NPHI’s 2026 Summit, Quality in Action, marked a record-setting gathering of nonprofit leaders committed to shaping the future of high-quality care.
[CHICAGO, ILLINOIS] — The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), the national voice for nonprofit hospice and advanced illness care, has concluded its 2026 Summit, Quality in Action, at the Chicago Marriott Marquis — marking the largest gathering in the organization’s history.
Over three days, nonprofit hospice and advanced illness care leaders from across the country came together around a shared commitment to Quality in Action. The Summit created space for candid discussion and practical exchange, with a clear focus on how nonprofit hospice and advanced illness providers will continue to lead in delivering high-quality, community-based care for patients and their families.
Attendees heard directly from national healthcare thought leaders and senior leadership from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the CMS Innovation Center. The program featured plenary sessions, interactive breakout discussions, and a series of networking and social events, bringing together peers from every corner of the nation, from Hawaii to New England.
“As we close out our 2026 Summit, what stands out most is the level of innovation and the commitment and engagement our members continue to show,” said Tom Koutsoumpas, Founder and CEO of NPHI. “This week reinforced the critical role nonprofit providers play in delivering high-quality care. The conversations, insights, and connections made here will carry forward, strengthening care for patients and their families in communities across the entire country.”
Throughout the week, Tom Koutsoumpas and leadership emphasized the importance of members continuing to expand their expertise across the full continuum of care, with service line diversification emerging as a central theme of the Summit.
A major highlight of the Summit was the unveiling of NPHI’s new Advanced Pediatric Care Patient & Caregiver Guide, introduced by Cameron Muir, MD, Chief Medical & Innovation Officer. The guide is designed to support families and caregivers in delivering consistent, high-quality care for children with serious illness.
NPHI also honored three outstanding leaders and organizations whose work has shaped the field:
- Jay Mahoney, former President of the National Hospice Organization with the 2026 Lifetime in Excellence Award. Jay was recognized for his many decades of leadership and advocacy that helped establish and make permanent the Medicare hospice benefit and strengthen the national hospice movement.
- Edward W. Martin, MD, MPH, FACP, FAAHPM with the 2026 Chirag Patel Legacy Award. Dr. Martin was honored for nearly 40 years of compassionate clinical leadership and dedication to patients and families.
- Abraham A. Brody, PhD, RN, FAAN and the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing with the 2026 Healthcare in Action Innovation Award, recognized for advancing care delivery and improving outcomes, particularly for individuals living with dementia.
Key sessions included a keynote from John Whyte, MD, MPH, CEO and Executive Vice President of the American Medical Association, and a keynote from Professor Richard Harding of King’s College London focused on improving access to palliative and end-of-life care globally.
A full day of programming featuring CMS leadership included keynote remarks from Dr. Jake Quinton, Chief Medical Officer at the Center for Medicare, CMS, along with an discussion on what leaders need to know from CMMI featuring Abe Sutton, Director CMMI, and Deputy Administrator at CMS, and Gary Bacher, Chief Strategy Officer, CMMI. A standout moment came during a fireside chat between NPHI Senior Policy Director, Ethan McChesney and Jeneen Iwugo, Acting Director of the Center for Program Integrity, who spoke directly to CMS’s efforts to combat hospice fraud and abuse — followed by a candid exchange where members raised real-world challenges and shared ideas to strengthen enforcement while protecting access to high-quality care.
“This Summit is always a powerful reminder of what happens when our members come together,” said Carole Fisher, President of NPHI. “There is a real exchange of ideas and experiences, and people leave with a renewed sense of purpose in the work they do every day.”
NPHI looks ahead to its 2027 Summit, to be held in Austin in April 2027, where members — described as the “original architects of care at home” — will continue to build on this work and further shape the future of healthcare in the United States and beyond.
