Across all of it, our commitment to those we serve – to help them feel whole – keeps us focused on the right work.

Q: What role has technology and AI played?

A: Technology, including AI, has played a meaningful role in how we think about consumer experience, clinical precision and workforce support. These innovations free up our providers to do what they do best: care for people. It can also help reduce barriers for patients, making care more accessible and more human. The challenge is not just using what’s available, but thinking about whether each tool has matured enough to help in the right ways, with the right safeguards in place. Using these technologies well and strategically will allow us to harness their added value through the care our incredible team members deliver each day.

Banks will speak during the “Welcoming Keynote: Leading Through Healthcare’s Perfect Storm: Addressing the Headwinds of Systemic Change,” Monday, March 9, at 8:15 a.m., at the Executive Summit of HIMSS26 in Las Vegas.

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