In the face of complex, complicated healthcare revenue cycles, RCM companies provide cutting-edge solutions to simplify the process.

Rural hospitals allow patients from remote areas to receive care without traveling long distances or sacrificing quality. The CEOs leading these necessary institutions take on a variety of responsibilities to ensure rural communities have access to top-tier healthcare.

The physician leaders highlighted by this list champion patient safety, uphold rigorous quality standards, act as liaisons between leadership teams and medical staff, manage risk, and much more. These CMOs are drivers of continuous improvement, and their efforts have helped garner numerous quality and safety accolades for their respective organizations.

This list highlights hospitals, health systems and healthcare companies that prioritize workplace excellence and the happiness, satisfaction, wellbeing and fulfillment of their employees.

The women leading these hospitals and health systems are passionate about care access, equity and diversity, and the overall improvement of healthcare delivery.

Chief pharmacy officers provide systemwide oversight of medication management and drug supply, which in turn creates a safer patient experience. These executives are also responsible for leading cost-effective pharmacy strategy, implementing impactful pharmacy policies, driving automation and technology initiatives, and educating the next generation of pharmacy leaders.

CXOs oversee the entire lifespan of the patient and provider journey. These detail-oriented leaders ensure that all interactions with their hospitals and health systems feel safe, high-quality, convenient and intuitive. The CXOs honored are innovative thinkers, strategic planners, brand storytellers, and fierce advocates for their patients and team members.

Healthcare organizations are increasingly hiring chief digital officers to helm their digital transformation endeavors. These leaders are tasked with overseeing technology integration, improving the patient journey, and increasing care access through digital initiatives. In collaboration with their IT and clinical colleagues, chief digital officers are implementing digital tools that allow for streamlined EHRs and workflows organizationwide.

Diversity in healthcare leadership results in a more well-rounded experience for patients and providers. Becker's is thrilled to honor these Black healthcare leaders. The leaders featured on this list are shaping the patient experience, educating and training the next generation of healthcare providers, and furthering equity and inclusion.

Healthcare is rapidly evolving and the best leaders have embraced change and are leading organizations on the forefront of transforming care delivery. The below leaders are using innovative digital technology, novel care delivery approaches and creative care solutions to shape the future of healthcare.

These hospitals are vital components of the overall healthcare delivery system, providing quality care to the residents and visitors of rural areas. The small but mighty organizations are working to expand access to specialty care, cut down on patient travel times, and improve community health.

Academic medical centers are a crucial part of the healthcare delivery system. AMC COOs are committed to streamlining operations to offer excellent patient care using research and innovation.

The COOs heading academic medical centers and health systems across the nation are tasked with leading operations, expanding service lines, allocating resources and more. 

Women are working to shape and enhance the future of healthcare through health IT. These strong female leaders are modernizing administrative healthcare processes, cutting back on inefficiencies, standardizing workflows and more.

Community hospitals are often the unsung heroes in healthcare, and CEOs are tasked with managing the delivery of coordinated and affordable community care. Beyond just acute care, many community hospital CEOs also ensure that patients can access primary care, rehabilitation, public health services and other resources. Executives are responsible for fostering a positive workforce culture, overseeing strategy, expanding service lines and maintaining financial stability.

Chief information officers utilize new and innovative technologies to optimize, streamline and improve healthcare delivery. The featured IT executives are leading strategic initiatives that benefit patients and providers. In collaboration with their talented teams, they are modernizing their hospitals and health systems by implementing new EHR systems, cybersecurity softwares and telehealth services.

Cybersecurity companies shield healthcare organizations from losing data, experiencing loss of functionality, or exposing confidential patient information. In light of the rising frequency of cyberattacks, these companies ensure that healthcare organizations can continue making expert care provision their main priority.

These Patient Safety Experts to Know have demonstrated exceptional dedication to enhancing patient care standards and minimizing healthcare risks. Their innovative approaches, extensive research, and commitment to safety protocols have significantly contributed to improving patient outcomes and setting new benchmarks in healthcare safety.

