Radio Advisory 268: Create an ambulatory care network that’s smarter — not just bigger
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Sep 30, 2025 Nick Hula and Lauren Woodrow, experts from Advisory Board, dive into the future of ambulatory care. They challenge the outdated notion that bigger is better, arguing for a focus on operational efficiency and smarter growth. Key topics include the need for health systems to adapt to outpatient demands, the importance of aggregating outpatient services, and breaking clinician attachment to specific sites. The duo also discusses practical strategies to enhance capacity through technology and partnerships, redefining success in the evolving healthcare landscape.
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Legacy Ambulatory Model Is Outdated
- Health systems built ambulatory networks to funnel inpatient volume, which worked historically.
- That model no longer fits 2025 demands and needs rethinking toward ambulatory-first capabilities.
Improve Capacity Before You Build
- Before building new sites, improve scheduling, telehealth, and repurpose planned investments to expand capacity.
- Use existing infrastructure to deliver new ambulatory capabilities instead of defaulting to real estate expansion.
Co-Locate To Capture Referrals
- Co-locate primary and specialty care when patients travel to specialty sites without a PCP to capture longitudinal care.
- Turn existing patient flows into upstream referrals by offering adjacent services in the same location.