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Healthcare CFOs Face a Wide Readiness Gap as Business Performance and AI Value Expectations Rise, Deloitte Survey Finds

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73% of surveyed healthcare CFOs say they are expected to be regularly or heavily involved in enterprise decisions, yet only 49% feel well equipped to contribute

NEW YORK, Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 

Key takeaways

CFO expectations are outpacing readiness: 73% of respondents say they are expected to be regularly or heavily involved in seven enterprise decision areas, while only 49% feel well equipped. That creates a 24-point average gap between expectation and enablement.The largest CFO readiness gaps are in the decisions that they feel matter most: Patient experience, access and consumer affordability decisions show a 33-point gap, with 74% of the CFOs surveyed saying they are expected to be involved but only 41% feeling well equipped to do so. This gap is wider for health systems than in health plans, at 38 points versus 28 points respectively. M&A and growth show a 31-point gap, and care model transformation shows a 25-point gap.CFOs are striking an optimistic outlook for business performance, but preparedness is uneven: Nearly 60% of CFOs are targeting margin improvement of at least 2 percentage points over the next two years, yet only 47% say their organizations are prepared to manage the pressures affecting margin. The research identifies access, affordability, and quality as considerations CFOs may need to navigate as they continue to focus on margin improvement — alongside other key areas of performance including capacity and risk mitigation.AI value should move from promise to proof: Across the public commentary analysis, demonstrated value narratives rose from 9% in 2023 to 19% in 2026, though public discussions still emphasize anticipated outcomes more than proven financial results. Surveyed CFOs of only 18% of AI scalers consistently measure AI’s impact financially.GLP-1 and specialty drug costs are another margin gap area for health plans: 85% of surveyed health plan finance leaders expect a moderate-to-major margin impact, but only 38% report that their organizations are well prepared to manage it.

Why this matters

Many healthcare chief financial officers report they are preparing for margin pressures amidst an expectation to play a broader enterprise role according to the three-part “2026 Healthcare CFO Research Series” from Deloitte. This may impact the organizational performance to deliver on their mission. The survey of 64 U.S. healthcare finance leaders — 32 from health systems and 32 from health plans — finds a 24-point gap between the CFOs expected to be regularly or heavily involved in enterprise decisions and those who feel well equipped to contribute effectively.

The research also shows that some healthcare organizations are pursuing margin goals while navigating uneven preparedness across key pressure points. Nearly 60% of surveyed finance leaders are targeting operating-margin improvement of 2 percentage points or more over the next two years, including 27% targeting improvement of more than 5 percentage points. At the same time, only 47% say their organizations are well prepared to manage the external factors and enterprise capability gaps that could affect operating margins. As noted in the “Deloitte U.S. Health Care 2026 Mid-year Outlook,” both sectors generally report they are entering the second half of 2026 with less room for error and a tougher operating test.

Further, the survey findings show AI investment is scaling faster than financial attribution capability for many. Of surveyed organizations, 44% are AI scalers (organizations with broader GenAI deployment). Yet CFOs of only 18% of AI scalers report that they consistently measure AI’s impact on revenue growth or cost savings. External market narratives also validate the survey findings. Deloitte analysis of 17,622 publicly available newsroom and press release articles across 62 health systems and health plans found that healthcare technology communications are shifting from excitement toward demonstrated value for many. Demonstrated value narratives increased from 9% of coverage in 2023 to 19% in 2026, while expected value remained the dominant framing at roughly 35% to 45% of coverage.

Key quotes

“Many healthcare CFOs report they are being asked to connect affordability, access, care transformation, technology and growth to enterprise value. The readiness gap between healthcare CFO expectations and enablement may be an organizational design gap. Finance leaders should be involved early with their C-suite colleagues and with access to the information involved in influencing decisions and help translate strategy into results that deliver on business outcomes and mission.”

Jay Bhatt, managing director, Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, Deloitte Services LP

“As some organizations reach for 5 percentage point margin growth amidst internal and external factors, there is an execution and readiness opportunity. The margin story may be less about choosing between growth and efficiency and more about building the capabilities to execute both. CFOs are well positioned to bring together financial, clinical, operational, talent and strategic perspectives — but they should have access to consistent measures of value, clear accountability, and the ability to connect investment decisions with outcomes.”

