Thursday October 9, 2025
Benefits Summit 2026
The ASHHRA Benefits Summit is an exclusive event designed specifically for hospital and health system benefits leaders to engage in interactive sessions and peer-sharing aimed at advancing benefits and employee well-being programs.
The 2026 Benefits Summit will be held on
Jan. 28-30, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn.
Invited attendees will be provided with:
Complimentary registration
Travel reimbursement (up to $500)
Accommodations at The Bankers Alley Hotel Nashville
All meals and entertainment
Opportunities to strategize and network with healthcare HR peers from across the country.
Complete the Attendee Interest Form if you are interested in attending the 2026 Benefits Summit.
Health System Stories in Action: Turning Benefits Challenges Into Opportunities
The 2026 ASHHRA Benefits Summit brings together health system leaders to share real-world solutions to today’s most pressing workforce and benefits challenges. Through industry best practices and benchmarking, candid case studies and interactive roundtable discussions, participants will learn what’s working in cost containment, navigating financial pressures, improving benefits understanding, and boosting employee engagement.
Designed as a forum for honest peer-to-peer dialogue, the Summit explores key topics such as caregiver well-being and burnout, meeting employees where they are, and innovating benefits to support workforce performance. Attendees will leave with practical, immediately applicable insights and meaningful connections with peers tackling similar challenges.
Schedule-at-a-Glance
Wednesday, Jan. 28
- Check-in: By 4:00 p.m.
- 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.: Welcome Reception | Introductions
- 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Dinner
Thursday, Jan. 29
- 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.: Breakfast
- 9:00 – 9:45 a.m.: Education
- 9:45 – 9:55 a.m.: Break
- 9:55 – 10:40 a.m.: Education
- 10:40 – 10:50 a.m.: Break
- 10:50 – 11:35 a.m.: Education
- 11:50 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Break
- 11:35 – 11:45 a.m.: Education
- 11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Guest Speaker
- 12:30 – 1:15 p.m.: Lunch
- 1:15 – 2:00 p.m.: Education
- 2:00 – 2:10 p.m.: Break
- 2:10 – 2:55 p.m.: Education
- 2:55 – 3:05 p.m.: Break
- 3:05 – 3:50 p.m.: Education
- 3:50 – 4:00 p.m.: Break
- 4:00 – 4:15: Debrief Topics, Open Forum
- 4:15 – 6:15 p.m.: Mental Refresh
- 6:15 p.m.: Walk to dinner venue
- 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.: Dinner (Off-site)
Friday, Jan. 30
- 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.: Breakfast
- 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.: Roundtable Discussion
- 10:00 – 10:30 a.m.: Final comments/Adjournment
Schedule-at-a-Glance subject to change.
Wednesday, Jan. 28
4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Welcome Reception
4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Welcome Reception | Introductions | Trade Room at the Noelle
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Dinner | Ice Breaker
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Dinner | Ice Breaker | Saidee Gallery at the Noelle
Thursday, Jan. 29
All events from 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Main Gallery (Hotel, Lower Level)
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:00 – 9:45 a.m. Education
9:00 – 9:45 a.m. Education
Health System Employer Benefits Trends and Strategies
This session will kick off with industry insights into healthcare trend drivers and benefits and well-being strategies implemented or being considered by health system employers. We will review key themes and benchmarks from Aon’s 2025 Benefits Survey of Hospitals, which covers the entire United States and provides insights from 155 health systems, representing over 1,500+ hospitals and 3.6+ million employees. Cost containment is top of mind for health system employers, so we will review strategies that health systems have implemented or are considering to address this challenge.
OBJECTIVES
- Understand trends shaping the future of benefits and well-being offerings backed by benchmarked data from Aon’s Benefits Survey of Hospitals.
- Learn how health systems are shaping and designing their future benefits offering to add value for employees while managing costs.
- Learn about how health system employers can optimize care, reduce ineffective spending, and invest in what matters.
PRESENTERS
- Sheena Singh
SVP, Healthcare Industry Health and Benefits Practice National Leader
Aon - Mary Clark
SVP, Healthcare Industry Health and Benefits Practice Midwest Leader
Aon
9:55 – 10:40 a.m. Education
9:55 – 10:40 a.m. Education
Inside Northside Hospital’s Complementary MSK Strategy: Closing Care Gaps for Caregivers
70% of healthcare workers—and nearly all nurses—report experiencing musculoskeletal (MSK) pain, making MSK one of the fastest-growing drivers of burnout, absenteeism, and rising costs across health systems. In this peer-led session, a benefits leader from Northside Hospital will share how they expanded access to MSK care through a complementary digital model designed for demanding clinical schedules. Attendees will hear how Northside navigated the decision to move forward as a care provider themselves, increased employee engagement outside traditional clinic hours, and achieved measurable results in under a year—including a 3.5x ROI and meaningful pain reduction.
