Healthcare Quality Conferences to Attend

When it comes to professional development in healthcare quality, attending the right conferences can make all the difference. Whether you're looking to stay current with industry trends, connect with peers, or gain insights from thought leaders, choosing the right events is key.

This article presents a carefully selected compilation of noteworthy conferences aimed at quality leaders. These events are categorized to assist in simplifying your planning process. As always, our suggestions are based on our personal viewpoints and expertise in this area.

Conferences with a Strong Quality Focus 

NAHQ Next 

The NAHQ Next conference is an annual event hosted by the National Association for Healthcare Quality. It focuses on the latest trends and innovations in healthcare quality and attracts Quality professionals who want to learn about new tools, strategies, and best practices. 

The conference generally takes place every fall. This year, it occurs September 8-10. It is a virtual conference. The sessions will be available to conference attendees until the end of the year. You can also purchase the On-Demand option, which provides 60 days of access to the sessions. 

As you can imagine, a virtual conference does offer fewer opportunities to network.  That said, there are communication options within the conference platform when the event is live. 

Medisolv's 2026 HERE Conference 

Ok, yes, this one is a bit self-serving. But Medisolv’s Healthcare Reporting (HERE) conference focuses specifically on how to succeed in quality reporting, which is unique in this industry. Our conference was designed to dive into the specifics of what’s required from a regulatory standpoint. It’s a topic that’s desperately needed in the industry.  

Medisolv's HERE Conference is also a virtual conference. It is the perfect way to immerse yourself in a day of learning and networking as we bring you the latest insights from top experts in quality and measure stewardship. 

This year's conference will take place in the fall. Stay tuned for more details on registration and agenda.  

CMS Quality Conference 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Quality Conference is focused on enhancing healthcare safety, quality, and affordability. 

In 2025, the conference will be held in Baltimore on July 1-2. They have identified various topics including collecting and using quality data, collaborating with partners and communities, understanding patient and caregiver perspectives, expanding access to quality, and new technology and innovation. 

The conference is free but tends to fill up quickly! Registration is open now. There are also virtual options, and all of the previous conferences are archived on their website as well. 

The Joint Commission’s Unify Conference 

The Joint Commission’s Unify conference is a brand-new event that brings together healthcare leaders, clinicians, industry experts, and quality professionals. It focuses on important issues in healthcare quality and patient safety. It creates a space where people can share ideas, create new ideas, and work towards continuous improvement.

By attending, a Quality leader can get valuable data and insights from The Joint Commission, helping them drive meaningful change and set high standards in their organization. Plus, they’ll have the chance to network with peers in person and learn practical strategies to enhance care delivery, ultimately leading to better outcomes for patients and communities. 

The conference will be held September 16 –17 in Washington, D.C.   

IHI Forum

The IHI Forum is a four-day event that has served as a central gathering for healthcare quality improvement for more than thirty years. The next conference will take place on December 7-10, 2025 in Anaheim, CA.

The  conference will bring together industry leaders from around the world, and topics such as improvement capability, patient and workforce safety, equity, climate change, artificial intelligence, and more. 

Although this event is in person, many of the sessions will be recorded and there is a livestream option to attend. If purchased, you will have access to the sessions for 90 days from when you buy.

Leapfrog Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner 

The Leapfrog Group is a nonprofit that serves as a voice for health care consumers and purchasers. Their annual event is focused on enhancing healthcare safety, quality, and affordability. The big feature of this event is the awards dinner ceremony where Leapfrog reveals the Top Hospitals as ranked by Leapfrog. 

This year’s event will be held in person on December 15 in National Harbor, MD. More information pertaining to this upcoming year's theme will be coming soon. 

Tangential Quality Conferences 

EHR User Group Conferences 

EHR conferences don’t generally center on quality, but you can usually find a quality track or sessions that are helpful for a Quality leader.

Epic User Group Conferences

Epic holds two user group conferences, Expert Group Meeting (XGM) is held every spring and Users Group Meeting (UGM) is held every fall. 

XGM has sessions focused on project leadership, workflow efficiency, improving outcomes, and system governance strategies – topics that are often of interest to Clinical Informaticists and system-focused managers. 

