Agenda
Our time in Nashville is designed to share new ideas, connect with old and new friends, and focus on the future. Building on the profound 2025 Summit dialogue, the 2025 Connect agenda will continue to explore the three central forces health care executives are facing right now: policy change and economic uncertainty; waves of negative public sentiments toward our industry; and the transformative potential of AI. Our goal is for you to leave these discussions better equipped to lead real strategic change in your organization and beyond. The 2025 Connect agenda will focus on the top prospects for accelerating the pace of change, including discussion topics such as:
Restoring Consumer Trust: Confronting Health Care’s Crisis in Confidence
Across the past year, strengthening consumer trust has become an industry-wide imperative. Yet for some, demonstrating trustworthiness has been a long-standing priority. What can cross-industry executives learn from leaders who have taken the long view on forging trust and building deep community relationships? What are the most meaningful ways to address consumer pain points, serve with empathy, and instill accountability? And with the collective focus on trust, how do cross-industry leaders embrace this moment of shared purpose to boldly address the behaviors and actions—including how sectors of health care engage with each other—that erode public trust?
Delivering Better Care: Scaling Effective Models for an Aging Population
America is aging—and fast. By 2030, the Baby Boomers will have fully reached Medicare age. But in a system where demand is growing, clinical capacity is shrinking, and patients, providers, and the federal government all face mounting economic pressures, how do cross-industry leaders meet the needs of an older, sicker, and more expensive population? With years of innovation underway, what’s working and what isn’t? What care and payment models are ready to scale and how do leaders achieve sustainability? And ultimately, how do we break down silos between payers and providers—and across the care continuum—to truly deliver better care for an aging population?
Navigating the New Policy Landscape: Deciphering the Latest Developments from DC
Leading Despite Uncertainty: Inspiring Bold Action in an Era of Enduring Change
The CEO’s leadership agenda is animated by two overarching forces—major policy change and perpetual uncertainty. This comes at a time when leaders already face fragile economics, a strained workforce, erosion of public trust, heighted scrutiny, and AI becoming mainstream. How do leaders remain proactive when always reacting to new developments? How do looming coverage losses and massive health care cuts change the terms of cross-industry collaboration? How do leaders find new opportunities and stay committed to transformative bets when the rules keep shifting? And ultimately, how do effective CEOs lead their organizations and engage with their communities, who are also navigating this volatile environment?
The New Rules of Research: Accelerating Data-Driven Discovery and Innovation
The traditional engines of scientific discovery have been upended in the past year. In parallel, access to decentralized data, real-world evidence, and AI-driven analytics all create new avenues to propel innovation while wearables, sensors, and other devices unleash a trove of patient-generated data. Amid these tectonic shifts, what new models of research, collaboration, and innovation are emerging? How do leaders rewrite the rules of discovery in real time to accelerate insights, reduce costs, and ensure scientific rigor? And, in a moment defined by both disruption and possibility, how are leaders harnessing emerging data streams and technologies to drive discovery, achieve breakthroughs, and advance truly personalized care?
Lessons in Leadership: Fireside Chat with Northwell's Michael Dowling
Dr. David Brailer, Founder and Chairman, Health Evolution Northwell's Michael Dowling
Community Milestone: Celebrating the 10th Confab for Advancing Women in Leadership
A decade ago, Confab established a space for women and executives of any gender to explore how they maintain a sense of true north in their leadership and for their organizations. Since then, Confab has grown into a community that is committed to authentic dialogue, amplifying senior executive women’s voices on the most critical industry issues, and empowering leaders to enact bold change. We now stand at the intersection of progress and possibility. This milestone session is both a celebration and a call to reflection, as we honor what the Confab community has built, contributed, and become.
As an industry, where were we when this community began—and where are we now? What has changed for women leading across the health care landscape? And, as we reunite, how do we recognize the deep threads that bind this community? How have we supported one another through changes, challenges, and growth? How can we continue to uplift others and lead with empathy during uncertain times—and pave the way for the next generation of women in leadership?
Reimagining Care Delivery: Deploying AI Against Our Hardest Clinical Challenges
AI is reshaping health care delivery— from operations to clinical decision-making to consumer experience. Yet this growing opportunity for AI-powered care delivery also raises urgent questions for the individuals at the center of care. How will AI rewrite the ways people engage with their health—and how should health care serve a new generation of AI-enabled consumers? What are the most impactful opportunities for AI to support clinicians through diagnosis, treatment planning, and longitudinal care? And how must cross-industry leaders both separate signal from noise and decipher the long-term ripple effects in a future where AI doesn’t just support care delivery but redefines it entirely.
Capstone Conversation: Charting the Course Ahead
