Orthopedics is fast emerging as the strategic frontier for health system growth in the U.S.—but what does that really mean for executive leaders, strategy teams, and forward-thinking professionals? With shifts in care settings, exploding patient eligibility, and unprecedented volume trends, orthopedic services sit at the intersection of clinical innovation and business sustainability. As health systems grapple with integration challenges, M&A volatility, and the urgent need for actionable market intelligence, few voices are as insightful as Donnelle Jageman, Senior Director, Intelligence at Sg2 (a Vizient company). In a recent episode of The American Journal of Healthcare Strategy podcast, Jageman unpacked her journey from first-generation college student to national thought leader in orthopedic intelligence, and explained how health systems can use deep analytics to navigate today’s high-stakes environment.
Why does orthopedic intelligence matter now? Because every executive is facing a deluge of data, shifting consumer demands, and increasing competition—not just for market share, but for relevance. As Jageman explains, “There’s so much happening in orthopedics from site-of-care shift to increased patient eligibility for procedures that make it a really exciting area right now.” This article breaks down her advice, lessons from the field, and practical takeaways for leaders who need a clear-eyed approach to growth, risk, and innovation.
How does a non-traditional background shape a healthcare strategist? Donnelle Jageman’s story proves that interdisciplinary roots can create uniquely effective leaders in healthcare intelligence. She didn’t start with a healthcare degree—instead, she triple-majored in Environmental Studies, German, and Psychology at Washington & Jefferson College.
“As a child, I was one of those kids that was like a fan of the show ER and Strong Medicine… I wasn’t quite interested in being the doctor but I was like, ‘What if I was the person in charge?’”
Her foray into healthcare administration came through curiosity, not convention. It was during her undergrad studies—piecing together insights from psychology, environmental science, and sociology—that she realized the interdisciplinary demands of healthcare strategy mirrored her academic journey.
Interdisciplinary Value: Healthcare strategy demands skills in finance, revenue cycle, clinical knowledge, and medical group management—mirroring the blend in Environmental Studies of bench science, economics, and psychology.
Transferable Skills: “It was easy transitioning academically… and it still fulfills me to this day,” Jageman shared, highlighting that success doesn’t demand a healthcare-specific undergraduate degree.
Sustainability Connection: “Healthcare is as an industry one of the worst polluters,” Jageman said, underlining how her background informs a broader awareness of healthcare’s social responsibilities.
Takeaway: Executive leaders should value diverse academic backgrounds in their strategy hires—adaptability and broad thinking often beat narrowly technical resumes.
What’s the real value of administrative fellowships and residencies for future strategy leaders? According to Jageman, early-career opportunities like residencies are essential, especially for those without healthcare internships or prior industry experience.
“That was actually my first internship experience and my first exposure to healthcare and to strategy. I was very fortunate to work under the chief strategist at Mount Nittany Health.”
Her administrative residency at Penn State—a crucial internship before her second year—offered her the chance to learn directly from executive strategists. She not only gained technical skills, but also built relationships and credibility that would anchor her career.
Generalist Skills Pay Off: Jageman notes, “So many of us are generalists or specialists in one of those areas but really it’s about the culmination of all those skills.”
Seek Out High-Level Exposure: “When you go to these smaller places…I find in my experience you actually get higher-level experience. There are more doors open to you.”
Strategic Networking: Working closely with C-suite leaders and VPs at a smaller system “opened more doors and offered exposure to real decision-making.”
Actionable Insight: For emerging leaders, target roles where you’re close to executive decision-makers and given stretch assignments—even if the organization isn’t a household name.
What does strategy consulting really look like, and how does it differ from internal strategy roles? Jageman’s career traversed both worlds, moving from health systems to consulting and back again.
“Strategists—even if you’re working in a health system—you tend to have a consultancy role, even if that’s not your title… you’re constantly touching different parts of the organization.”
Consensus Building: Consultants help synthesize diverse viewpoints, “often are the consensus builders and facilitators of discussion.”
Market Analysis: From market share analyses to medical staff development, consultants bring an outside-in view. “You’re hoping to provide direction for the organization and there are so many parts of that strategic planning process…”
Project Management: Even as an “internal consultant,” Jageman managed multiple projects, timelines, and deliverables.
After years in consulting, Jageman returned to the provider side to “get closer to the decisions that were being made and then the consequences of them.” She highlights the difference: “As a consultant… you kind of get to wipe your hands and leave at the end of the day… but really it’s up to the folks doing the work to implement the strategies.”
Direct Answer: Leaders should recognize that strategy is both a function (internal or external) and a mindset. The best strategists—consultant or not—are consensus-builders, project managers, and trusted advisors.
Why do so many health system acquisitions fail in the integration phase? Jageman’s experience at Tower Health highlights the reality: even after a successful acquisition, the real work begins with integration, and most systems are unprepared.
“There’s such a hurdle to integrate systems right—even throughout Tower Health we had five different medical staffs, five different credentialing or three different credentials eventually… every time you had to move a physician or add them they had to go through such a lengthy process.”
