Speaking Opportunities
Our Call for Proposals is now open!
Submission Deadline: Friday, May 29, 2026.
The 2027 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference, January 31 - February 3, will gather more than 1,000 rural health leaders committed to advancing rural health and providing quality care for patients and communities. The AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference has served as the premier gathering of rural health leaders for four decades — and the work has never been more urgent. The conference will feature top rural practitioners sharing actionable strategies and resources aimed at improving access to care, leveraging unique workforce approaches and implementing digital technologies. We will explore the most significant challenges facing rural health care providers and present innovative approaches to transform care delivery and business practices.
We are now accepting proposals centered around “on-the-ground” perspectives and applicable strategies that showcase unique insights, successful case studies and cutting-edge solutions. We are especially interested in presentations that feature rural hospital executives, clinical leaders and trustees as presenters. Proposals that highlight how health care organizations are overcoming challenges, accelerating innovation and transformation, and scaling change are preferred.
Topics of Interest:
- Financial Sustainability and Affordability
- 340B Program Compliance and Optimization
- Workforce Development and Upskilling
- Thriving Independently and Partnering Strategically
- Telehealth, Remote Monitoring and Hospital at Home
- AI, Predictive and Agentic Technologies
- Care Innovation with American Indian, Alaska Native, Remote and Frontier Populations
- Continuum of Rural Hospital Models – Prospective Payment System, Critical Access and Rural Emergency Hospitals
- Quality, Patient Safety and High-Reliability Care
- Behavioral Health, Maternal Care and Specialty Access
- Cybersecurity and Enterprise Risk
- Emergency Preparedness, Operational and Supply Chain Resilience
- Governance Excellence and Board Engagement
- Community and Population Health
- Value-Based Care and Alternative Payment Models
- Addressing Health Disparities
How to submit a proposal
Submissions are now being accepted through our online submission site.
- To submit a proposal, you must create an account to begin the proposal submission process. The email used to create the account will be set as the default email for the primary contact or presenter.
- Identification of a presentation format.
- A detailed summary of the session including its focus and participant learning objectives.
- Identification of a content area.
- An assessment of whether the session is basic, intermediate or advanced in its content.
- Full contact information for the primary contact.
- Full contact information on the proposed speaker(s).
- A brief bio for each speaker.
Important Details and Guidelines for Speakers
- The AHA strongly recommends all presentations include at least one presenter from an AHA member hospital or health system. Contact information and confirmation of that presenter’s participation is required when submitting the proposal. If you do not include a presenter from an AHA member hospital or health system, please provide reasoning in your submission.
- All presentations must be non-commercial. The promotion of commercial products and services is strictly prohibited.
- Speakers selected to participate will be notified by September 15, 2026.
- Accepted speakers will receive complimentary registration for the 2027 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference. Speakers are responsible for their own travel and hotel guest room expenses.
Sponsorship and Partner Programming Opportunities
Interested in elevating your organization's presence at the 2027 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference? We offer sponsorship opportunities designed to connect your brand with more than 1,000 rural health leaders and decision-makers.
Sponsors may have the opportunity to participate in panel discussions by contributing a thought leader as a featured presenter, or to develop a dedicated partner programming session aligned with the conference's core topics. All sponsored sessions and partner programming must adhere to the same non-commercial standards that apply to all conference presentations. Content must be educational and practice-focused — the promotion of commercial products, services or organizational offerings is strictly prohibited. These opportunities are designed to share expertise and advance the field, not to serve as a platform for marketing or sales activity.
To learn more about sponsorship and partner programming, contact Sara Kolovitz at skolovitz@360livemedia.com.
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