AHA leaders kick off Leadership Summit discussing innovation, transformation

AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack July 12 opened the 2026 AHA Leadership Summit, which is anchored by the theme of “Redesigning Care Delivery and Operating Models for the Future.” 

“This gathering has always been about learning from one another — challenging our assumptions — and returning home with practical ideas that can help our organizations perform better for the patients, families and the communities we serve,” Pollack said. “This year’s Summit takes on a special meaning because we are meeting at a time of transition — for the world, for healthcare, for our association and for our nation’s political system.” 

Pollack noted that while change and transformation are ever-present, “the core purpose remains the same: advancing the health of individuals and communities by supporting the hospitals and health systems that serve them. Despite all these challenges, and even in a time of transition — maybe especially in a time of transition — this field has always found a way forward.” 

Pollack also welcomed Steve Walsh, who last month was named the next AHA president and CEO. Walsh is currently president of the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association and will take over leadership of the AHA in the fall. “I’ve worked with Steve Walsh for over 10 years, and he has been a friend, partner and first-class professional who is going to do a terrific job,” Pollack said. 

On July 13, Walsh spoke to conference attendees, calling it a “once-in-a-lifetime honor” to be named as AHA’s incoming president and CEO. “Our hospitals and health systems don’t just save lives; they embody their community, the innovation and the brave sort of hope that have defined the American dream for centuries,” he said. “No sector is better equipped to write the next chapter of healthcare in our nation, and I am grateful for the trust that has been placed in me to help push that mission forward.”  

Walsh discussed how our healthcare system does extraordinary things 24/7/365 to improve the health of our neighbors and our communities, and that it also must operate differently. He acknowledged that healthcare leaders must balance the optimism for tomorrow with the many pressures they are facing today that make delivering care more difficult.  

“But I have deep faith that our healthcare community can both respond and reimagine at the same time,” Walsh said. “That is the mission that I am so profoundly honored to be joining this fall.”  

AHA Chair Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist, discussed the importance of convenings like the AHA Leadership Summit to bring together new ideas and share strategies that will propel the field forward.  

“The best ideas come from people testing new approaches, solving problems in real time and sharing what works,” he said. “That kind of collaboration is essential.”