Brazilian hospitals as an example of quality and efficiency

The list of the world’s best hospitals in 2025, published by Newsweek, brought good news for Brazil: 22 of our healthcare institutions rank among the best in the world, including five public hospitals that are part of SUS (Brazil’s public health system). The result, a reason for pride and celebration, shows that Brazilian healthcare is in line with the best global standards of quality of care and has made several advances in innovation, technology and efficiency.

The most prominent names include hospitals of excellence that are already internationally recognized, such as Sírio-Libanês, Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz, Sabará, among many others.

Alongside them, public institutions also stand out, such as the hospitals of Unicamp, the University of São Paulo (USP), Unifesp, InCor and Dante Pazzanese, which, despite budget constraints, managed to rank among the best healthcare institutions in the world. This reveals not only clinical competence but also the ability to implement modern, sustainable and innovative processes.

Technology as an engine of efficiency

Whether in high-complexity private hospitals or in leading public institutions, a common denominator is taking hold: the use of technology as a lever for efficiency and sustainability.

The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in hospitals began in diagnostic areas such as radiology, pathology and clinical laboratory testing. Today, its presence is increasingly strong in administrative and strategic activities, with a direct impact on institutions’ financial health and great potential to create value for the entire healthcare chain by reducing costs, improving process quality and increasing the sector’s efficiency.

One of the biggest challenges hospitals face, both in Brazil and around the world, is the hospital revenue cycle. From the moment a patient is admitted until payment for the service is actually received, there is a complex chain that involves medical record audits, denial checks, communication with health plans, claim issuance and collection.

This process, often manual, is prone to failures, losses and delays, undermining cash predictability and putting even more pressure on already thin financial margins. This is precisely where artificial intelligence has been showing significant results.

AI in the hospital revenue cycle: benefits straight into the vein

Hospitals such as Sírio-Libanês, Oswaldo Cruz and Sabará are concrete examples of institutions that have incorporated AI and automation into different stages of their operations, including the revenue cycle. This transformation brought three immediate gains:

1. Operational efficiency: processes that used to be manual, such as claim audits, consistency checks and denial analysis, are now automated, with greater speed and accuracy, freeing clinical and administrative teams for higher‑value activities.

2. Fewer losses: by identifying nonconformities in real time, AI helps reduce denials and discrepancies between hospitals and health plans. The result is a smaller volume of returned claims and more accurate billing, for both service providers and payers.

3. Financial control and predictability: with integrated, reliable data, institutions gain greater visibility into their revenue flow, increasing control over billing and ensuring sustainability; in a context of cost pressure and demand for greater efficiency. That is music to hospital managers’ ears.

In a sector with traditionally thin operating margins, the difference between an inefficient revenue cycle and a digitized process can mean the ability to invest in clinical innovation, hospital infrastructure, professional training and the patient experience.

Efficiency in every sector: public and private

The presence of five SUS hospitals among the best in the world reinforces that efficiency is not a privilege of private hospitals. On the contrary, digitization and artificial intelligence can be even more strategic in the public sector, where resources are more limited and the need for optimization is urgent.

By automating audits, reducing waste and ensuring greater financial predictability, public hospitals can reinvest the resources saved in improvements to care. In addition, the adoption of digital technologies strengthens transparency in management, a core value in institutions that serve millions of Brazilians every day.

The ranking’s two main messages

The Newsweek ranking is not just a snapshot of the present, but also a map of global healthcare trends. The message is clear: the hospitals that achieve excellent clinical results and a stronger international reputation are those that combine medical excellence with technological innovation and operational efficiency.

For Brazil, this movement has two meanings:

• In the private sector, it shows that our institutions are aligned with the highest global standards, incorporating modern management practices and digital solutions that increase sustainability.

• In the public sector, it reinforces that, even with budget constraints, it is possible to stand out internationally by combining clinical quality, governance and innovation.

The transformation runs deep

If the current ranking celebrates progress, the future points to an even bigger change. From admission to discharge, from audit to payment, every stage of the revenue cycle is set to be digitized and automated. Artificial intelligence, data interoperability and integration with payer systems will enable much smoother processes, drastically reducing the time between the delivery of the service and payment.

This change is not merely administrative. A hospital with solid, predictable finances can invest in more beds, new equipment, advanced therapies and professional training. In other words, the digital transformation of the revenue cycle is not just a management issue but one of social impact, reflected directly in patient care and experience.

At the center of the strategy, intelligent revenue cycle management

The presence of 22 Brazilian hospitals among the best in the world is a milestone to be celebrated. More than that, it is a sign that the country is on the right track by combining clinical quality with technological innovation.

The experience of institutions such as Sírio-Libanês, Oswaldo Cruz and Sabará shows that artificial intelligence in the revenue cycle redefines hospital sustainability, strengthens operational efficiency and expands the capacity for positive impact on the health of thousands of people.

The sustainability of tomorrow’s healthcare depends on the ability to integrate data, technology and management to transform processes. When supported by artificial intelligence, this transformation strengthens institutions’ financial stability and paves the way for continuous investment in innovation, quality of care and better outcomes for patients.

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Gustavo Meirelles is Afya’s Medical VP, holds a postdoctoral degree from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, is a healthcare innovation specialist and a Rivio advisor. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavo-meirelles-9ab11311/