The 2025 Best Firms to Work For: Impact Advisors

CONSULTING SERVICE LINES: Strategy, Operations Management, HR, IT, Financial Consulting

Impact Advisors is a leading healthcare management consulting firm committed to solving the industry’s emerging and evolving challenges. Our high-performing team of clinical, financial, operations and technology experts collaborate to architect quality solutions and deliver measurable value for our clients. We are the most awarded consulting firm in healthcare, with services recognized among Best in KLAS® for 18 consecutive years and a culture designated “Best Place to Work” by Modern Healthcare for 16 years.

CMAG: What characteristics and elements would you attribute to your firm’s inclusion as a Best Firm to Work For?

Impact Advisors has been committed to our culture since its founding in 2007, when Pete and Andy Smith decided to build an obsessively customer-focused company. The firm’s success is predicated on hiring and retaining the best talent, and only people who are equally passionate about improving healthcare and share a genuine care for their colleagues. A few years into the firm’s inception, our Happyology program began. The Happy Team is dedicated to developing our world-class culture and ensuring our colleagues’ (we call them “Winners”) satisfaction. We believe our Winners are our greatest asset, and we invest heavily in cultivating a culture of diversity, inclusion, engagement, and personal and professional growth.

CMAG: Are there any specific programs or initiatives that contributed to you being included as a Best Firm?

We have an unwavering commitment to support and empower our Winners from their very first day. Our Ethos Orientation welcomes new team members into a community built on shared values, transparent communication, and genuine connection. Here, every Winner is introduced not only to our leadership and operations teams, but also to the principles and practices that fuel personal and collective growth.

Our culture thrives on open dialogue and regular engagement, including monthly town hall meetings that keep everyone informed and connected. We celebrate achievements at every level through our High Impact Awards, recognizing those who go above and beyond to create positive change for clients and colleagues alike. These recognitions foster a spirit of camaraderie, with firm-wide nominations and heartfelt congratulations reinforcing our belief in the power of appreciation. Beyond professional development, we emphasize well-being and happiness.

Our dedicated Happiness team leads initiatives such as health challenges, wellness events, and even a beloved annual Pet Supermodel Contest. Social activities and team-building efforts, like our Impact Palooza celebration and charitable projects, ensure everyone feels included and valued. Feedback is at the heart of our approach—starting with a “Happy Check” at 90 days and continuing with annual VIP calls that invite honest input on work-life balance and personal growth. Additionally, we have a Career Development Framework that enables our Winners to chart a professional path alongside their dedicated coach.

CMAG: In describing your firm, what would you say sets it apart from other consulting firms?

We are solely focused on healthcare, and many of our consultants have worked within hospitals and health plans. This experience, coupled with our deep expertise in healthcare technology platforms and systems, and the clinical, financial, and operational sides of the business, enables us to provide solutions that improve performance for our clients. We work closely alongside our clients and learn about their unique culture, so that the changes we recommend can be successfully adopted. We recognize that emotional intelligence is a crucial aspect of any sustained change within an organization.

CMAG: Where your workforce is concerned, what would you say your priorities look like for the upcoming year and beyond? Our people are our biggest asset. We are committed to preserving the culture we established 18 years ago, which aims to “Create a Positive Impact” for our colleagues and clients. As we’ve grown in size and scope, staying true to our culture and our values remains our biggest priority in terms of our workforce.

CMAG: What opportunities do you see as the most promising? AI, particularly Generative AI, can help offset the increasing costs of healthcare. Gen AI is ushering in the era of the “AI-Powered Clinician.” The organizations fully embracing Gen AI will achieve improved patient outcomes, step change clinician productivity and financial performance gains. We continue to see the promise of utilizing technology to improve performance in healthcare and driving sustainable change, whether it’s bringing technology platforms together in the case of mergers and acquisitions or optimizing existing EHR and ERP systems. Health provider organizations are also looking more closely at what they can outsource so that their primary focus can remain on providing exceptional client care. This provides opportunities for greater partnership with our clients.

CMAG: What market forces do you see as the most challenging?

Updated legislation, which includes changes to Medicaid and reimbursement levels, is affecting hospitals and health systems, causing uncertainty regarding the best path to follow. The same challenging market forces persist – financial pressures driven by increasing labor and supply costs – which squeeze margins. Hospitals are feeling forced to determine where they should make cuts. AI presents both opportunities and threats in healthcare. It enables workers to be more efficient and focus on providing exceptional patient care. However, it’s also being used with increasing frequency to mount cyberattacks.

CMAG: What impact do you think Best Firm to Work For honors will have on your employees? The firm overall? Clients?

Receiving the Best Firm to Work For recognition reaffirms to our Winners that they are valued members of an exceptional organization, and that their talents are fundamental to our ongoing achievements. This distinction also enhances our ability to attract top consulting talent. For our clients, it’s further proof that by prioritizing and investing in our people, we foster a workplace where the best professionals are inspired to deliver outstanding service and results.