Resource Constraints: Merging EMRs, aligning credentials, and standardizing processes take significant human and financial capital.
Cultural Inertia: “You have this staff of physicians and providers and nurses… who have a culture and a history… and human behaviorists just not wanting to let go of that stuff.”
Leadership Gaps: Integration requires relentless consensus building, negotiation, and the willingness to push through inevitable resistance.
How can strategy and intelligence leaders do better? Leverage psychology and behavioral insights, prioritize communication, and plan for a multi-year integration timeline—don’t assume alignment will happen on its own.
What does intelligence mean in healthcare, and why are teams like Sg2’s increasingly vital? For many, “intelligence” conjures images of espionage, but in healthcare it’s about distilling vast, noisy datasets into actionable insights.
“Intelligence is really about taking all the noise… technology, the economy, how we care for patients through clinical pathways and coordination… and wrapping that up into thought leadership.”
Demand-Based Forecasting: Sg2’s flagship product, the Impact of Change forecast, “is a proprietary, demand-based forecast for healthcare… we forecast tens of thousands of procedures and visit types, across both inpatient and outpatient settings, and we do it every year on a 10-year basis.”
Data Integration: They aggregate “comprehensive claims data… clinical database… and operational database that collect dozens and dozens of data points for hundreds of health systems across the country.”
Market Sensing: “I spend time even watching orthopedic surgeons on Instagram to see what they’re talking about… what journal articles they’re citing or what issues they’re seeing in their market.”
Jageman is clear: “Imagine trying to do that at a health system level and have the depth of knowledge that we have… especially some of the more intricate service lines like cardiovascular or neurosciences… we have experts dedicated to so many areas.” Sg2’s team alone is over 60 people.
Direct Answer: Intelligence in healthcare requires specialized, dedicated resources and cross-functional expertise that most internal strategy teams simply can’t afford or replicate.
How do intelligence and consulting firms like Sg2 avoid conflicts of interest when serving multiple competitors in the same region? The answer is a blend of strict operational boundaries and professional ethics.
“If we had two health systems in the same market that were competitors, which often happens… we have actually separate teams that deal with those… and we often blind stuff even if examples are from a different market.”
Account Team Segmentation: Separate account teams handle different clients in the same market.
Data Blinding: “Even if it’s from a different market… we’re never saying without permission ‘Smith Health told me this’… always ‘another one of our members.’”
Networking Only With Consent: “If a health system wants to share… we may connect them with another, but only after explicit permission.”
Jageman notes, “We never want to violate that trust and I really think that everyone should work under that premise.” For executives considering a partner, these guardrails should be non-negotiable.
How accurate is Sg2’s forecast, and how do they keep their intelligence relevant as the market evolves? The answer is a blend of machine learning, historical data, and constant, boots-on-the-ground research.
“Over the years it’s been shown to be pretty accurate actually… they kind of do retrospective studies every now and then… and it has changed a lot over the years. It grows every year… adding new procedures, categories…”
Continuous Improvement: Each year brings new data, procedure types, and refinement to the model.
Human Expertise: “There’s a more… artistry, right, where… you go to the annual American Academy of Orthopedics meeting… identify trends and new technology.”
Collaboration Across Teams: “I often collaborate with our leads of Ambulatory Surgery and General Surgery to work on things like site-of-care shift… now most total joint replacements are done outpatient.”
Direct Answer: The future of healthcare intelligence is hybrid—data science powers the models, but real-world observation and domain expertise anchor the insights.
Is it realistic for U.S. health systems to build their own intelligence or market strategy departments? The short answer: at a local level, maybe. At a national or enterprise level, the resource demands are prohibitive.
“I feel like I was doing this on a market level when I worked at health systems… but from a national perspective or even regionally, this is a lot—it’s a lot of work… which is why we have almost 60 or over 60 people on Sg2’s intelligence team.”
Internal Teams: Good for local market sensing, tactical initiatives, and competitive monitoring.
External Partners: Essential for longitudinal forecasting, benchmarking, and navigating highly specialized service lines.
Direct Answer: Smart systems blend internal capability with external depth—build an internal function for rapid response, but lean on national partners for forecasting, benchmarks, and subject matter expertise.
The world of healthcare strategy and intelligence is growing more complex by the month. Orthopedics is a case study for why robust intelligence is non-negotiable: care settings shift, patient needs change, and system integration falters without data-driven leadership. Donnelle Jageman’s journey, from academic generalist to Senior Director, Intelligence at Sg2 Vizient, demonstrates the value of cross-disciplinary thinking, strategic patience, and relentless learning.
Actionable Insight: If you’re an executive leader or aspiring strategist, invest in multidisciplinary development, prioritize transparency and ethical boundaries in your intelligence partnerships, and never underestimate the power of collaborative, data-driven decision-making. The future of healthcare strategy will be built by those who turn noise into knowledge—and action.
