Across the country, healthcare leaders are navigating unprecedented levels of uncertainty and complexity. Policy shifts, economic turbulence, supply chain instability, and widespread workforce strain have created a volatile environment. Given today’s uncertainties, relying heavily on disconnected, outdated systems could make navigating the challenges ahead even more difficult. Many hospitals still rely on systems that are disconnected, outdated, and no longer sufficient for navigating today’s unpredictable landscape. The path forward lies in targeting the operational levers that most directly affect efficiency and profitability and doing so through integrated and connected systems that break down silos and offer a real-time, enterprise-wide view of performance.
While no one can predict what’s next, and we can’t have ‘perfect control’, healthcare leaders can act on what is within their control through a more unified environment. Three key areas offer immediate opportunities to build resilience and deliver smarter operations:
- Supply costs
- Labor shortages
- Waste management
The goal can’t just be about surviving what’s next—it’s about creating stability by moving away from disconnected processes toward interconnected systems that can help hospitals regain control, build resilience, and gradually improve efficiency even amidst ongoing uncertainty.
1. Supply Costs
With new tariffs expected this summer and fall, hospitals face potential cost spikes on critical supplies like PPE, cleaning supplies, and food preparation equipment, storage, many of which are internationally sourced. Some projections anticipate that supply costs could rise by over 15%.
Hospitals already operate on thin margins, and unexpected cost hikes in food and nutrition services can be especially disruptive. A deeply integrated platform offers enterprise-wide visibility into inventory, enabling smarter purchasing, tighter forecasting, and more flexible sourcing. If a key ingredient or supplier needs to be swapped, the system can automatically update everything — from menus and dietary compliance to pricing and prep sheets — across both patient and retail foodservice. The result is better cost control, less waste, and more resilient operations.
2. Labor Challenges
The healthcare sector has long faced workforce challenges, but the current environment has exacerbated issues like increased wait times and overwhelmed staff, making individualized nutrition challenging, reducing operational hours, delaying foodservice, and declining patient satisfaction. Staffing shortages in areas such as dietary, foodservice, and custodial roles are particularly concerning given the shrinking talent pools and rising labor costs.
According to the 2024 State of Healthcare Survey by FoodService Director, 61% of hospital foodservice leaders reported that staffing shortages are directly impacting dietary services, including tray delivery and retail dining operations. This shortage not only strains staff but can affect the overall patient experience and satisfaction.
By implementing a unified platform, like NetMenu, hospitals can significantly reduce paperwork, manual adjustments, duplicate data entry, and costly errors. By automating routine tasks like dietary compliance and procurement processes, the systems free up staff to focus more on patient care. By creating a more integrated ecosystem, it also helps improve forecasting accuracy and reduce redundancies. Long-term investments in connecting workflows drive efficiency, streamline operations, relieve frustration, and ultimately improve outcomes and staff satisfaction.
3. Waste Management
Healthcare facilities generate considerable waste, especially food waste, which remains one of the most overlooked opportunities for operational improvement. Hospitals average more than 30 pounds of waste daily, and of that, 10-15% is food waste. This totals 288,401 tons annually, costing more than $1.6 billion. Yet, waste, particularly food waste, is something easily within our control.
Digital nutrition and ordering systems that align menus with patient preferences and real-time consumption patterns give hospitals a clearer view of demand and retail activity. When nutrition data, ordering workflows, and retail sales are connected, hospitals gain the forecasting power to make smarter inventory decisions and dramatically reduce waste.
Preparing for What’s Ahead
Today’s environment is testing every link in the healthcare value chain. If hospitals want to emerge from the pressure intact, hospitals must be agile, and that comes from a clear unified approach that can flex and respond to whatever comes next. The systems in place need to be driven by real-time data and shared visibility amongst all the departments to reduce inefficiencies and improve patient outcomes.
Healthcare leaders should carefully assess every process—from procurement and workforce management to waste protocols—and identify immediate areas of friction and efficiency gains. Those that actively address these operational challenges and invest in platforms that build a more unified ecosystem will be better positioned to succeed.
When Control Feels Limited, Here’s What Still Matters
Rising costs, workforce shortages, and persistent waste aren’t abstract challenges; they’re what healthcare leaders are up against every day. And while there’s no quick fix, there are meaningful ways to steady the ship.
Start with what’s within reach. Identify disconnected systems that drain efficiency and find small but meaningful ways to unify processes and support your teams with smarter, connected tools.
Right now, it’s not about having perfect control in the midst of uncertainty. It’s about acting on what’s within your control and creating interconnected systems that offer improvements, sustainability, and that will become scalable. It’s about making strategic, practical improvements that ease operational pressure, empower healthcare teams, and set the stage for long-term resilience.
About Arun Ahuja
Arun Ahuja is Senior Vice President and General Manager of Healthcare and Corporate at Transact + CBORD, where he leads the strategy & delivery of technology solutions that enhance operational efficiency and user experience across healthcare, higher ed and corporate environments. With over 20 years in delivering technology solutions for multinational companies, Arun has a proven track record leading global teams and driving innovation in complex, regulated industries. His expertise in secure, scalable payment ecosystems positions him to bring fresh perspectives to healthcare technology, focusing on seamless, patient-centered solutions that mirror the convenience and security consumers expect in everyday transactions.
