Education

2025 IHA Annual Meeting

Click HERE to register.

Click HERE for a printable version of the Annual Meeting agenda. First-time attendee guide.

96th IHA Annual Meeting

Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center, Des Moines, IA
Tuesday, October 07, 2025 - Wednesday, October 08, 2025

Join your health care colleagues to share, learn and celebrate with us at the 96th IHA Annual Meeting in Des Moines, Oct. 7-8. As hospital leaders grapple with myriad issues, including staffing and mounting financial pressures, recharging goals and missions is vital to successfully rebuilding and energizing teams. This year’s annual meeting will offer valuable insights into renewing administrative and clinical values, providing a unique opportunity for personal growth and development.

The Iowa Hospital Association offers an outstanding agenda featuring notable speakers, innovative case studies and countless opportunities to network and share ideas with colleagues. The 96th IHA Annual Meeting is the perfect setting to gain perspective, share insights and experiences, and discuss sustaining positive change while embracing our shared responsibilities to Iowans. This year's topics include:

Artificial intelligence and information technology data
Clinical leadership
Innovation
Finance
Health care policy
Collaboration
Leadership
Thought leadership
Workforce and human resources

As the state's largest gathering of Iowa hospital leaders, this is one event you won’t want to miss.

Iowa Hospital Association Conference Speakers

Oct. 6 – Iowa Hospital Association board meeting and pre-conference workshop
Oct. 7 – Education sessions, trade show, leadership awards, PAC awards, IHA House of Delegates and networking reception
Oct. 8– Education sessions, trade show, Hospital Heroes, Leadership Development Program and nurse leadership recognition

Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center, 833 Fifth Ave., Des Moines (unless otherwise noted).

IHA Leadership Awards

Three major awards are presented at the Iowa Hospital Association Annual Meeting to recognize significant hospital or health system administration and governance achievements. Hospitals and health systems are encouraged to submit nominations for the outstanding leaders of their hospitals to the Iowa Hospital Association through Friday, June 6, 2025.

The award recipients are hospital CEOs and trustees whose passion has significantly improved their hospitals and communities.

The three awards are:

Excellence in Governance Award – Recognizes an outstanding trustee or board member who has significantly contributed to the hospital or health system through leadership and a commitment to excellence.
Excellence in Leadership Award – Presented to an Iowa hospital or health system CEO who has demonstrated notable achievement in administration of the organization and who has contributed to the broader areas of health care or health policy.
Young Executive Achievement Award – Recognizes and appreciates the exceptional contributions of a hospital CEO under 40 whose innovative leadership has significantly affected their hospital or health system.

"*" indicates required fields

Select award*

Someone may be nominated for only one award.

Nominee information

Provide basic contact information for the nominee.

Nominee name*

First Last Credentials (specify RN, M.D., etc.)

Nominee title*

Hospital*

Health system (if affiliated)

Hospital mailing address*

Street Address Address Line 2 City ZIP Code

Nominee telephone*

Nominee email*

Years of service at the hospital or health system*

Years of service in health care*

Nominator information

The nominator will receive information about the nominee and recognition events. Please provide contact information for the nominator.

Nominator name*

First Last Credential (RN, M.D., etc.)

Nominator title*

Hospital*

Health system (if affiliated)

Hospital mailing address*

Street Address Address Line 2 City ZIP Code

Nominator telephone*

Nominator email*

Additional contact information

If someone other than the nominator (assistant, colleague) should receive information about the nominee and recognition events, include their contact information below.

Contact name

First Last Credentials (RN, M.D., etc.)

Contact title

Hospital/Organization

Hospital system (if affiliated)

Hospital/Organization mailing address

Street Address Address Line 2 City ZIP Code

Contact telephone

Contact email

Nomination Letter

Describe how the nominee has displayed the characteristics of the award during the nominee's service to the hospital. Give specific examples. The Selection Committee will base its decision on this narrative.

Submit a nomination.*

Submit a nomination of approximately 1,000 words describing how your nominee embodies the qualities of the selected award.

Nomination summary

Submit a nomination summary of no more than 125 words.*

The summary will be used in promotional materials.

Support letters

You may submit up to five, two-page support letters.

I understand that IHA will only accept five support letters (limited to two pages each) per nominee.*

I agree.

I have support letters to submit now.*

Yes

No

I understand the support letters must be submitted by Friday, June 14.*

I agree.

Upload support letters.*

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: doc, docx, pdf, Max. file size: 50 MB, Max. files: 5.

Photograph

A color digital photograph of the nominee is needed.

My hospital agrees to send the nominee's photograph, including the nominee's and the hospital's name, by Friday, June 14.*

Agree

2025 Award Winners

Hospital Hero Awards

Rising to every challenge

We are grateful for the unsung heroes in our hospitals across Iowa. You serve patients with expertise and compassion. Your strength, professionalism and dedication to patients—and to each other—are nothing short of heroic. For all you’ve done, for all you do every day, we thank you.

Nominate your hospital hero

The Iowa Hospital Association's Hospital Hero Awards celebrate employees who have acted courageously in a crisis or have selflessly served their hospitals and communities throughout their careers. At our annual meeting in October, the Iowa Hospital Association recognizes 10 hospital employees who exemplify the passion and purpose of the community hospital mission. Use the form below to submit nominations by Friday, June 14, 2024. Call 515-288-1955 with questions.

"*" indicates required fields

Comments

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Nominee*

Title*

Hospital or health system*

Address*

Telephone*

Email*

Summary*

In 1,000 characters or less, summarize why you think this person is a Hospital Hero.

File

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

Up to three testimonial letters and three other supporting materials (media clippings, photos, etc.) may accompany the nomination.

Nominator*

Nominator title*

Nominator hospital or health system*

Nominator address*

Nominator telephone*

Nominator email*

Additional Information

The Hilton Des Moines Downtown room block is available for Oct. 6-8. Check availability HERE. Otherwise, you can reserve rooms at hotels close to the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center. Options include:

Des Moines Marriott Downtown offers a shuttle service.
Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott is across the street from the convention center.
Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel is a short walk to the convention center.