hcmc leadership

Hospital Capacity Management (HCMC) Leadership Forum

The Hospital Capacity Management Leadership Forum is an in‑person convening, taking place July 11–12, 2026 in Denver, for leaders responsible for hospital flow — designed to strengthen physician engagement, improve throughput decision‑making, and advance system‑wide capacity performance through real‑world, peer‑led learning. This forum brings together clinical, operational, and capacity leaders to share what’s working, what’s not, and what’s coming next — in a role where most leaders are navigating change alone. Thank you for a fantastic inaugural event! Stay tuned for 2027 event details.

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Letter from Nerissa Legge and Jill Sklar

Join us in welcoming a new era as we move forward together, united by a commitment to progress, innovation, and collective success. 

Exciting things are happening in 2026! As HCMC enters a bold new chapter, the focus is clearer than ever: building a vibrant community of hospital capacity management leaders dedicated to making a real impact. Whether it’s leading-edge education, practical strategies, or leadership skills that drive results—this is the moment to elevate your game.

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Letter from Nerissa Legge and Jill Sklar

Join us in welcoming a new era as we move forward together, united by a commitment to progress, innovation, and collective success.

Exciting things are happening in 2026! As HCMC enters a bold new chapter, the focus is clearer than ever: building a vibrant community of hospital capacity management leaders dedicated to making a real impact. Whether it is leading-edge education, practical strategies, or leadership skills that drive results, this is the moment to elevate your game.

Get ready to be inspired at the Hospital Capacity Management Leadership Forum! Register now for July 11-12, 2026, in Denver, Colorado, at the stunning Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center.

This inaugural event is all about delivering maximum value in minimal time. It includes 1.5 days packed with powerful learning sessions, networking with peers, and actionable insights you can implement right away.

Do not miss your chance to be part of this transformative experience. Let us shape the future of hospital capacity management together!

For hospital capacity management professionals: this is your must-attend conference. Do not miss the opportunity to enhance your skills, network with peers, and stay ahead in health care efficiency.

The Hospital Capacity Management Leadership Forum is the premier event for healthcare leaders seeking practical solutions. This forum offers unique perspectives, shared lessons from innovative projects, and actionable strategies.

Registration is now open, with Early Bird pricing available through June 1, 2026. Plan ahead to secure your spot and stay ahead in hospital capacity management.

For sponsors: meet the people who influence buying decisions.

The Hospital Capacity Management Leadership Forum is the perfect platform for organizations dedicated to hospital capacity management. Join us to connect with engaged professionals and industry leaders involved in this critical area.

HCMC's straightforward approach is to drive the audience to you, allowing you to showcase your solutions directly. Beyond booth space, you will find various opportunities to increase visibility and build relationships throughout the year, tailored to meet your specific goals.

Let us work together to strengthen the field of hospital capacity management and be part of this impactful community.

Let us build 2026 together.

Get ready. HCMC is gearing up for an incredible year. Your involvement, whether as an attendee, sponsor, or supporter, helps the Hospital Capacity Management Consortium use science and collaboration to transform hospital operations to ensure every patient receives the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Bring your team to meet others in the same space from hospitals across the country. Learn from others in the field to understand different ways of approaching the same issue and accommodating growing demand for access to high quality inpatient care.

This is more than a forum. It is a movement. We cannot wait to see you there!

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Nerissa Legge

HCMC Executive Director

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Jill Sklar

HCMC Advisory Board President

Friday, July 10

Onsite Check-In

Saturday, July 11

Onsite Check-in

Opening Session: Foundations of HCMC: Our Past, Our Purpose, Our Future

EMTALA: Beyond the Basics. Why Your Transfer/Command Center Must Be the Experts

Capacity in Action: Leadership Strategies to Improve Patient Flow

Lunch and Learn: Sponsored by GE Healthcare

Ge healthcare

Building the Foundation for High Performing Transfer Centers: Workflows, Metrics, and Staffing to Drive Data Driven Decisions and Enable AI-Ready Operations

From Concept to Care: The Journey to Launch Virtual Nursing and vICU

HCMC Awards

HCMC Awards

Thought Leadership: Sponsored by LeanTaaS

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Networking Reception: Sponsored by Blackbox Healthcare Solutions

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Sunday, July 12

Sponsored Breakfast Session

The Intersection of Patient Safety and Patient Throughput

From Analytics Silos to an Analytics Program: MedStar Health's Journey to System-Wide Throughput Intelligence

From Whiteboards to System Strategy: The Evolution of Centralized Bed Optimization

Wrapping Up Strong: HCMC Highlights and What’s Coming Next

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Note: Times are listed in MDT (local to Denver).
Schedule and times may be subject to change. 

