Midwest Healthcare Management Conference
Bridging the Gaps in Healthcare Delivery
Fragmentation in healthcare delivery continues to increase costs and limit effectiveness, particularly across primary, preventative, chronic, and post-acute care. These challenges disproportionately affect underserved populations.
The sixth annual Midwest Healthcare Management conference examines how AI and digital technologies can enable a connected healthcare architecture by supporting continuity of care through improved decision-making, workforce augmentation, and coordinated system design across diverse care settings.
August 21, 2026
I Hotel & Illinois Conference Center
1900 South 1st Street
Champaign, IL 61820
Connected Healthcare Architecture and Continuity of Care
Healthcare continues to remain fragmented, leaving many patients without consistent, coordinated care across the continuum. These gaps are most pronounced in rural and underserved communities. Advances in AI and digital health can offer a path forward. When effectively implemented, they connect systems, extend access to care, and support better decision-making at every stage of care.
The Midwest Healthcare Management Conference examines how to turn this potential into practice, bringing together cross-sector leaders to explore scalable solutions, workforce empowerment, and implementation strategies that improve outcomes across diverse populations.
This year’s conference will focus on five key areas to drive real-world impact:
AI and Digital Health Technologies in Real-World Rural Deployment
Empower the Frontline Workforce Through AI Augmentation and Workforce Development
Build Practical Implementation Pathways for Rural Health Systems
Advance Policy, Reimbursement, and Regulatory Frameworks
Cross-Sector Partnerships to Build a National Implementation Coalition
Research-backed strategies to expand access
A recent comprehensive review published in Foundations and Trends in Technology, Information and Operations Management highlights the critical role healthcare operations management plays in improving outcomes and access. The paper synthesizes two decades of research and identifies operational strategies such as improved patient flow, capacity management, and equitable resource allocation as key levers for making healthcare systems more effective and inclusive.
Six Years of Forward Thinking Health Care Solutions
The 2026 Midwest Healthcare Conference marks our sixth event as a joint initiative of Gies College of Business and the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. Our partnership brings together unique perspectives in policy, operations, technology, and economics to deliver actionable insights that transform healthcare access and delivery.