OBJECTIVES
- Why delayed MSK care accelerates caregiver burnout—and how expanding access outside traditional clinic hours can reverse it.
- How Northside Hospital identified and closed MSK care gaps for its healthcare workforce without disrupting existing clinical services.
- What measurable outcomes a complementary MSK model can deliver, including engagement, pain reduction, and ROI in under one year.
PRESENTERS
- Chad Pyle
Regional VP, Healthcare
Hinge Health - Terri Wood
Director, Benefits, Internal Communication & HR Operations
Northside Hospital
10:50 – 11:35 a.m. Education
10:50 – 11:35 a.m. Education
Caring for the Caregivers: The Workforce Trends Shaping Health Systems in 2026
Health systems are increasingly feeling the strain. Burnout is driving people out of the field, leave-of-absence claims keep climbing, and staff is being forced to juggle more than ever, chronic illness, caregiving, neurodiversity, and personal stress that often go unseen. All of this is happening as budgets tighten and demand for care grows.
This conversation will explore what’s next for the health system workforce. Together with leaders from AdventHealth, we’ll unpack the major trends shaping 2026 and what they reveal about the future of care. We’ll dig into how these shifts are changing expectations, culture, and the way health systems show up for their people.
OBJECTIVES
You’ll leave with fresh insight into:
- How emerging workforce trends are redefining the caregiver experience in health systems.
- What leading health systems are learning as they experiment with new approaches to care and connection.
- Practical ways to build a more resilient, responsive and human-centered workforce.
PRESENTERS
Moderator:
- Kim Denne
Lyra Health
Panelists:
- Kristin Duquaine
Executive Director, Health and Well-Being I COE
AdventHealth - Sara Hawkins
Sr. Manager, Employee Well-Being
AdventHealth
11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Guest Speaker
11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Guest Speaker
Dr. CJ Stimson
C.J. Stimson, J.D., M.D., is a nationally recognized leader in value-based health care and a practicing cancer surgeon. He spent four years as a senior advisor with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) where he supported the federal government’s transition from a volume- to value-based health care purchaser. In 2016, Dr. Stimson was the first surgeon at CMMI, providing clinical and regulatory expertise related to the development of alternative payment models. In this discussion, Dr. Stimson will discuss the macro challenges and opportunities facing hospitals and health systems and how the employee value proposition and benefits connect to make a difference.
PRESENTER
Dr. CJ Stimpson, J.D., M.D.
Former Chief Medical Officer for Employee Health Plans (Vanderbilt University Medical Center)
SVP, Value Transformation, Population Health
Assistant Professor of Urology
12:30 – 1:15 p.m. Lunch
12:30 – 1:15 p.m. Lunch
1:15 – 2:00 p.m. Education
1:15 – 2:00 p.m. Education
Creating a High-Performing Hospital Workforce: Insights from a Decade of Employee Health Strategy
Hospital employers everywhere are taking a fresh look at how they support the well-being of the people who keep their organizations running. This session follows one hospital’s experience over several years, starting with early in-house wellness efforts and evolving into a more coordinated approach that blends tiered benefits with outside expertise.
We’ll talk about what encouraged employees to participate, how the hospital increased in-network and domestic use of its own system, and the role that trust played in getting people to engage with their benefits in the first place. It’s a realistic look at what worked, what didn’t, and what other hospital leaders may want to consider as they rethink their own strategies.
OBJECTIVES
- Describe how a hospital evolved its approach to employee wellness to better support workforce needs while managing costs.
- Identify strategies that helped employees better navigate benefits and increased in-network care utilization.
- Explain how trust influences employee engagement with healthcare and well-being benefits, even among healthcare workers.
PRESENTERS
- Eric Parmenter, Ph.D., MBA, CEBS, SPHR
VP, Health Systems
Quantum Health - Steve Mordecai
CHRO
Griffin Hospital
2:10 – 2:55 p.m. Education
2:10 – 2:55 p.m. Education
Rewriting the Primary Care Playbook at VCU Health
VCU Health faced pressure caring for its workforce, and embraced a strategy to create on-demand access to high quality, integrated care for their employees.18 months ago, VCU Health partnered with One to One Health to launch the Center for Team Care, an integrated, relationship-based model combining in-person care with on-demand concierge virtual care. The results have been dramatic: a 98 NPS, over 4,000 visits, contributing to a nearly flat medical trend.
