Sanford Health To Convene Second Annual Summit On The Future Of Rural Health Care Focused On Building The Workforce Of Tomorrow

Sanford Health will bring together some of the most exciting voices in health care for the second annual Summit on the Future of Rural Health Care. The event will include candid, wide-ranging conversations focused on creating a more resilient, sustainable rural health care workforce – from advancing health equity and solving physician burnout to the role of AI and digital innovation in transforming how we work.

Confirmed speakers include Jesse Ehrenfeld, M.D., president of the American Medical Association, Ezekiel Emanuel, M.D., one of the nation’s leading practitioners shaping the future of health care, Joseph Betancourt, M.D., president of the Commonwealth Fund and Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association – among others.

The summit takes place Oct. 18 at the Sanford Barn in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It will also be live streamed for journalists and the public to join. The event begins at 8 a.m. CT.

Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, will provide opening and closing remarks at the summit.

“Rural America faces unique challenges when it comes to health care, and we look forward to bringing the best and brightest together to explore breakthrough ideas to attract and retain the caregivers we need today and cultivate the workforce we know we will need tomorrow,” said Gassen. “The nationally recognized experts taking part in this summit are changemakers committed to health care transformation.”

Confirmed speakers and agenda topics include:

• Reinventing America’s health care workforce

  • Ezekiel Emanuel, M.D., Ph. D., oncologist and vice provost for global initiatives and co-director of the Health Care Transformation Institute at the University of Pennsylvania

  • Moderated by Thomas H. Lee, M.D., editor-in-chief at NEJM Catalyst

• Synch or swim? Aligning workforce solutions to support care across the continuum

  • Mark Parkinson, J.D., president and CEO of the American Health Care Association

  • Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association

  • Moderated by Kimberly Marselas, senior editor at McKnight’s Long-Term Care News

• CMS’ top rural workforce priorities  

  • Nancy O’Connor, director, office of program operations & local engagement, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

• How can we work smarter, not harder?

  • Antoinette (Toni) Thomas, U.S. Health and Life Sciences chief experience officer & industry executive, Microsoft

  • Ann Mond Johnson, CEO, American Telemedicine Association

  • Erica DeBoer, RN, MA, CCRN-K, CNL, chief nursing officer, Sanford Health

  • Moderated by Dave Newman, M.D., endocrinologist, Sanford Health  

• Future-proofing our workforce: What can we learn from each other about preparing for the next generation of care?  

  • Tommy Ibrahim, M.D., MHA, president & CEO, Bassett Healthcare Network

  • Russ Gronewold, president & CEO, Bryan Health

  • Bill Gassen, president and CEO, Sanford Health 

  • Moderated by David Shulkin, M.D., Ninth Secretary, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs  

• Patient and provider perspectives – what rural health care leaders need to know 

  • Presentation by Thomas H. Lee, MSc, M.D., editor-in-chief, NEJM Catalyst 

• Legislative outlook: What are the top health care workforce policy solutions? 

  • Josh Jorgenson, associate director, legislative affairs, Alliance of Community Health Plans

  • Clifton (Clif) Porter, LNHA, senior vice president, government affairs, American Health Care Association

  • Travis Robey, J.D., vice president, political affairs, American Hospital Association  

  • Moderated by Corey Brown, system vice president, government affairs, Sanford Health

• The economics of baby booms and busts 

  • Kasey Buckles, Ph. D., professor of economics and concurrent professor of gender studies, University of Notre Dame  

• Advancing health equity: The role of the health care workforce 

  • Joseph Betancourt, M.D., MPH, president of the Commonwealth Fund 

  • Moderated by Thomas H. Lee, M.D., editor-in-chief, NEJM Catalyst 

• Solving physician burnout: A prescription for a more resilient workforce 

  • Jesse Ehrenfeld, M.D., MPH, president, American Medical Association 

  • Moderated by Luis Garcia, M.D., president, Sanford Health Clinic Division 

Join Virtually
Reporters unable to attend summit in person can join a livestream on the day of the Summit using this link: sanfordhealth.org/ruralhealthsummit