Bringing together health care industry representatives from Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Alaska, the annual Northwest Rural Health Conference will be held Tuesday, March 15, to Thursday, March 17, at the Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.

The theme for this year’s three-day conference is “Taking Charge of Change.” The conference addresses facets of rural health care such as critical access hospitals, rural emergency medical services, rural health clinics, and home health, says a message on NWRHC 2016’s website from Jodi Perlmutter, chairwoman of the conference and CEO of the Western Washington Area Health Education Center.

“To have critical access hospitals, rural health clinics, and EMS all together for the first day, we are role modeling what we hope will happen in rural communities, better collaboration of different entities in health care,” she says.

In keeping with this year’s theme, a number of changes have been made to the conference. One such change is the addition of a tract for emergency medical advisers, who in rural settings often are volunteers, says Perlmutter. The conference also will be combining with the Rural Health Association of Washington’s annual conference, which previously held a separate meeting in April, she says. 

NWRHC 2016 will focus fiscal changes as well, she says.

Keynote speakers will include: Dr. Berdi Safford, vice president of quality improvement for Family Care Network in northwestern Washington and a clinical associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine; Dr. Clint MacKinney, a clinical associate professor at the College of Public Health, University of Iowa, and deputy director of the Rural Policy Research Institute Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis; and Dr. Michael Meza, chairman for the Idaho Telehealth Alliance.

Gloria Burgess, a professional inspirational speaker whose clients include Microsoft Corp., Starbucks Corp., Boeing Co., and MSNBC, among others, will be the closing speaker.

Perlmutter says attendance is expected to be around 300 people. She recommends attendance for EMS workers, rural hospital administrators, education and workforce personnel, health professionals, and students going into the health profession.

The conference costs $350 to attend all three days and $175 to attend a single day. Separate student pricing is available.

For more information about the Northwest Rural Health Conference 2016, visit bit.ly/1o6IZEz. For questions, email wsuconf@wsu.edu or call 509.335.3530 or 800.942.4978.