Alicia Janisch, vice chair and U.S. health care sector leader, Deloitte Tax LLP

Taken together, the findings suggest that the healthcare CFO role may be evolving from financial steward to enterprise value orchestrator working strategically and closer with C-suite colleagues to manage costs, risk, and deliver value. Organizations that bring finance leaders into decisions earlier, strengthen cross-functional planning and establish clearer measures of transformation value may be better positioned to improve margins, scale innovation and turn technology investments into measurable results.

Methodology
The survey was conducted in spring 2026 among 64 U.S. healthcare finance leaders, including 32 leaders from health systems with more than $1 billion in revenue and 32 leaders from health plans with more than 500,000 members. The survey questions examined finance leaders’ enterprise role and readiness; organizational margin expectations, pressures and preparedness; and technology investment priorities, AI adoption and scaling, return expectations, and financial measurement and attribution practices. The companion media analysis reviewed 17,622 publicly available newsroom and press release articles across 62 health systems and health plans published between January 2023 and May 2026. A GenAI-enabled thematic tagging approach, combined with human-in-the-loop validation, was used to identify dominant narratives across 15 enterprise themes. Technology-focused articles were subsequently analyzed to uncover the underlying value narrative.  

About Deloitte
Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world’s most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500® and more than 9,000 U.S.-based private companies. At Deloitte, we strive to live our purpose of making an impact that matters for our people, clients, and communities. We bring together distinct talents, technologies, disciplines, and an ecosystem of alliances to help tackle today’s most complex business challenges and drive long-term progress. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Bringing more than 180 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte’s approximately 470,000 people worldwide connect for impact at www.deloitte.com.

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee (“DTTL”), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as “Deloitte Global”) does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the “Deloitte” name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.

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SOURCE Deloitte LLP

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Cetera Welcomes Former Commonwealth Advisors Jim Tucker, Patrick Bria and Their Team Overseeing Approximately $420 Million in AUA

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After building their businesses over two decades, the advisors chose Cetera’s Summit community for its high-touch service, flexibility and commitment to helping advisors operate their way

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cetera welcomes financial advisors Jim Tucker, CFP®, CRPS®, and Patrick Bria, and the Tucker Bria Wealth Strategies team overseeing approximately $420 million in AUA1. Tucker Bria Wealth Strategies joined Cetera through its Summit Financial Networks2 community. Based in Durham, North Carolina, co-founders Tucker and Bria have built their practice together since 2013. The two have been friends since their teenage years in Pittsburgh, and later were teammates on Duke University’s varsity swim team.

Tucker Bria Wealth Strategies – a name built around the firm’s belief that “Life alters wealth®” – provides individualized financial planning and wealth management to individuals and families navigating life’s transitions, from wealth creation and preservation to windfalls such as inheritances and business sales.

The move to Cetera follows more than a decade at Commonwealth Financial Network, a firm Tucker and Bria deliberately chose for its culture of experienced advisors and personalized support. When LPL announced its acquisition of Commonwealth, the partners launched a monthslong search for a new financial services partner, including traditional broker-dealers and RIA models.

Keeping continuity for clients, some of whom have been with the practice since its inception, was central to their search. With Cetera, the firm could maintain its existing custodian, Fidelity’s NFS. Another key decision point was Cetera’s flexibility, which allowed Tucker Bria to continue using third-party technology that had become integral to their client service model during their years at Commonwealth.

Ultimately, the firm wanted access to a well-established and scaled infrastructure, products, services and AI-powered growth resources – tools designed to augment how advisors already work, not change how they operate – without asking the practice to give up how it runs its business.

“We were deliberate about choosing Commonwealth, and we were just as deliberate about where we went next. We wanted a partner strong enough to provide the compliance, technology and back-office support we didn’t want to build ourselves, but flexible enough to let us keep running our business exactly the way we always have,” Tucker said. “Summit has a clear reason for being, the same way our previous firm did, and that mattered to us as much as anything else.”

