Own the Access Game
Expanding patient access is the single most powerful lever for medical group growth. Strong patient access can reduce patient outmigration, strengthen patient loyalty, and establish your organization as the provider of choice.
When patients are sick, they want immediate access to care and will prioritize organizations that make it easiest to obtain it. To effectively expand access, organizations must optimize advanced practice provider (APP) utilization by shifting APPs to top-of-license work and redirecting tasks that other team members can perform. At the same time, patients increasingly expect same-day and next-day availability, whether through their primary care provider, a specialist, or an urgent care clinic.
Delivering on these expectations is no longer a differentiator; it is a requirement for success in a competitive environment. Organizations that can meet changing access demands will capture growth and earn long-term patient loyalty.
Redesign the Patient Experience
In 2025, there was a greater focus on the patient experience, and this trend will continue in 2026. From finding care to paying a bill, patients now expect every interaction to be seamless and technology enabled. Patients will choose organizations that make the care journey feel effortless.
Patient expectations are rising, particularly regarding the ability to schedule appointments and communicate with their care teams. Patients are often willing to pay for services that offer convenience, personalization, and a white-glove approach to patient care, such as concierge medicine.
Organizations that invest in these capabilities improve patient satisfaction and develop a stronger, differentiated brand.
Strengthen Physician Enterprise Performance
Ensuring a strong foundation in physician enterprise performance is crucial to preparing for and executing medical group growth effectively. Significant funding cuts are becoming a reality for many organizations with the passing of the Big Beautiful Bill, hitting those with high Medicaid populations the hardest. The margin pressure is real, and the organizations that adapt fastest will be best positioned for growth.
Strengthening the physician enterprise foundation requires a disciplined approach to optimizing resources, reducing costs, and improving revenue, three challenges that demand operational excellence and leadership focus to accomplish.
Organizations that can get this right unlock the capacity for strategic investment and create the financial viability needed to execute sustainable growth.
Compete on Care Model Innovation
Organizations can gain a competitive advantage by rethinking how and where care is delivered. Patients are increasingly seeking organizations that provide care outside traditional settings, such as virtual or home-based care pathways. In fact, the American Hospital Association predicts that home-based patient care services will grow by up to 32% by 2035.
Additionally, organizations need to move beyond fee-for-service models to compete in a value-based environment that prioritizes outcomes over volume. As financial incentives continue to shift toward quality, care coordination, and preventive care, the organizations that effectively prepare for and lean into new delivery models will be the ones that win in competitive environments.
Technology and Data as a Competitive Advantage
Technology innovation will remain a critical strategy for healthcare leaders in 2026. Artificial intelligence (AI) has proved it is here to stay and has quickly moved from pilot initiatives to system-level capabilities. While early adoption has centered on clinical decision-making, acceleration is underway in intelligent visit coding, more innovative patient scheduling and communication, and targeted outreach.
To unlock the full potential, organizations need to shift their mindset from isolated point solutions to integrated data platforms across the enterprise. Additionally, they need to reimagine clinical and operational workflows and align incentives across the organization to utilize the AI features and capabilities embedded in their systems. For example, for organizations that use Epic, this may mean implementing Epic’s FastPass to offer earlier appointment slots to patients and using digital and self-check-in features, rather than purchasing standalone systems to address those specific challenges.
Organizations that create a more patient-centric experience and use technology to truly transform the organization will be market leaders
Contact us to learn how Impact Advisors can transform your medical group into a high-performing, patient-centric physician enterprise.
