From cost pressure to strategic resilience
As health systems enter 2026, the operating environment is defined less by episodic disruption and more by persistent complexity. Inflation remains a factor, reimbursement continues to lag and many traditional cost levers are reaching their limits. In this context, the imperative for leaders must shift from short-term cost reduction to fostering operational and financial resilience through data-driven expense management.
The winter 2026 Vizient Spend Management Outlook reflects that evolution: Non-labor expense management is increasingly an enterprise capability, aligning financial stewardship, clinical priorities and operational execution around a shared definition of value.
A connected view of healthcare spend that can inform strategy, drive savings and fuel
growth for 2026
Inflation is moderating — but should still shape strategy
While price pressures have eased from pandemic-era highs, they remain structurally present across healthcare. Vizient projects average supply chain price increases of 2.78% between July 2026 and June 2027, with indirect spend and purchased services rising faster at 3.85%, reflecting firmer inflationary pressure across medical supplies, cardiology, facilities and IT.
These trends reinforce a key takeaway: negotiating unit price alone is no longer sufficient. Health systems will need to pair contracting with utilization management, standardization and total cost-of-ownership strategies to reduce unwarranted variation and protect margins over time.
Spend is now inseparable from enterprise strategy
Pharmacy and capital investment illustrate how directly spend decisions shape system performance. Pharmacy price inflation is projected at 2.84%, moderated by policy and competition, yet complexity continues to rise as specialty therapies, ambulatory shifts and regulatory change reshape utilization and reimbursement dynamics. Capital investments, while facing lower inflation at 1.95%, require disciplined lifecycle management, sourcing commitments and measurable return to ensure investments translate into operational value.
Looking ahead: Health system forces through 2030
New in this edition is a section highlighting healthcare system forces through 2030 — a CEO-oriented view that reframes today’s pressures as catalysts for transformation. Seven forces — including margin compression, workforce redesign, digital enablement, value-based care and system resilience — are expected to shape the next decade of healthcare leadership.
By 2030, the most successful organizations will have evolved into agile, digitally enabled, value-driven enterprises. Health systems that align fiscal discipline with clinical strategy and operational execution will be best positioned to navigate uncertainty and sustain performance.