Informaticists working in a director or executive leadership capacity and operational managers should attend UGM. If you’re a CMIO, CNIO, CIO or other system-focused executive (who often wear many hats), you should be sure to attend UGM, but might benefit from going to both.

Both conferences are held in person at Epic's home base in Verona, Wisconsin.

Meditech User Group Conference 

The MUSE Inspire Conference is an event that brings together professionals from the healthcare industry, particularly those who use or are interested in Meditech software solutions. 

This conference is held early summer every year in person. This year the conference is May 27-30 in Dallas, Texas. A variety of educational topics will be explored, including quality improvement, population health, and analytics. 

The conference also serves as a platform for attendees to learn about the latest developments in Meditech systems, to share best practices, and to explore new technological innovations in healthcare IT. 

And I'll shamelessly plug myself here. I'll be presenting a session on the new TEAM model with my colleague Kristen Beatson. If you're attending, please stop by and see us! 

American Hospital Association (AHA) 

The AHA Leadership Summit convenes top healthcare executives, clinicians, and industry experts who present innovative strategies for providing superior care, securing financial stability, tackling workforce issues, and enhancing the patient experience. 

This year’s conference will occur July 20-22 in Nashville. It is open to AHA hospitals and is more of an executive event, but there are many educational topics and networking opportunities. 

Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 

The HIMSS Global Conference & Exhibition is truly a giant in the healthcare conference space—and for good reason. In 2026, it will take place in Las Vegas from March 9–12. While HIMSS is widely recognized for its focus on healthcare technology, it also offers a broad range of educational tracks, including Data & Information, Quality, Governance, and more. Attendees can tailor their experience by exploring sessions by topic or browsing the daily agenda. 

Networking is another major highlight. From formal events like the Opening Reception, to specialty meet ups for every group you can imagine, to spontaneous conversations with vendors, speakers, and fellow attendees, there are countless opportunities to connect and collaborate.

Beckers Annual Conference

Beckers puts together an Annual Meeting with some bigger name celebrities to drive attendance. The conference takes place in the spring. Next year's event is an in-person event and is scheduled for April 13 - 16 in Chicago, IL.

It's a great place to learn from top experts about healthcare transformation, network with peers, and find solutions to big challenges like managing hospital budgets and reducing clinician burnout. With top-notch speakers and a packed agenda, it's a good event to stay ahead in the healthcare game.

NCQA (National Committee for Quality Assurance) 

NCQA is the organization that governs HEDIS reporting. Their training is almost all focused on HEDIS reporting and quality improvement through the lens of HEDIS. If this is relevant to you, NCQA has a ton of great educational content, webinars, and virtual sessions.

Additionally, they host the Health Innovation Summit. This year's event takes place October 13-15 in San Diego. The Summit explores the future of healthcare quality and brings together leaders and change makers from across the industry for expert-led sessions, hands-on learning, and actionable strategies that drive real improvement at every level of care. But again, this is very HEDIS-reporting focused.

Not Exactly Quality-Driven, but Might be Good to Attend 

HLTH  

HLTH is a prominent event in the healthcare industry that focuses on innovation and the latest advancements in health technology. They invite participants from every realm of healthcare to come together but also tailor experiences for each individual. 

This year, the conference will take place October 19-22 in Las Vegas. There are also virtual options. 

ViVE 

ViVE is an event designed to explore the intersection of healthcare and technology. It serves as a platform for healthcare professionals, technology innovators, and business leaders to come together and discuss the future of healthcare. 

In 2026, this conference will be held February 22-25 in Los Angeles. There are also virtual options. 

Specialty Registry Conferences

There are a ton of these out there that are specific to the registry specialty. I've listed one example here, but you can probably find one specifically for your specialty registry.

The American College of Surgeons hosts a Clinical Congress. This year it takes place in Chicago, IL October 4-7.

MGMA (Medical Group Management Association) Conferences 

MGMA is an organization dedicated to improvement for medical practice groups.

The MGMA Summit is virtual and takes place June 3–5, 2025. Gain insights from industry experts on the most pressing issues in medical practice management, with flexible access to live and on-demand sessions. 

MGMA Leaders Conference is recommended for those in management or with executive-level positions, and aspiring leaders. It will occur September 28 – October 1 in Orlando, FL.

Do you have other conferences you like to attend? Enter them in the comments below.