The firm’s high-touch approach to client service – centered on close, ongoing relationships rather than scale, with regularly scheduled client meetings and financial planning built around each family’s specific circumstances – was also at the forefront of their decision-making process.

“We tell our team to love our clients, not because of what they’ve entrusted to us, but because that’s simply the standard we hold ourselves to,” Bria said. “Our next-gen advisors are in the room with clients from day one, learning the relationships, not just the technical side of the job. Because of this, our clients know their advisor team is going to be in place for the next 30-plus years.”

Tucker Bria’s next generation – including Wealth Advisors Josh Polidori, CFP®, CPFA®; Financial Planning Associate Chris Bleeker; and Financial Planning Associate Taylor Clement, CFP® – already serves as the primary point of contact for many of the firm’s second- and third-generation clients.

Tucker is also the author of Family, Legacy, Wealth: How to Nurture and Grow Your Family Orchard, a book designed to help families define and pass on their legacy, one that goes beyond money.

Welcoming the Tucker Bria team, Cetera Advisor Channel Leader Tom Halloran said: “Jim and Pat have spent decades building something special together that grew into a client-centered practice with the kind of robust next-gen advisor strategy that doesn’t happen by accident. We’re thrilled to welcome Jim, Pat and their team to Cetera, and we’re eager to help them expand their legacy for many years to come.”

About Cetera

Cetera is the premier financial advisor Wealth Hub, empowering independent advisors and institutions with personalized support, flexible affiliation models, and end-to-end growth solutions. Home to approximately 12,000 financial professionals and institutions, Cetera’s multi-channel ecosystem enables financial professionals to grow, scale or transition their businesses on their own terms.

Unlike traditional IBDs, Cetera offers true choice – blending modern technology, integrated wealth solutions, and a community-driven culture. Cetera’s five-channel model and commitment to long-term advisor value provide a scalable blueprint for consistent, repeatable growth.

As of March 31, 2026, Cetera firms manage approximately $630 billion in assets under administration and $296 billion in assets under management. Its Voice of the Customer program has captured nearly 50,000 advisor reviews, with more than 43,000 five-star ratings, giving Cetera a 4.7 out of 5 satisfaction score.

Learn more at www.cetera.com and follow Cetera on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and X.

Cetera is a network of independent retail firms, including those that are members of FINRA/SIPC: Cetera Advisors LLC; Cetera Wealth Services, LLC (formerly known as Cetera Advisor Networks); Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions or Cetera Investors); and Cetera Financial Specialists LLC. Entities registered as investment advisers with the Securities and Exchange Commission include Cetera Investment Management LLC and Cetera Investment Advisers LLC. Cetera’s principal office is located at 655 W. Broadway, 11th Floor, San Diego, CA 92101.

Avantax Planning Partners, Inc., is an SEC registered investment adviser within the Aretec Group, Inc. (dba Cetera Holdings, an affiliate of CFG). All the referenced entities are under common ownership.

Cetera exclusively provides investment products and services through its representatives. Although Cetera does not provide tax or legal advice, or supervise tax, accounting or legal services, Cetera representatives may offer these services through their independent outside businesses. This information is not intended as tax or legal advice.

1Value approximated based on information provided to Cetera for asset holdings as of April 30, 2026.

2Summit Financial Networks is a region of Cetera Wealth Services, LLC. Securities offered through Cetera Wealth Services, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, a registered investment adviser. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other named entity.

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SOURCE Cetera Financial Group

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Extra Space Storage CEO Joe Margolis Named One of Glassdoor’s Best CEOs of 2026

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SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Extra Space Storage Inc. (NYSE: EXR) today announced that CEO Joe Margolis has been named a 2026 Glassdoor Best CEOs Award recipient. The award recognizes chief executives whose leadership has earned high marks directly from employees.

Unlike many workplace honors, the Glassdoor award does not include a self-nomination process. Winners are determined solely through voluntary, anonymous reviews submitted by current and former employees. Margolis ranked No. 25 among the chief executives recognized, based on reviews submitted between May 16, 2025, and May 16, 2026. Additional details about the award methodology are available on Glassdoor’s awards website.

