ViVE conference aims to tackle big problems in healthcare industry

The annual ViVE conference comes at a time of uncertainty and rapid change in the healthcare industry.

Thousands of healthcare leaders are expected to attend the digital health conference taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center Feb. 22-25. The ViVE conference is put together by HLTH, which also runs the annual HLTH conference in the fall, and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME).

Rich Scarfo, president of HLTH, tells Chief Healthcare Executive® that ViVE brings a different focus than the HLTH event in the fall. While HLTH covers the full healthcare ecosystem, ViVE is aimed at health systems and health plans.

“ViVE is our event focused more on hospital systems and payers with a strong health IT presence on the exhibit floor,” Scarfo says. “So we'll have throughout the program, payers, providers, policymakers, and all of the issues that are aligning with the healthcare system and healthcare workers.”

(See part of our conversation with Rich Scarfo in this video. The story continues below.)

Reality over hype

Even as some health systems are cutting costs and taking a closer look at expenses, including travel, ViVE appears on track for strong attendance. About 8,000 healthcare leaders are expected to attend. ViVE focuses on attracting senior executives.

The conference will also feature federal officials, life sciences and pharma leaders, investors, start-ups, and more. ViVE also boasts more than 600 sponsors, an uptick over last year.

“We're seeing modest growth in all areas,” he says. “And I think again, it's a testament to the quality of the event, the quality of the content, the companies that we bring together, and certainly the leaders that we're bringing together from all over the country.”

This year’s event takes place after a year of significant changes and upheaval in the healthcare industry. President Trump’s administration has made significant shifts in federal healthcare policy, notably with the passage of the HR 1 tax package and steep cuts to Medicaid over the next decade. The administration also launched the Rural Health Transformation Program, in part to address concerns about the Medicaid cuts. Medical groups have expressed alarm over changes in vaccine policies.

The president signed off on a budget package this week that does address some big healthcare priorities, including extensions for telehealth and hospital-at-home programs.

But many health systems are facing some economic headwinds, and they’re facing additional challenges navigating changes as they expect to see more patients without insurance, adding to their financial headaches.

“We're definitely seeing pressure from every direction …. tightening margins, workforce disruptions, accelerating technology change, which is something that we focus on with a lot of our sponsors. And, you know, real uncertainty out of Washington around coverage, vaccines, reimbursement, regulations,” Scarfo says.

The conference is designed to address the real problems facing healthcare organizations, he says.

“You'll see a lot of sessions focused on operational resilience and cost containment, and workforce stability, and really the practical applications of digital transformation. We try to stay away from hype and focus on what's really working in the field,” he says.

“And I think ViVE has always been where strategy and execution come together, and we are in a chaotic environment,” Scarfo says. “So the event offering a grounding atmosphere is really more important than ever. I think at ViVE, we hope that it reflects the reality that healthcare leaders are living in, and not really the version that we wish we were in, right? We’ve got to ground it in reality.”

Federal policy leaders

The HLTH conference last fall took place during a government shutdown, which meant a host of government speakers slated to appear were unable to attend.

But ViVE is featuring some key federal officials, including Amy Gleason, administrator of the U.S. DOGE Service; Abe Sutton, deputy administrator and director of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services; and Dr. Thomas Keane, the national coordinator for health information technology.

“Agree or disagree, government has never been more central to the health care conversation than it is right now,” Scarfo says. “We're seeing very public shifts at HHS and evolving guidance around vaccines, payment reform, data policy and access. And leaders are looking for clarity and honest dialogue, and with us, bringing together senior execs and government leaders, it's really an important opportunity for them to come together.”

“We know it'll bring strong representation from federal and state agencies, as well as the health systems and payer leadership,” he continues. “What's important is that these conversations aren't happening in silos.”

Scarfo stresses the potential for discussions with key policymakers.

“We think that having government at ViVE isn't just talking at the industry,” he says. "It's going to be able to talk with the industry, and that's going to be really important for us.”

Leaders coming together

ViVE is seeing strong registrations, even with some leaders making decisions to attend later, which has become a trend, Scarfo says.

The conference offers reduced prices for startups, nurse leaders, and nonprofits. ViVE also features physician roundtables and receptions to network with clinicians.

Scarfo says ViVE is a place for healthcare leaders to come together.

“Vive is where healthcare leaders come to compare notes, to pressure test ideas, to leave with a clear sense of direction, even when the broader environment feels uncertain,” he says.

“So I think that if you look at it from that perspective, it is probably your best opportunity right now to come and see what is new in the tech space, listen to discussions from top policy leaders, top CEOs, those representing our frontline workers and our health care and payers side of the business,” he says. “So all of us … coming together at ViVE. And if you're interested in that discussion and what the future looks like, it's the one event you should attend.”

Chief Healthcare Executive® will be reporting live from ViVE in Los Angeles. Look for more preview stories leading up to the big event.