As healthcare systems grow more corporate, a troubling trend has emerged: decisions about patient care are increasingly made by people with no healthcare experience.
At the top of this shift are hospital CEOs, whose role is to oversee operations, finances, and long-term strategy. Many of these executives, like James Hereford, Trevor Sawallish, Andrea Walsh, and Matthew Heywood, come from careers in finance, law, or business—not from the bedside. Yet every day, their decisions directly impact patients, nurses, and the quality of care inside hospitals.
Learn more: Essentia Health, M Health Fairview, Allina Health, Children’s Minnesota, HealthPartners, North Memorial Health, St.Luke’s/Aspirus
The rise of “lean” staffing—at what cost?
Many CEOs push a “lean” staffing model which focuses on cutting what they view as “waste” in the name of efficiency. In healthcare, that often means cutting staff, stretching nurses thin, and sacrificing the time and attention patients receive.
The result? A system where profit margins are prioritized over people.
Learn more: Safe Staffing Saves Lives—and Millions. So Why Aren’t Hospitals Doing It?
Who Holds CEOs Accountable? Boards Without Healthcare Voices
CEOs report to boards of directors, which are supposed to provide oversight and guidance. But too often, these boards are stacked with individuals from business and finance—not healthcare.
- Only 15% of board members at the nation’s top hospitals have a healthcare background. (Gondi S, et al)
- More than half come from finance or business services. (Gondi S, et al)
- Nurses make up less than 1% of board members—even though hospitals can’t run without them.(Gondi S, et al)
This disconnect means the people with the least direct experience in patient care often hold the most power in shaping hospital priorities.
Learn more: The Changing Composition of Allina Health’s Board
Nurses are the heart of hospitals. It’s time to listen.
Nurses are on the frontlines. They are the ones keeping patients safe, identifying problems early, and making sure care happens at all. When nurses call for safe staffing levels, they’re not just advocating for themselves—they’re advocating for you.
And the evidence is on their side.
- Safe staffing leads to better patient outcomes. (Lasater et al., IL, Lasater et al., NY)
- Safe Staffing saves hospitals money. (Lasater et al., IL, Lasater et al., NY)
- Each extra patient assigned to a nurse raises the risk of death by 16%. (Lasater et al., IL)
- Unsafe staffing leads to longer hospital stays—up to 9% more for surgical patients. (Lasater et al., NY)
- Patients in better-staffed hospitals are less likely to return within 30 days, a sign of safer, more effective care. (Lasater et al., NY)
If hospital board members truly care about the communities they serve, they need to start listening to the people who actually know how hospitals run—and what patients need. That means listening to nurses.
Because when boards prioritize profits over patients, lives are lost.
Because healthcare shouldn’t be run like a hedge fund. It should be run with humanity.
Take Action: Put Patients Before Profits
Hospital executives and their corporate boards are making choices every day that impact your care. You can speak up. Tell hospital executives to:
- Stop understaffing nurses
- Prioritize patient safety
- Use healthcare dollars for care—not bonuses