BY: Ray Berry
May 1, 2026- As Shane Strum marks five years as CEO at Broward Health, public healthcare in Broward County has never been stronger. The true measure of leadership is whether the institutions people rely on are stronger, more stable, and reaching more people. By that measure, the progress across Broward County’s public health systems is undeniable.
Strum did not arrive at Broward Health by accident. A Broward native, he stepped into the role in 2021 after serving as chief of staff to Governor Ron DeSantis. His career also includes leadership roles at Memorial Healthcare System and service as chairman of the South Broward Hospital District Board. Across nearly 30 years, his work has expanded telehealth, improved transparency, lowered prescription drug costs, and elevated attention to mental health and substance use challenges.
At Broward Health, that experience has translated into measurable progress. The system has seen roughly a 50 percent increase in net operating revenue, alongside improved credit ratings, expanded services, and stronger academic partnerships. Today, Broward Health carries A+ ratings from S&P Global and Fitch and an A3 rating from Moody’s. The system operates on a budget exceeding $2 billion, delivers more than $500 million in charity care, and serves well over a million patients annually. These are clear indicators of a system that is financially strong and positioned to serve the community for years to come.
That track record is also why Memorial Healthcare System’s board asked Strum to serve as CEO of Memorial while continuing his leadership at Broward Health. This extends a results-driven approach focused on growth, access, and operational discipline across both public hospital systems.
But this progress is not just about financial performance. It is about access and what that access means for families across Broward County.
Under Strum’s leadership, Broward Health has implemented the Epic electronic health record system, expanded maternity services, strengthened graduate medical education, and invested in new emergency departments and facilities across the county. These are long-term commitments to ensuring care is available in a growing and diverse community.
That commitment matters in Broward County, where access to care remains uneven. Continued investment in primary care, maternal health, and preventive services is critical. Public hospitals are designed to serve everyone, while many private providers focus primarily on insured patients. As a result, public systems shoulder a greater share of care for those who need it most.
Last year alone, Broward Health and Memorial provided approximately $800 million in care supported by about $260 million in tax revenue. This gap is not a failure but a reflection of their mission.
What often goes unseen is the environment in which public hospital systems operate. Running a public healthcare system is complex under any circumstances. Doing so under Florida’s Government in the Sunshine Law adds a level of accountability that most private healthcare organizations never face. Transparency is not optional. It is embedded in every decision, meeting, and major initiative.
That transparency is both necessary and appropriate, but it also creates challenges in a competitive healthcare market. Public hospital systems must discuss all strategic decisions in the open, while private competitors do not. That means they are not operating on the same playing field. Even with that disadvantage, Broward Health and Memorial have continued to grow, expand access, and strengthen services.
Strum’s leadership has also enhanced collaboration beyond a single system. Through collaborations like Better Together, Broward Health and Memorial are working to expand primary care, improve maternal health, and address food insecurity in underserved communities. These are practical, coordinated efforts to reach more patients and meet needs no single system can solve alone.
But this is also where the challenges become most visible. Outdated district boundaries continue to limit access to care, and efforts to work across those lines are often met with resistance from our competition. When Broward Health and Memorial sought legislative support to expand the Better Together collaboration, our competitors labeled it a “merger” and raised concerns about transparency. Those claims ignored the facts. Better Together has been discussed in publicly noticed meetings of both boards for over a year, fully consistent with Florida’s Sunshine Law. The process has been open, deliberate, and focused on expanding access for patients.
With this level of progress, it is not surprising that there are those who seek to slow or block that momentum. This is not about process. It is about competition. When public hospital systems expand access, it can affect market share and revenue for for-profit providers. Efforts like Better Together, which expand access and reduce duplication, can directly challenge existing profit margins. In those moments, criticism often intensifies and is directed at leadership. But the mission remains unchanged. Continuing to educate and build support for Better Together is critical so it can advance through legislation and provide better access for patients who need it.
Not all this success is due to one person. Physicians, nurses, staff, and community partners all play a critical role, showing up every day with dedication, skill, and compassion for the patients they serve. Together, Broward Health and Memorial operate the only Level I trauma centers in Broward County, delivering lifesaving care at a scale no other providers can match. Without these healthcare professionals here in our community, patients would be forced to travel to Miami or Palm Beach for emergency care, where every minute can mean the difference between life and death.
Over the past five years, Strum and his team have remained focused on one goal, expanding access, strengthening services, and building a system that can serve more people. Today, Broward Health is stronger, more stable, and reaching more residents than ever before. At a time when Broward County needs expanded access to care, that momentum continues, with a clear focus on delivering high-quality care to every corner of our community.
Ray Berry is a commissioner for the North Broward Hospital District and former chair of the board.
