VHHA Hosts 2026 Virginia Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Summit

2026 Virginia Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Summit Attracts Hundreds for In-Person Session on the Crossroads Between Legacy Challenges and Emerging Global Threats

April 22, 2026

"The Preparedness Crossroads: Integrating Legacy Challenges with Emerging Global Threats" is the Theme for the Summit that Brings Together Stakeholders from Across the Commonwealth; Featured Speakers Include Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Stanley M. Meador and Virginia State Health Commissioner Dr. B. Cameron Webb

RICHMOND, VA - Today, hundreds of professionals from healthcare, emergency response, public safety, and other disciplines are gathered in Richmond for the 2026 Virginia Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Summit presented by the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) and the VHHA Foundation.

"The Preparedness Crossroads: Integrating Legacy Challenges with Emerging Global Threats" is the theme for this year's Summit, which is being held at The Westin - Richmond on April 22, 2026. The event brings together members of the Virginia healthcare and emergency response communities for a day of educational programming and breakout sessions featuring renowned speakers and leaders with experience on cyber events, department level business continuity, municipal utility service interruption, workplace safety and security, transforming enterprise risk management, and supply chain disaster management. View the Summit program brochure here.

Featured Summit speakers include Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Stanley M. Meador and Virginia State Health Commissioner Dr. B. Cameron Webb.

Leaders from Bon Secours, Carilion Clinic, ChristianaCare Health Services, Fresenius Kidney Care, HCA Healthcare, HPH Preparedness Consultants, the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety, McKesson Medical-Surgical, Riverside Health, UVA Health, VCU Health, the Virginia Department of Health, VHHA, VHHA Solutions, Wakefield Brunswick, and Westminster Canterbury Richmond are also featured participants in Summit sessions and panel discussions.

The Summit programming agenda includes presentations on confronting the growing challenge of workplace violence in healthcare, responding to the realities of a cyber event, a panel discussion about the healthcare response to the 2025 Richmond water crisis, security and emergency preparedness for outpatient settings, data-informed decisions for transforming enterprise risk management, and supply chain management during disasters.

"Modern emergency preparedness is built on applying the experience and lessons from past events to current readiness work focused on responding to future challenges and evolving risk environments," said VHHA President and CEO Sean T. Connaughton. "In Virginia, hospitals and health systems work alongside public and private sector emergency management partners to develop response plans focused on protecting public health and supporting communities. The 2026 Virginia Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Summit is a key part of that work. It is a forum that connects stakeholders to support strengthened coordination around a shared mission to serve public health through emergency response planning."

The 2026 Virginia Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Summit is funded, in part, under a grant from the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Points of view or opinions expressed are those of the authors/presenters and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of ASPR/HPP or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

VHHA extends its gratitude to program participants and speakers, as well as the following sponsors whose support helps make this year's event possible:

• Elite Industry Partner: Qualivis;
• Title Sponsor: Dominion Energy;
• Exhibiting Sponsors: Carecubes, Centra Health, Foster Fuels, Mary Washington Healthcare, Med Sled/Ethos Preparedness, Motorola Solutions, Valley Health, and VHHA Solutions;
• Supporting Sponsors: 3M, All Clear Emergency Management Group, and Aramsco.

About VHHA: The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Associationis an alliance of 117 hospitals and 26 health delivery systems that develops and advocates for sound health care policy in the Commonwealth. Its mission is to achieve excellence in both health care and health. Its vision is through the power of collaboration to be recognized as a driving force behind making Virginia the healthiest state in the nation. Connect with VHHA through Facebook, X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Walker
Vice President of Communications
(804) 297-3193 office
(804) 304-7402 mobile
[email protected]