“This recognition belongs to our entire team and reflects the extraordinary culture we have built together at Extra Space,” Margolis said. “Every team member plays an important role in strengthening our culture and living our core values of Excellence, Teamwork, Innovation, Integrity and Passion. I am grateful to work alongside such talented people who make Extra Space an exceptional place to work and position us for a bright future.”

To learn more about working at Extra Space and explore current career opportunities, visit careers.extraspace.com. Extra Space has received multiple honors recognizing its workplace and company culture, see the full list here.

About Extra Space Storage Inc.

Extra Space Storage Inc., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a self-administered and self-managed REIT and a member of the S&P 500. As of June 30, 2026, the Company owned and/or operated 4,410 self-storage stores in 42 states and Washington, D.C. The Company’s stores comprise approximately 3.0 million units and approximately 341.0 million square feet of rentable space operating under the Extra Space brand. The Company offers customers a wide selection of conveniently located and secure storage units across the country, including boat storage, RV storage and business storage. It is the largest operator of self-storage properties in the United States.

About Glassdoor

Glassdoor is transforming how people find jobs and companies they love by providing greater workplace transparency. Professionals use Glassdoor to research company ratings, reviews, salaries and more across millions of employers, and to participate in candid workplace conversations. Companies use Glassdoor to post jobs and attract talent through employer-branding and employee-insights products. Glassdoor is part of Indeed, a subsidiary of Recruit Holdings and a global leader in human resources technology and business solutions.

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SOURCE Extra Space Storage, Inc.

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FinThrive’s AI-Powered Fusion® Platform Earns Gold Stevie® Award for Healthcare Technology Innovation

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PLANO, Texas, Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — FinThrive, Inc., a leading healthcare revenue management software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider, today announced it has won a Gold Stevie® Award in the Technical Innovation of the Year – Hospitals & Health Systems category in the 2026 Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence.

The Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of individuals, teams, and organizations shaping the future of technology across all industry sectors.

For more than 20 years, the Stevie Awards have been touted as the world’s premier business awards – the newest program sets a global benchmark for technology achievement.

The award recognizes FinThrive Fusion®, the company’s first‑of‑its‑kind AI‑powered data intelligence platform designed to unify and optimize the entire healthcare revenue cycle, enabling predictive insights, intelligent automation and autonomous workflows. By transforming disconnected healthcare data into intelligence, Fusion helps organizations prevent denials, billing errors and revenue leakage.

“Innovation matters only when it delivers meaningful outcomes for healthcare providers,” said Hemant Goel, President and CEO, FinThrive. “We’re honored that the Stevie Awards recognized FinThrive Fusion and our commitment to helping hospitals and health systems harness AI and connected data to strengthen financial performance, improve operational efficiency and better serve patients.”

Today, FinThrive supports healthcare organizations in all 50 states, processes more than 200 million claims annually and helps manage more than $1.4 trillion in healthcare revenue. Three out of five U.S. hospitals and health systems rely on FinThrive solutions to navigate today’s complex reimbursement environment.

More than 180 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year’s honorees.

About FinThrive 

FinThrive is a healthcare revenue cycle management (RCM) technology company that helps healthcare organizations maximize revenue, reduce costs and accelerate cash flow through a unified, intelligent platform. At the core is FinThrive Fusion, the industry’s first data intelligence platform built specifically for healthcare revenue operations. Powered by Fusion, FinThrive’s AI transforms complex, manual revenue cycle tasks into streamlined, autonomous workflows. It unifies data across the enterprise while supporting regulatory compliance. As one of the most advanced SaaS platforms in healthcare, FinThrive delivers a connected, holistic approach to revenue optimization. FinThrive’s solutions span patient access, charge integrity, claims and contract management, insurance discovery, automation, analytics and education, enabling organizations to manage performance across the front, middle and back office with greater visibility and control. Learn more at FinThrive.com.

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SOURCE FinThrive, Inc.

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