Rural leadership conference day one roundup 

Over 1,200 rural leaders are gathered at the AHA 2025 Rural Health Care Leadership Conference in San Antonio this week. Discussions about challenges and opportunities facing the field range from hospital leadership to grassroots advocacy. 
 
Joanne Conroy, CEO and president of Dartmouth Health and immediate past chair of the AHA Board of Trustees; Sunil Eappen, president and CEO of the University of Vermont Health Network; and Andrew Mueller, CEO of MaineHealth, discussed the importance of coordinated grassroots advocacy for raising awareness about the challenges rural academic health systems face. The discussion also covered how this collaborative effort successfully influenced lawmakers and how other rural systems can put these strategies into practice. 
 
Attendees also took part in other sessions, including topics on governance, innovation, workforce and more, such as:    
 
•    How UNC Health Blue Ridge in North Carolina and Samaritan Health Services in Oregon worked with local partners to address unique issues rural communities face in treating substance use disorders and what solutions can be applied to other rural communities. 
•    Rural hospitals that use free and low-cost resources to strengthen their cybersecurity capabilities, such as tools from universities and nonprofits. 
•    Hospitals that are increasing access to maternal care in rural communities through telehealth, workforce development and education, and training on timely screening, referral and intervention.