Six years is not a long time by most measures. In healthcare, though, the last six years have compressed what might once have unfolded over decades into a much shorter and more volatile span.

Radio Advisory launched in April 2020 when healthcare leaders were confronting questions with no clear precedent. The first episode focused on a practical and urgent question — could hospitals ramp up enough capacity in the face of COVID‑19? There was little time for reflection and no consensus playbook. Decisions were being made under extraordinary pressure, often with incomplete information, under incredibly fast timelines. In hindsight — so was the decision for Advisory Board to launch a podcast.

That initial focus shaped what Radio Advisory would become. The show began as a way to help leaders make sense of events as they were unfolding. Over time, and as the industry’s challenges evolved, so did the scope and tone of the conversations. As the Radio Advisory team looks back now, six years and two million downloads later, we realize our channel offers a useful lens on six defining healthcare shifts — and how leadership priorities changed alongside them.