August 21, 2026

The President’s Message is published in the MHA Weekly News Report, a member-only publication of the Montana Hospital Association. To subscribe, click here.

Many of you have already received notice that registration is now open for the 2026 Montana Healthcare Conference, set for Oct. 5-8 in Billings.

It’s worth noting here for anyone who missed it that you can visit mthealthcon.org to register—that’s also where you’ll find the agenda, speaker lineup, attendee FAQ, and all the lodging information.

The MHA is proud to host the Montana Healthcare Conference. It is Montana’s largest gathering of healthcare professionals, each year bringing more than 500 people from across the state together for four days of learning, networking, and collaboration. In other words: A high-value opportunity to connect and be part of the conversation helping to shape and strengthen healthcare in Montana.

We have much to discuss and much to share this year.

Please take note that pre-conference events will begin earlier in the week this year. On Monday, Oct. 5, MHA Vice President of Operations and Clinical Services Heather O’Hara will once again lead a pre-conference roundtable designed exclusively for Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) and Directors of Nursing (DONs)—this is a can’t-miss afternoon for Montana nursing leaders. Montana Clinical Connect will also be held on Monday, offering a great opportunity for healthcare leaders to get to know Montana medical residents and health professional students getting ready to launch their careers. You can register for both events with your regular conference registration.

Tuesday, Oct. 6, will launch us into the heart of conference with breakout educational sessions throughout the afternoon following the opening keynote. For our member leaders, the day will begin with the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) CEO meeting. The annual MHA House of Delegates and CEO Member Meeting will be held on Tuesday afternoon, giving us time to elect new officers and Board members, as well as discuss challenges, top issues, and advocacy priorities heading into the 2027 legislative session.

The Montana Healthcare Awards presentation and the (sold out) MHC Trade Show are sure to be highlights on Wednesday. Oct. 7. Breakout educational sessions throughout the conference are designed to give attendees a chance to learn, discuss, and engage on issues most pertinent to them; and will cover a wide variety of topics, including areas of interest like the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), advocacy, quality, leadership, and more. These sessions run through Thursday, Oct. 8.

As you can see, there will be something for everyone so don’t miss taking part. I hope to see you there.