This is a guest post from Forsyth Healthcare Director Shad Forsyth.
I’ve said it many times before, and as I look ahead to our intentions for 2026, I’ll say it again:
Relationships matter more than transactions.
For a long time, healthcare sales have been measured in quarterly order volumes and contract values.
That lens is too small.
When the “win” is just a PO, we miss the bigger question: did this actually help patients, clinicians and even the taxpayers ultimately footing the bill in a meaningful way?
The industry is ready for a shift (and has been, for a long time).
The most durable partnerships must be built around shared outcomes: fewer errors, safer workflows, less waste, less staff fatigue, smoother patient journeys. That means slowing down enough to understand how care is really delivered, where teams are struggling, and what problem a product is truly solving in the day to day.
When relationships come first, the sales conversation changes. It becomes less about pushing a catalog and more about co-designing a better environment of care. The right solution might be smaller than the original quote, or a staged rollout, or a redesign of an existing setup instead of brand new equipment. And that is a good thing if it delivers better value to patients and taxpayers over time.
In 2026 and beyond, the partners who will matter most in healthcare are the ones willing to be accountable not just for what they sell, but for the outcomes that follow. That is the bar Forsyth Healthcare holds itself to in every project and every relationship.
We always have, and we always will.
