NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Enmaeya News) — John Couris, CEO of Tampa General Hospital, called for a strategic reset in digital health partnerships, emphasizing the need for fewer but more effective collaborations during remarks at the ViVE digital health conference.

Speaking Feb. 23, 2025, Couris said hospitals are moving away from managing a sprawling web of technology vendors in favor of targeted partnerships that better address their operational needs. "I’m not going to manage hundreds of partnerships or even thousands of partnerships anymore," he said. "It’s just not practical."

The comments come as hospitals nationwide face financial strain, staffing shortages and increasing pressure to improve patient outcomes. Couris said many tech vendors offer generalized solutions that don’t align with the specific challenges healthcare providers are facing.

“We get very few people who want to understand our problems and our challenges, and then bring a solution to us,” he said, pointing to a disconnect between innovation and implementation.

The shift marks a response to years of rapid digital health growth, during which hospitals adopted a wide range of new tools in an effort to stay ahead of technological trends. But Couris argued that maintaining these partnerships has become unsustainable, with limited staff and resources to support them.

Tampa General is now prioritizing partnerships with health tech platforms that can demonstrate meaningful impact on care delivery and hospital efficiency. Couris said this streamlined approach reflects a broader shift across the industry, as health systems seek to reduce complexity and maximize value.

“Quality, not quantity, will drive the next phase of digital health adoption,” he said.