One question I think about most as a healthcare finance leader is whether we are preparing people for tomorrow’s challenges.
Healthcare finance is not the profession it was a decade or even five years ago. We’re navigating changes in payment, technology and workforce dynamics amid affordability pressures and rising performance expectations. Career paths are becoming less predictable as specialization deepens, while consolidation broadens the impact of our decisions.
The skills required to succeed are evolving rapidly. They will include strong technical expertise, certainly, but they will also include adaptability, influence and the ability to collaborate across increasingly complex organizations.
This reality makes me question how well we are mentoring our next generation of leaders.
Too often, mentorship is viewed as a career-development activity. I believe it should be viewed as a strategic capability. Organizations that develop leaders effectively will be best positioned to navigate change, preserve institutional knowledge and retain a stronger talent pipeline. The question is not whether we have mentoring programs, but whether they keep pace with the demands of our profession.
Consider internships, for example. They can be an effective entry point into healthcare finance, but only when they offer a pathway to long-term opportunity. Too often, students gain exposure to the profession without a clear path to employment.
At Corewell Health, I’m proud that our revenue cycle internship program is designed with that pathway in mind. It gives students meaningful exposure to healthcare operations, mentorship and hands-on project work. Interns interact with senior leaders and present outcomes of their work, creating opportunities for engagement and identifying high-potential talent. Beyond providing a summer experience, our goal is to help interns identify their passions and develop into future talent. Since the program’s inception in 2019, we hosted 26 interns, with 27% of them staying on permanently.
Formal sponsorship of up-and-coming leaders is also important. Corewell Health’s CFO Mentoring Program pairs 50 participants with 50 experienced leaders for monthly coaching and structured professional development. Discussions focus on career planning, leadership challenges and professional development, with support from educational sessions and coaching. The program has been successful, with 55% of participants advancing to higher-level roles. By promoting high performers from within, we help people progress without seeking opportunities elsewhere. We also strengthen our leadership core for succession planning.
I also encourage others to build a network of mentors. People often cite a single mentor who shaped their career. While such relationships remain valuable, today’s healthcare finance professionals should seek multiple mentors who can bring different perspectives and expertise.
HFMA can play a vital role in building this network. Through volunteering, committee service and chapter leadership, members gain access to relationships industrywide that can accelerate growth and broaden perspectives.
I urge all members to work together to ensure that the next generation of healthcare finance leaders is prepared for challenges that will undoubtedly be more complex than those we face today.
No one can predict what healthcare will look like 10 years from now. But through effective mentoring, we can develop leaders who have the adaptability and fortitude to navigate uncertainty.
