CommonSpirit CEO Signals New Divestitures, Highlights AI Wins and Challenges at JPM2026

The $40 billion Catholic health system is exploring strategic portfolio adjustments while expanding the use of artificial intelligence across its operations.

CommonSpirit Health CEO Wright Lassiter outlined new divestiture plans and AI adoption milestones during his presentation at JPM2026 recently. 

The $40 billion Catholic health system is exploring strategic portfolio adjustments while expanding the use of artificial intelligence across its operations.

Lassiter said the organization has made “about a half dozen” divestitures since the merger and will announce additional portfolio transitions in the next quarter. These moves are aimed at aligning the system with communities and care areas where it can have the greatest impact, particularly in ambulatory care and underserved regions. The realignment is part of broader efforts to strengthen operating margins by 2028.

AI initiatives were a central focus of Lassiter’s remarks. CommonSpirit currently deploys 242 AI tools across the organization, moving beyond point solutions toward enterprise-scale applications. The technology has generated an estimated $100 million in annual value, including automated clinical notetaking, patient call processing, and triaging neuro emergencies, which have reduced door-to-treatment times by over 40% in more than 50 facilities. AI-enabled sepsis monitoring, active since 2015, contributed to saving 3,655 patients in fiscal year 2025.

Lassiter stressed the need for responsible AI use in healthcare, cautioning against deploying it solely to protect revenue or reduce costs at the expense of patient care. “We’re still doing too much of that… we need to deploy more of our AI for our employees and our patients,” he said, echoing the call from federal officials to harness AI to reduce operational complexity.

Acknowledging the workforce impact of automation, CommonSpirit launched an “AI Workforce Readiness Academy” 18 months ago, reskilling and upskilling several thousand employees. Lassiter noted that these efforts are crucial to preserving health systems’ roles as significant local employers and economic contributors.

Commenting on the broader AI landscape, Lassiter urged collaboration among providers and insurers, warning against a “militarized” approach where AI is used to compete internally or against payers. Instead, he emphasized using AI to streamline operations and enhance patient care.

The presentation underscored CommonSpirit’s dual focus on portfolio optimization and technology-driven operational efficiency as the system navigates a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

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