Annual Conference

The Northwest Regional Rural Health Conference (RHC) is the Northwest’s largest conference on rural health, incorporating Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska.  It is held toward the end of March each year. 

The conference always strives to stay abreast of current policy and regulatory developments at the federal, regional, state and local levels which impact healthcare delivery. WRHA is a conference partner along with Washington State University, Washington Department of Health Office of Community and Rural Health, Western Washington Area Health Education Center, and the University of Washington School of Medicine. The position of conference chair rotates among these partners. The Critical Access Hospital Conference (CAH) is traditionally held in conjunction to the RHC.

The RHC is not “our conference” in the sense that we are solely responsible for planning and executing the event. Because WRHA and RHC originated around the same time and grew up together, they have become linked in many ways over the years:

  • WRHA members receive a discount on their registration to the conference
  • WRHA has an exhibit booth at the conference each year
  • WRHA Silver and Gold sponsors receive free exhibit booths and registrations
  • The incoming WRHA president has delivered the closing remarks for the conference
  • WRHA presents its awards during the luncheon on the first day of the conference
  • WRHA members are identified by stickers on their nametags
  • Our annual meeting is held in the hotel during the late afternoon of the first day of the conference
  • WRHA appoints a representative to the conference planning committee each year

For info on the next upcoming conference, please check back at the end of 2016.