Chief human resources officers and chief people officers are tasked with developing strong human capital strategies for their hospitals and health systems. 

These leaders have a wide range of responsibilities, including oversight of recruitment, retention, compensation, benefits, development and much more. As top human resources executives, their efforts are crucial in shaping workforce culture in alignment with their organization's values.

The chief financial officers featured on this list are helming financial functions for health systems and hospitals throughout the U.S. These leaders are instrumental in strategic financial planning, expansions and joint ventures for their organizations. These CFOs take on responsibility for the financial sustainability of their hospitals and health systems, and are key to their organizations' overall success.

Hospitals, health systems and healthcare companies have expanded their services to include telehealth solutions, increasing access to care and providing patients with more flexibility than ever. Telehealth has become increasingly important since the onset of the pandemic.

When diversity, equity and inclusion are integrated into the framework of hospitals and health systems, patients and staff members benefit. DEI leaders are directing efforts to create inclusive healthcare environments where everyone feels welcomed, valued and safe.

Community hospitals are a crucial piece of the overall healthcare system in the U.S. They provide patients located outside of metropolitan areas with convenient, affordable care. Some of these community hospitals serve rural populations, while others benefit suburban communities. .

These hospitals are renowned for clinical excellence, patient safety, innovation efforts, research and education, patient satisfaction and more. Top ranking and award agencies, including U.S. News & World Report, Healthgrades, CMS and The Leapfrog Group, have recognized these hospitals for their leadership in the industry and their excellence in several specialties.

The hospitals and health systems highlighted in Becker's "Hospitals and health systems with great heart programs" list are renowned for their exemplary heart care, patient outcomes and leading technologies. Most also perform research that leads to innovative breakthroughs in the field of cardiology.

Historically, rural areas have suffered a lack of access to quality healthcare. Members of rural communities may have to travel long distances, pay exorbitant costs, or face other barriers. Rural hospitals work hard to ease the burden on underserved communities, and CFOs are a crucial part of the equation.

Academic medical centers are vital to today's healthcare delivery system. They are devoted to providing superior care to patients, while simultaneously amassing assets that will further research and innovation in the healthcare field.

Supply chain leaders deftly manage the behind-the-scenes work that keeps their health systems functioning smoothly. These leaders leverage years of healthcare supply chain experience to create cost savings, build strategic partnerships and manage inventory.

Cybersecurity is becoming a top priority for many healthcare organizations, as they are facing an unprecedented number of cyber threats and data breaches. Across the nation, hospitals and health systems have recruited CISOs and CPOs to execute strong cybersecurity initiatives, integrate new innovative technologies, build strong IT teams, and protect patient and system data.

The next generation of healthcare leaders prioritizes access to care, cost reduction and patient experience. These motivated, ambitious and forward-thinking individuals are perfectly positioned to impact the future of healthcare. Becker's is thrilled to honor these rising stars in healthcare, who are 40 years old or younger and quickly rose within the ranks of their organizations.

Female CFOs of hospitals and health systems skillfully handle strategic financial planning, annual budgets, investments and more.

These rising stars are leading the charge at hospitals, health systems and healthcare companies across the nation. They bring a deep understanding of healthcare's changing landscape and help their organizations adjust accordingly.

ACOs, or accountable care organizations, are physician- and health system-helmed groups that identify healthcare delivery savings. These organizations often partner with Medicare programs while also assisting private insurance patients.

Chief transformation officers inspire, model and implement lasting change at their organizations. Armed with problem-solving and leadership skills, these executives set the goals and tone for each transformation initiative.

Academic medical centers bring together quality patient care with innovative research and education. The CFOs responsible for the overall financial health of these institutions lead long- and short-term financial strategies, manage large budgets and oversee strategic partnerships.

These organizations have earned national recognition for their work in cancer care. These programs offer leading-edge clinical trials and pioneer research discoveries that expand access to care and enhance patient outcomes.

