We've rounded up our most popular blogs and expert commentary of 2018 to help you understand this year's biggest trends and strategic changes—including three "must-haves" for taking your telehealth program to the next level, a deep dive into micro-hospitals, and a how-to guide to spotting your fatal flaw as a leader.

1. 3 'must-haves' for taking your telehealth program to the next level

   More than 70% of hospitals and provider groups have a telehealth program, according to a 2017 HIMSS Analytics survey, and these programs are increasingly becoming more coordinated and centrally managed. Here are three 'must-haves' elements to prioritize in building a scalable and sustainable program at your organization.

2. How physician pay is changing—and how you can keep up

   Responding to Modern Healthcare's 25^th annual Physician Compensation Survey, Advisory Board's Hamza Hasan and Sarah O'Hara identify two key trends in changing compensation: The decrease in straight productivity-based compensation models and the rise in compensation for physicians in primary care specialties. They suggest how best to respond to these trends—and how medical groups can best keep up with rising salary costs.

3. How micro-hospitals impact health system strategy

   Micro-hospitals, also known as neighborhood hospitals, have become a major part of the health care conversation in the last two years. In short, they're licensed hospitals that operate 24/7 in a fraction of the space of traditional acute care hospitals. Here's five ways health systems are using them to meet their strategic objectives.

4. How to spot your fatal flaw as a leader—before it's too late

   Many high potential leaders are held back due to their "fatal flaws," or blind spots that they're unable to recognize. Advisory Board's Craig Pirner, who's worked with hundreds of these leaders, shares four ways organizations can help to root out and address these blind spots.

5. What a colleague's breast health care experience taught us about genetic counseling

   After speaking to a colleague who had recently undergone breast cancer genetic testing, Advisory Board's Deirdre Saulet and Ashley Riley realized just how much impact the availability of these tests impacted her hospital choices. They reflect on the experience—and what it means for services in your own cancer program.

6. Move over, millennials: Gen Z is entering the workforce. Here are 9 key things employers need to know.

   Just as the health care system is getting accustomed to millennial workers, about 17 million Gen Zers are starting to enter—with many more expected in the years to come. Advisory Board's Marisa Deline and Anne Herleth size up this new generation and propose several ways nursing leaders can prepare.

7. The promise—and pitfalls—of integrating corporate services

   As hospitals and health systems continue to consolidate, many of the hoped-for financial benefits have been elusive. According to a study of recent mergers and acquisitions, 59% of acquired hospitals failed to outperform their market peers two years after the deal. One of the hardest parts of integration? Consolidating corporate services. Read this blog to learn how to best think about this consolidation—and how to balance power between system and local needs.   

8. 'Kids can be so wise': What one physician learned by asking terminally ill children about joy, meaning, and love

   When Alastair McAlpine, a palliative pediatrician at Paedspal Cape Town in South Africa, asked his terminally ill patients what they had enjoyed in life, he was struck by the sincerity and depth of the responses. Advisory Board's Tomi Ogundimu was struck too—and shares how these responses demonstrate the ways palliative care programs can meet patients' needs.

9. The unexpected impact of patient experience on hospital margins

   As the power of consumerism rose in 2018, providers remained highly cognizant of how patient experience impacts reimbursement. What they might not have been as aware of, however, is how patient experience impacts consumer referral networks. Here's a breakdown of the connection, and data into why patient experience should be an ever greater priority for providers in 2019.  

10. The 5 'Toughest Jobs to Fill' in health care, according to CareerCast. Here's our take.

    Website CareerCast.com looked at their own job listings, as well as the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts, data from trade and professional associations, and graduation rates, to find the 10 hardest jobs to fill in the US. Five were in health care. Advisory Board's Kate Vonderhaar and Micha'le Simmons explains why these roles are getting harder to fill and what that means for your recruitment strategy.

11. What 'Amazon health care' could look like in 5 years

    When Amazon announced the locations of their new headquarters, Advisory Board's Yulan Egan and Jackie Kimmell took a moment to size up the industry giant and consider how their moves into health care so far may illuminate the approach they'll take moving forward.

12. CMS unveils new bundled payment model: Here's what you need to know

13. While it seemed like CMS was moving away from bundled payments, January brought news that CMS was trying a new voluntary bundle program called BPCI Advanced. Four of our Advisory Board experts weighed in on the news and provided insight into their broader context—in a series of commentaries you should read regardless of whether you hospital decided to apply this year or not.

5 webconferences to help you start 2019 off right

No matter what your goals are for 2018, our webconferences give you the strategies and insights to achieve them. These expert-led sessions are your opportunity to hear our latest research and best practices on some of health care's most pressing topics.

Save your spot now for these upcoming webconferences:

• Jan. 14: The right (and wrong) way to design your service line fundraising program
• Jan. 16: 5 key studies hospital planners must understand for 2019—explained in 45 minutes
• Jan 23: The 6 trends that will reshape cancer care
• Jan. 24: Learn the key health care IT industry trends for 2019
• Jan. 24: How to tackle the opioid crisis and drug diversion