WHO YOU WILL MEET...

Meet fellow capacity, clinical, and operational leaders who understand the realities of hospital flow—leaders facing the same bottlenecks, alignment challenges, and technology decisions, and who are ready to share what’s working and what’s next.

lanie
Lanie Crow

Senior Manager, ECG Management Consultants

“Capacity management is a team sport”

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jessica
Jessica Crum, DNP, MBA, BSN

Founder & Principal Advisor, Roshira Insights

“Real operational strategies you can put to work immediately.”

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christopher

Christopher Norman, MS, MBA, PA-C, DFAAPA

Medical Director, Transfer Center ECU Health

“The mutual learning is critical to continuous improvement.”

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lorelei-stellwag

Lorelei Stellwag DNP, RN, NE-BC

Vice President MedStar Capacity and Transfer Center MedStar Health Integrated Operations

"Many aspects of our roles are still misunderstood."

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Lanie Crow

What is the #1 reason someone should attend this event?

Capacity management is the ultimate team challenge to support high-quality patient care. HCMC is the leading organization focused entirely on solving for the complexities of patient movement and throughput within and around the hospital. This inaugural event is a launchpad to enhance strategy, engage leaders, and develop solutions for your organization’s capacity challenges.

What are you looking forward to most at this event?

After 5+ years of virtual collaboration, education, and networking, the chance to gather with leaders in this field is an incredible opportunity that we do not take for granted. We’ve supported so many discussions, connections, and exchanges online that celebrating success and accelerating work in person is a can’t-miss opportunity.

Dr. Jessica Crum

What is the #1 reason someone should attend this event?

This event brings together leaders who are actively solving patient flow and access challenges across health systems. It’s an opportunity to exchange real operational strategies that can immediately improve transfer center performance and system capacity. I’m looking forward to connecting with peers who are designing innovative approaches to capacity management and centralized command operations. The conversations and shared lessons are always practical and forward-thinking.

What are you preparing for in the next 12–18 months? And what might this event help with?

Health care operations are rapidly evolving with predictive analytics and AI entering the capacity management space. Learning how others are preparing their operational workflows and data infrastructure will help ensure we’re building systems ready for what’s next.

Lorelei Stellwag DNP, RN, NE-BC

What part of this experience feels like it will be ‘worth the time’?

Ensuring visibility for health care capacity management at the national level is critical to advancing this specialty. Many aspects of our roles are still misunderstood, and this event helps elevate the work and its impact.

What are you preparing for in the next 12–18 months? And what might this event help with?

As our system prepares to go live with Epic, I’m looking forward to connecting with content experts from across the country who can share practical insights and lessons learned.

Christopher Norman, MS, MBA, PA-C, DFAAPA

What is the #1 reason someone should attend this event?

This event will provide an opportunity to learn from one another. We are all in various stages of growth and development of our capacity management. The mutual learning is critical to continuous improvement.

What part of this experience feels like it will be ‘worth the time’?

The networking connections that will be made are well worth the time commitment for this event. We will all walk away with new contacts and associates that we can call upon at later dates to continue the learning and growth experience.

Leading Organizations Already Registered
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago 
Atrium Health
Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock
Children's Hospital Colorado
Enloe Health
Geisinger
Huntington Health
Kaiser Permanente
Luminis Health
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Yale New Haven Health

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leadership summit

Continue the conversation at the AHA Leadership Summit

Join the American Hospital Association right after the Hospital Capacity Leadership Forum for the AHA Leadership Summit. Built around the theme (Re)Designing Care Delivery and Operating Models for the Future, the Summit brings together CEOs, C-suite executives and senior leaders from across health care to meet the challenges of the moment.

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Be in the loop and get exclusive early access to news, speaker announcements, special offers and more about this event!

HCMC Supported By

HCMC Sponsors

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Supporting Partners

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