Close to 400 Southern California hospital leaders and other professionals came together April 20 to 22 at the Park Hyatt Aviara, Carlsbad, for the 2026 HASC Annual Meeting. At a pivotal time in healthcare, the gathering offered crucial support as sessions addressed key issues such as workforce resilience, financial challenges and the uncertain road ahead.
One of the most popular sessions was the Tuesday morning keynote with Suneel Gupta. A bestselling author and the founding CEO of RISE, he spoke about “Momentum in Health Care.” Gupta shared practical, research-backed strategies for maintaining energy and resilience in the current healthcare environment.
Gupta discussed the “55-5 principle” — how 55 minutes of focus followed by 5-minute recovery breaks improves productivity — and “emotional contagion,” or how leaders’ energy directly impacts their teams. He also challenged the audience with “The Game of Now,” encouraging immediate action rather than waiting for perfect timing. The energy in the room rose as Gupta’s message resonated deeply with an audience undergoing major financial, workforce and other pressures. Attendees also received a copy of his bestselling book, Everyday Dharma.
Continuing the energy, Sponsor Spotlights — a fast-moving Shark Tank–style event — gave event sponsors 30 seconds to pitch their company’s offerings to decision makers. The next session returned to the timely theme of navigating difficult realities. “Caring for the Uninsured and Underinsured” featured panelists Darlene Wetton, Southwest Healthcare; Kim Milstien, Rady Children’s Hospital Orange County; and Martha Santana-Chin, L.A. Care Health Plan. With HASC President/CEO George Greene moderating, the leaders addressed the financial and operational strains facing hospitals absorbing uncompensated care. They also strategized ways to improve patient coverage access and community partnerships to help weather the storm.
Throughout the afternoon, attendees chose from breakout sessions tailored to critical operational challenges. Topics included AI-enabled ED-to-SNF coordination (UCLA Health, Torrance Memorial, PointClickCare), communications strategies for navigating coverage losses (Cedars-Sinai, L.A. Care, HASC), 911 nurse navigation with physician telehealth (RelyMD, Global Medical Response), workplace violence prevention (Cedars-Sinai), financial risks in full-risk capitation (Zephyr Healthcare Advisors, CHA Hollywood Presbyterian) and AI-powered UV disinfection robotics and occupancy sensors (LA General Medical Center, Servicon).
Tuesday concluded with members and sponsors enjoying the Strolling Dinner and Sponsor Exhibit. At this year’s event, a lively Mardi Gras–themed “HASCquerade,” attendees in masks and beads visited sponsor booths to learn about services and products to help hospitals achieve better care.
The meeting concluded Wednesday morning with a big-picture perspective, “The State of the Industry in 2026.” Devin Airey, The Advisory Board, discussed the major disruptions and uncertainty facing healthcare as long-held assumptions unravel: safety net access up in the air for millions, payers delegating spend management to niche specialists and technology and social media reshaping patient decisions. For other attendees, the meeting ended on the green at the HASC Golf Tournament, which returned for the first time after several years.
Overall, attendees shared very positive feedback on both the meeting content and the connections made. HASC is grateful to our 47 sponsors and everyone who attended for helping make the event a success. We look forward to continuing these important conversations in the months ahead. And mark your calendar now for the 2027 Annual Meeting in Carlsbad!