The following CEOs of critical access hospitals are lauded for their dedication to innovation, safety and quality. Many of these CEOs have led service line expansions, recruitment efforts, and partnerships with larger hospitals and health systems. These CEOs are devoted to the continuous improvement of their critical access hospitals, knowing just how crucial they are to the communities they serve.

These programs are committed to providing exceptional orthopedic care for patients with musculoskeletal conditions or injuries. The programs on this list treat a high volume of patients each year, offer access to various clinical trials and utilize the most innovative technologies available. Many of these hospitals and health systems have earned recognition from prestigious rankings organizations such as U.S. News & World Report, are the official providers of professional sports teams and have received the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval.

CNOs are responsible for overseeing nursing departments, launching novel initiatives and maintaining outstanding patient care outcomes. These leaders bring a unique blend of clinical and leadership experience to their roles.

Diverse leadership in healthcare culminates in a more comprehensive, seamless experience for both patients and providers alike. The leaders honored in this list are transforming the patient journey, ushering in the new wave of healthcare providers and promoting DEI.

They also feature leaders and top specialists in the field, robust research programs and innovative clinical trials. Many hospitals and health systems on this list have earned accolades for spine and neuroscience care from healthcare rankings organizations like U.S. News & World Report and Healthgrades.

Whether these leaders are challenging the status quo, championing public health issues, pioneering new models of care, or embracing novel technologies, the nation – and even the world – is watching. More often than not, the precedents these executives set go on to become the golden standard for healthcare.

Hospitals and health systems with simulation and education programs see improved patient outcomes, reduced healthcare costs and enhanced patient safety. The following programs offer cutting-edge technologies, lifelike scenarios and safe environments that build provider confidence through practical application.

In the current age of accelerated digital transformation, chief innovation officers ensure that their hospitals and health systems remain on the cutting-edge of care delivery. Chief innovation officers foster cultures of innovation, creativity and open-mindedness, leading to novel technologies, enhanced patient care models, new partnerships and more.

COOs are focused on clinical and financial growth, employee engagement, organizational improvements and more. These leaders are highly strategic and lead the ideation, development and implementation of initiatives that enhance operational efficiency at their organizations.

The physicians and nurses serving as chief medical officers and chief nursing officers are tasked with identifying new technologies, strategizing how best to integrate them into their organizations, and implementing them appropriately. Their work leads to more efficient healthcare delivery and ultimately improves the patient and provider experience.

Health systems across the U.S. are growing as more independent hospitals and small chains move to join larger organizations amid financially challenging times.

Healthcare organizations across the nation have faced various challenges in recent years, ranging from supply chain disruptions to workforce shortages. CEOs and CFOs combine innovative, entrepreneurial mindsets with pragmatic strategic initiatives to ensure that their organizations continue to thrive.

Through forward-thinking innovation programs, these hospitals and health systems are able to remain on the leading-edge of the changing healthcare landscape. The following organizations have created programs, institutions and initiatives solely dedicated to furthering research, discovery and innovation.

Chief strategy officers are a guiding light for their health systems, crafting short- and long-term strategic plans that drive forward momentum. They are tasked with expanding access to care through partnerships and acquisitions, as well as innovative initiatives and technologies. Chief strategy officers ensure that organizations grow in accordance with their vision and mission.

These bold strategic leaders drive the planning and execution of marketing and communications initiatives for their organizations. Chief marketing officers are tasked with positioning their hospitals and health systems as leaders within the market via brand development, data-backed marketing efforts, and customer relationship management.

The following hospitals and health systems offer services that support patients' endocrine systems. These programs provide diagnoses, education, medication, cutting-edge technology and clinical research to improve the lives of patients suffering from endocrine disorders like diabetes, thyroid diseases, metabolic disorders and more.

The following hospitals and health systems, understanding that mental health is just as integral to overall wellbeing as physical health, provide services that support patients' psychiatric, emotional and behavioral needs. These programs blend medication, education, therapy and novel treatment methods to address this critical yet often overlooked healthcare demand.