The Michigan Center for Rural Health welcomed rural health professionals from across the state to the 29th Annual Michigan Rural Health Conference held April 23–24, 2026, at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mount Pleasant. This year’s conference theme, “Navigating the Next Era of Rural Health,” brought together 265 attendees and 56 sponsoring organizations for two days of education, networking, and collaboration focused on the future of rural healthcare in Michigan.
The 2026 conference also marked the kickoff of MCRH’s celebration of 35 years serving as Michigan’s State Office of Rural Health. Throughout the event, attendees reflected on the evolution of rural healthcare in Michigan while also exploring the opportunities and challenges shaping the next era of rural health.
As part of the celebration, MCRH partnered with a live visual artist who captured presentations, conversations, and attendee engagement throughout the conference in real time through illustrated visual note-taking boards. These interactive pieces highlighted themes and ideas shared by attendees and speakers across the two-day event.
The conference featured presentations and discussions on some of the most pressing topics impacting rural communities, including workforce development, population health, cybersecurity, behavioral health, healthcare policy, and rural innovation. Attendees participated in breakout sessions covering subjects such as rural hospital cybersecurity preparedness, strengthening care coordination systems, rural food access initiatives, billing and coding strategies, workforce recruitment and retention, and the integration of community health workers into care delivery models.
State and national leaders shared updates and perspectives on the evolving healthcare environment, including presentations from the National Rural Health Association and the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services. Attendees also connected through networking opportunities, the conference exhibitor hall, poster presentations, and the Rural Health QR Quest activity designed to encourage engagement with conference partners and presenters throughout the event.
During the conference, MCRH recognized Billi Jo Hennika, Chief Operating Officer at McKenzie Health System, the 2026 Rural Health Professional of the Year Award. Read more about Billi Jo's work.
The Michigan Center for Rural Health extends its gratitude to all attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and partners who contributed to the success of this year’s conference. As rural healthcare continues to evolve, opportunities for connection, shared learning, and collaboration remain critical to supporting the health of Michigan’s rural communities.