Health care is one of our nation’s largest industries and employers. Though worker-owned cooperatives have a fairly significant presence in this industry, largely through home care, only about 2% of ESOPs are in healthcare. But these dynamics may also change as more clinics, private practices, and direct-care companies look to employee ownership to strengthen their performance, create better jobs, and retain their independence. Some advocates also argue that employee ownership may also be able to support better patient and client outcomes. In this conversation from the 2025 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, panelists examine the current state of employee ownership in healthcare and how the model might help strengthen the industry.

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The 2025 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum took place on April 9-10, 2025, virtually and in Washington DC. The Forum is proudly co-hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University.

This year’s theme, “From Workers to Owners,” highlights how the experience of ownership changes the reality of work for workers. The forum highlights companies in a range of business sectors and explores how employee ownership fits their business strategy and approach to business leadership. We also discuss the particular role employee ownership can play in supporting business success, and we consider the role institutional investors can play in improving capital access for employee ownership conversions and expansions.

For more information about the Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, including our speakers, agenda, and additional resources, visit our website: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/employee-ownership-ideas-forum-2025/