Expanding Access and Thoughtful Innovation at Lahey Hospital

Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Release Date: January 27, 2026
Host: Madeline Ashley (B)
Guest: Dr. Susan Moffatt-Bruce (C/D), President of Lahey Hospital and Medical Center and Divisional President of Beth Israel Lahey Health

Overview

This episode features an insightful conversation with Dr. Susan Moffatt-Bruce on the recent initiatives at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center (LHMC) and Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH). The discussion centers around expanding patient access, implementing innovative healthcare technologies—including artificial intelligence (AI)—and addressing the evolving needs of both patients and healthcare staff in 2025 and into 2026.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dr. Moffatt-Bruce’s Background and Role

• [01:02] Dr. Moffatt-Bruce shares her nearly 30-year career in healthcare, her expertise as a cardiothoracic surgeon specializing in end-stage lung disease, and her administrative leadership across hospitals and national organizations.
• Now President at LHMC, she also proudly serves as Professor of Surgery at UMass Chan Lahey, highlighting the institution’s new regional medical school.

2. Major Initiatives and Achievements of 2025

• Patient Volume and Access Expansion
  • [02:18] “2025... was one of growth. We were very, very fortunate to have been able to take care of more patients and even more patients than we had anticipated.”
    (Dr. Moffatt-Bruce)
  • LHMC successfully expanded care to more patients than expected, with a focus on addressing increasingly complex and acute healthcare needs.
• Geographic Expansion
  • LHMC and Lahey Clinic expanded services into southern New Hampshire, extending beyond traditional Massachusetts boundaries to increase community access.
  • [02:58] “We were able to stand up and initiate clinics within southern New Hampshire so that we can care for more patients, be in more communities and increase the access, which we are very, very excited about doing.”
• Adopting AI and Technological Innovation
  • [03:40] Adoption of ambient AI has enabled seamless capture of clinical encounters for electronic medical records, allowing providers to stay engaged with patients.
  • [03:46] “The clinician can continue to be engaged with the patient... adoption of these really innovative strategies to really provide really thoughtful care is a really proud moment for us.”

3. Priorities and Challenges for 2026

• Thoughtful Innovation and Safety
  • [04:47] Dr. Moffatt-Bruce stresses the importance of carefully selecting which innovative solutions to adopt, ensuring they are patient-centric while keeping staff wellbeing in mind.
  • Quote: “Making sure that we make thoughtful decisions as to which innovative strategies we adopt... so that they're really patient centric and keep our providers and our clinicians well.”
• Supporting Workforce Wellbeing
  • [05:14] A key focus is on attracting, supporting, and retaining healthcare staff amidst industry change and innovation.
  • Strategies must address both staff and community health and ensure staff are equipped to provide care.
  • Quote: “How do we keep our staff, our clinicians, our colleagues really well during a time when there is so much change in health care?”
• Balance of Priorities
  • [07:22] Dr. Moffatt-Bruce identifies balancing expanding patient care, managing costs, adapting to reimbursement pressures, and maintaining access as the toughest challenges.
  • Quote: “It's really the greatest challenge is the balancing of it all and trying to be proactive so that we can continuously provide the highest access of care.”

4. Leadership Strategies in Times of Uncertainty

• Fostering Engagement and Open Communication
  • [06:25] “When we have times of uncertainty, we need to make space for colleagues to share challenges, but also opportunities. A lot of listening and a lot of engagement.”
  • Leadership at LHMC emphasizes collaborative problem-solving, open forums for feedback, and programs for staff to bring forward both challenges and innovative ideas.
  • Importance of Communication:
    [07:05] “Communication is such a huge part of this whole puzzle.” (Madeline Ashley)
• Retention and Empowerment
  • Creating programs for colleagues to “show up as their very best selves” and bringing forward both challenges and opportunities.
  • [06:56] “That really has been part of my leadership strategy and those of my colleagues that I have the good fortune of working with every day.” (Dr. Moffatt-Bruce)

5. Opportunities for Organizational Growth

• Community Engagement and Home-based Care
  • [08:09] Extending care beyond traditional settings and into communities and patients’ homes is seen as a major growth opportunity.
  • Emphasizes leveraging innovation so patients can receive care “at the time that they need it and in the way that they want that care.”
  • Quote: “We have an opportunity to not only care for more patients in their communities and in their homes even, and in their place of living and work so that they don't have to come into the bricks and mortar, and that will take adoption of innovation.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [02:18] “2025... was one of growth. We were very, very fortunate to have been able to take care of more patients and even more patients than we had anticipated.” (Dr. Moffatt-Bruce)
• [03:46] “Adoption of these really innovative strategies to really provide really thoughtful care is a really proud moment for us here at Lahey and across Beth Israel.” (Dr. Moffatt-Bruce)
• [04:47] “Making sure that we make thoughtful decisions as to which innovative strategies we adopt in healthcare so that they're really patient centric and keep our providers and our clinicians well, that's gonna be one of the challenges...” (Dr. Moffatt-Bruce)
• [06:25] “We need to make that time in those spaces so that we can collectively and collaboratively create programs that allow people to show up as their very best selves, but also spaces that they can bring forward challenges and opportunities.” (Dr. Moffatt-Bruce)
• [08:09] “We have an opportunity to not only care for more patients in their communities and in their homes even...so that they don't have to come into the bricks and mortar, and that will take adoption of innovation.” (Dr. Moffatt-Bruce)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:02] – Dr. Moffatt-Bruce’s career and background
• [02:18] – 2025 recap: Expansion, access, and patient growth
• [03:40] – Innovation: Adoption of ambient AI
• [04:33] – 2026 priorities: Innovation and staff wellbeing
• [06:25] – Leadership approach: Engagement and communication
• [07:22] – The biggest challenge for 2026: Balancing competing demands
• [08:09] – Growth opportunities: Community and home-based care

Summary Flow & Tone

The conversation is forward-focused, optimistic, and collaborative, emphasizing both achievement and the ongoing challenges in healthcare. Dr. Moffatt-Bruce’s responses reflect a commitment to thoughtful innovation, strategic leadership, and community engagement—anchored by both data-driven planning and compassionate, human-centered care.