Hope, when applied with purpose and action, can be a powerful force for driving change in healthcare.

That’s the philosophy of Eugene Woods, CEO of Advocate Health and a 2025 Fierce 50 honoree, who joins Ayla Ellison, Editor-in-Chief of Fierce Life Sciences & Healthcare, to share how he puts “Applied Hope” into practice. Woods explains how this approach combines optimism with action and why it’s become a guiding strategy for one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems.

In their conversation, Woods discusses leading through massive organizational change, cultural transformation and the rapid adoption of new technologies. He offers insights on improving quality and affordability, investing in both rural communities and urban neighborhoods and preparing for a future shaped by AI and more human-centered healthcare delivery.

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 

Fierce 50 of 2025 
Eugene A. Woods—Fierce 50 Leadership Honoree 

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