3 Takeaways: Day 2 of HAP’s Leadership Summit

Insights on AI, the midterms, and hospital financial stability

June 03, 2026

Health care is changing, and hospital leaders are evolving to match the times.

 Day 2 of HAP's Leadership Summit focused on the issues that are front of mind: A growing political divide ahead of the midterms; the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to reimagine care; and a health policy landscape that puts care at risk.

 HAP and Pennsylvania hospitals are working to create a better system that ensures hospitals have what they need to thrive now and in the future. This means helping lawmakers, business and community leaders, and the public understand what's at stake, said HAP President and CEO Nicole Stallings.

 “We need to tell the story of a system that’s fragile," Stallings said. “We need to tell that story so that policymakers understand why they need to act. We need you to invite them in and show them that this is your story.”

The balance of power in Congress hinges on the midterm elections.

Democrats would need a few surprise results to retake the Senate, but party control over the House may be a tossup, said keynote speaker Nathan Gonzales, editor and publisher, Inside Elections LLC.

“How transferrable is the Trump coalition to other candidates when he is not on the ballot?” Gonzales asked.
 

Here are three takeaways from the final day of our Leadership Summit.

Takeaway 1: Making AI Work for Health Care

Health care systems are already taking advantage of AI tools, a roundtable of health care providers noted. The next phase involves scaling tools across complex health systems and picking the right ones.

Hospital leaders implementing this technology emphasized they are:

• Advancing care for sepsis through centralized AI tools
• Improving patient visits through ambient listening
• Balancing new AI tools with the capacity of the workforce to implement them
• Proceeding cautiously with new vendor tools within their existing technology platforms
• Creating checks and balances to build safety into every new tool and process

“You can’t have a health care conference without talking about AI,” said Jason Mitchell, MD, chief medical officer, Geisinger, and a HAP board member, who moderated the panel.

Takeaway 2: Hospitals are Critical Infrastructure

There is a disconnect between the value hospitals provide and their reimbursement for care. This puts hospitals at risk across the commonwealth.

A HAP-commissioned report this year outlined the financial headwinds Pennsylvania hospitals face as they deliver outstanding care. A panel of state leaders emphasized the need for strong hospitals amid cuts from H.R. 1 and a worsening medical liability climate.

Counties, state leaders, and businesses all have a place to support hospitals. The panel described hospitals as core infrastructure—like roads and bridges— that the state cannot live without.

“We see time and time again when a hospital closes that it is often the beginning of the end of a community,” said Valerie Arkoosh, MD, MPH, secretary, Department of Human Services.

Added Luke Berstein, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry: “When you think about health care, it is not a sector, it is the driver right now of our economy.”

Takeaway 3: Leaders Help Communities Navigate Crisis, Uncertainty

Leaders guide teams and communities through uncertainty and crisis—even when the story is still unfolding.

To close out the 2026 Leadership Summit, Bradley Akuburio of Bully Pulpit International spoke with leaders from UPMC about their experience with the February 2025 shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York and strategies for hospitals leaders to communicate during crises.

You can plan for emergencies, but you also need to be ready to improvise, said Elizabeth Ritter, president, UPMC Harrisburg, UPMC Community Osteopathic and UPMC West Shore. She was joined on stage by David Gibbons, senior vice president, UPMC Health Services Division, regional president, UPMC.

Information can be scarce, and social media breeds misinformation. Leaders must support each other as they manage the details as they emerge.

“In a crisis, the only thing you can do is make the next decision,” Ritter said.

Gibbons added: “You’re reporting in real time, but it’s leading with empathy."

HAP thanks our dedicated sponsors, attendees, Achievement Award winners, and presenters for taking part in this year's summit. We can't wait to see you next year!