OBJECTIVES
- Find the right primary care partner and model.
VCU Health chose an integrated, relationship-based primary care model that combined in-person care with on-demand virtual access—setting the foundation for everything that followed. - Access and experience drive utilization and trust.
On-demand, concierge-style access removed friction for employees, resulting in over 4,000 visits and a remarkable 98 NPS in just 18 months. - Better primary care delivers measurable financial impact.
By shifting care upstream and improving continuity, the model contributed to a nearly flat medical trend—proving that the right care strategy can improve both outcomes and costs.
PRESENTERS
- Dan Styf
Chief Strategic Transformation Officer
VCU Health - Jennifer Earwood
Director, Benefits
VCU Health - David Kinzler
CEO
One to One Health
3:05 – 3:50 p.m. Education
3:05 – 3:50 p.m. Education
The Business Case for Investing in Family Support Programs
Maternity spend is a top cost and employee experience challenge for health systems. What you invest in will influence employee satisfaction, health outcomes, and retention. We’ll explore the many challenges that family builders face, solutions to those challenges, and why it makes business sense to take action.
OBJECTIVES
- A greater understanding of maternal health outcomes in the U.S. and what’s causing our poor results.
- What interventions are working as it relates to improving outcomes.
- The key building blocks of a successful family support program.
PRESENTERS
- Dr. Janet Choi, M.D.
CMO
Progyny - Scott Liebman
SVP
Progyny
4:00 – 4:15 p.m. Debrief Topics/Open Forum
4:00 – 4:15 p.m.: Debrief Topics, Open Forum
4:15 – 6:15 p.m. Mental Refresh
4:15 – 6:15 p.m.: Mental Refresh
6:15 p.m. Walk to dinner venue | Meet at hotel lobby
6:15 p.m.: Walk to dinner venue | Meet at hotel lobby
6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Dinner
Friday, Jan. 30
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.: Breakfast
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Roundtable Discussion
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Roundtable Discussion
10:00 – 10:30 a.m. Final Comments/Adjournment
FAQs
How are accommodations handled?
ASHHRA will make reservations for all selected participants at The Bankers Alley Hotel Nashville, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, and cover room and tax for two nights (Wedneday and Thursday night).
Attendees will have the option to extend their stay beyond the two nights covered by ASHHRA at their own expense. Details on how to do so will be provided by ASHHRA.
Who is eligible to apply for the Benefits Summit?
All healthcare HR benefits leaders are encouraged to apply. ASHHRA receives many qualified applicants and will accommodate as many attendees as possible. Submission of your application does not guarantee an invitation. ASHHRA’s goal is a diverse attendee pool and selection will be based on geographic location, system/organization, region/market, site/location and specialty. Preference will be given to ASHHRA members.
Can I apply if a colleague at my organization also applied?
Who will be in attendance?
Expect an intimate group of approximately 35 of your fellow healthcare HR benefits administrators. Attendees will be joined by ASHHRA staff and representatives from host companies. The roster will be shared with confirmed attendees.
What is the attendee experience like?
Attendees will be hosted at The Bankers Alley Hotel Nashville, where much of the program will also take place. The event will begin with a welcome reception on the first night, followed by dinner. Day two will consist of networking, roundtables, hosted education with meals, and a dinner in the evening. The event will conclude on day three over breakfast to give attendees one more opportunity to connect with final discussions.
What are the benefits of attending?
If I am selected to attend, what expenses are covered by ASHHRA?
ASHHRA will make reservations for attendees at the host hotel and cover room and tax for two nights. All meals will be provided, beginning with the welcome reception on the first day to the breakfast on the third day. Attendees will be provided with an expense reimbursement form for travel expenses, for which ASHHRA will cover up to $500 for travel (airfare, ground transportation, parking, etc.). Attendees will be responsible for all other incidentals beyond these covered expenses.
Can I extend my stay?
Yes, you have the option to extend your stay at the host hotel. The event is adjacent to a weekend, giving attendees an opportunity to extend their visit to Nashville before or after their session. The hotel will make every effort to accommodate these extensions, including offering the group rate, however, this is not guaranteed. If you would like to extend your stay beyond the two nights covered by ASHHRA, you may contact ASHHRA on how to do so.
What is the recommended attire?
Recommended attire is business casual along with comfortable walking shoes. Layers are recommended as the temperature in the rooms may fluctuate.
Thank you to our sponsors:
