BY ERIKA MCCARTHY, MMS SENIOR EDITOR AND WRITER
As US health care continues to navigate extraordinary disruption — workforce shortages, rising costs, political and regulatory uncertainty, rapid technological change, and the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic — the need for thoughtful leadership
and informed dialogue has never been greater. The Massachusetts Medical Society’s (MMS) annual Future Health Best Conference,
to be held in person on Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Waltham, Massachusetts, is designed to bring together physicians, health care leaders, and policy experts to confront today’s challenges while preparing for what lies ahead.
Dr. Ashish K. Jha
Headlining the conference is Dr. Ashish K. Jha, a nationally recognized leader in health policy and public health. Dr. Jha was most recently the Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, where his work focused on improving
the quality and cost of health care and examining the impact of public health policy. Previously, he was the K.T. Li Professor of Global Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, faculty director of the Harvard Global Health Institute,
and a senior advisor at Albright Stonebridge Group. He is widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading health policy scholars.
Dr. Jha also brings unparalleled real-world experience from his service as White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator from 2022 to 2023, when he helped guide the country through a complex and rapidly evolving public health crisis. His keynote will offer
critical insights into lessons learned from the pandemic, the evolving role of public health, and what physicians and health systems must do now to build resilience, restore trust, and prepare for future challenges.
In addition to the keynote, the Future Health: Best Practices for Advancing Care Conference features a rich and timely educational program with multiple sessions to help physicians discover practical solutions that reduce administrative burden, strengthen teamwork, and support them in navigating AI, policy shifts, immunization challenges,
and the rising needs of aging patients with confidence.
The conference will also include a poster session showcasing innovative work and research, a workshop on practical steps to improve diagnostic accuracy and patient care, as well as dedicated networking opportunities designed to foster connection, collaboration,
and shared learning among attendees.
In uncertain times, coming together to learn from national leaders, exchange ideas with peers, and focus on solutions is more important than ever. The 2026 Future Health Best Conference offers a timely and inspiring opportunity to prepare health care
teams for today’s realities while shaping a stronger future for medicine. Register today.
