2026 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference

San Antonio, TX

Hear from your peers at the 2026 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference.

We’re excited to announce that several of your customer peers will be speaking at the 2026 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference.

Visit the Featured Sessions tab for full details on who’s sharing actionable strategies and resources focused on improving access to care, adopting innovative workforce approaches, and implementing digital technologies to strengthen rural health delivery.

In addition, MEDITECH Vice President Christopher Policano will moderate a panel on financial and operational excellence, Partner-Driven Approaches to Rural Health Viability with EHR as a Service (Wednesday, February 11, 9:15 a.m.). Panelists David Edwards, Chief Executive Officer of Winnebago Comprehensive Healthcare System, and Vern Lougheed, Director of Information Technology at Northfield Hospital + Clinics, will discuss how a partner-driven EHR as a Service model helps rural hospitals reduce IT burden, address security and regulatory demands, and reallocate resources to support sustainable, patient-centered care.

Looking to further engage with MEDITECH at AHA? MEDITECH leadership will be available in booth #23 to discuss strategies for rural health sustainability, MEDITECH as a Service (MaaS), and digital transformation.

  • Jeffrey Lockhart, Regional Sales Director
  • Bryan Mueller, Regional Sales Director
  • Daniel Kelliher, Executive Sales Director
     

A customer password may be required to access certain materials linked from this page.

  • Featured Sessions

    Discover how MEDITECH customers are sharing real-world strategies to strengthen rural health care. For more details on these and other sessions, view the full conference agenda.

    Integrating Environmental Factors into Rural Population Health Strategies
    Monday, February 9 | 11:30 a.m.
    Panelist: Krystal Moyers, MEd, CHES, Administrative Director, Community Partnerships and Communications, Augusta Health
    Krystal Moyers joins fellow panelists to explore how rural hospitals are incorporating environmental factors into community health strategies, informed by the AHA’s Community Health and Environmental (CHE) initiative. She will share practical approaches to assessment, partnership building, and strategic planning to strengthen resilience and advance population health in rural communities.

    Strengthening Care in Tribal, Remote, and Frontier Communities: Scalable Strategies from the Field
    Monday, February 9 | 11:30 a.m.
    Panelist: Esther Muna, Chief Executive Officer, Commonwealth Health Center, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
    This session brings together leaders serving Tribal, remote, and frontier communities to share innovative, scalable solutions to workforce shortages, infrastructure challenges, and geographic isolation. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to improve access to care and build resilient health systems in underserved areas.

    Reimagining Maternal and Infant Health: Data-Driven Solutions for Maternity Care Deserts
    Tuesday, February 10 | 8:15 a.m.
    Panelist: Yasmene McDaniel, MHA, Chief Executive Officer, HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast
    Panelists examine how rural hospitals and health systems are addressing maternity care deserts through data-driven decision making, telehealth, mobile care models, and hybrid workforces. Yasmene McDaniel and others will share real-world insights to improve access, equity, and outcomes in maternal and infant care—regardless of geography.

    Professional Growth and Retention Strategies for Medical Assistants
    Tuesday, February 10 | 2:30 p.m.
    Ashley Stith, MSN, RN, RNC-OB, Physician Practice Manager, Schneck Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Nephrology, Physician Practice Ed, Schneck Medical Center
    Jamie Napier, MSN, MHA, CSSBB, CPHQ, CRHCP, RN, Director of Primary Care, Schneck Medical Center
    Susan Zabor, MSN, MBA, RN, FACHE, CSSBB, Vice President of Clinical and Provider Management, Chief Quality Officer, Schneck Medical Center
    Leaders from Schneck Medical Center share how a rural hospital reduced medical assistant turnover by more than 60% through structured onboarding, mentorship, and certification-linked career pathways. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to assess turnover risk, strengthen MA retention, and support continuity of care in outpatient settings.

    Achieving High Reliability and Just Culture in Rural Health Care: A Practical Roadmap for Boards and Leaders
    Wednesday, February 11 | 9:15 a.m.
    Bernie Adams, Chief Quality Officer, North Country Healthcare
    Darrell Bodnar, Chief Information Officer, North Country Healthcare
    Tiffany Haynes, Chief Nursing Officer, North Country Healthcare
    Bernie Adams, Darrell Bodnar, and Tiffany Haynes share North Country Healthcare’s practical roadmap for rural healthcare leaders and boards to build high reliability and a just culture of safety using Lean Six Sigma principles, strategic alignment, and systemwide engagement. 

     

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