Physician Alignment in 2026: Trends, Challenges, and Forward-Thinking Strategies

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

10:00 AM PST / 12:00 PM CST / 1:00 PM EST

An effective physician alignment strategy is essential for hospital and health system success. Discover how evolving physician alignment models are reshaping relationships and driving strategic transformation across healthcare organizations. This session will highlight proven, real-world approaches to boost physician engagement, collaboration, and accountability.

Objectives:

1. 1. Understand the latest challenges to effective physician alignment and organizational success.
  2. Explore real-world strategies to optimize physician engagement, collaboration, and performance.
  3. Implement actionable tools and expert-driven insights to future-proof your alignment strategy.

Rudd Kierstead

Director

Rudd Kierstead, based in Philadelphia, is a Director for the Compensation Valuation division at VMG Health. Rudd brings 25 years of diverse experience in healthcare provider settings, with a particular focus on physician initiatives. His expertise includes enterprise performance improvement, medical staff planning, financial analysis, physician alignment, compensation planning, and fair market valuation (FMV) projects. Rudd works extensively with academic medical centers, health systems, and community hospitals, advising on physician enterprise formation, unique arrangements with physicians, and the design and management of partnering ventures.

Before joining VMG Health, Rudd was a Director at Veralon. He also served as Director in the Weill Cornell Physician Network, where he led efforts in physician recruitment, compensation and transition negotiations, onboarding, and business planning. His prior experience includes roles as Vice Chair for Administration in the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College, where he managed compliance, staffing, and academic missions for a department of 180 paid faculty. Rudd also held leadership positions at Continuum Health Partners and Mount Sinai Medical Center, overseeing business planning, compensation evaluations, and ambulatory care operations.

Rudd holds an MBA from the University of Michigan, an MPP from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, and a BA from Wesleyan University. His extensive background in academic and healthcare management settings enables him to provide strategic insights and tailored solutions for healthcare organizations.

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