2026 NELC Population Health & Value Management Symposium
On September 18th, 2026, New England Life Care hosted its 9th annual Population Health Symposium for our 70+ cooperative member hospitals at the AC Hotel by Marriott Portsmouth Downtown/Waterfront in Portsmouth, NH. This year's symposium focused on The Human Side of Healthcare: Culture, Compassion, and Connection, and featured a dynamic group of speakers, opening with a keynote address from Adrienne Boissy, MD, MA.
Ryan Thompson, MD, MPH, served as this year’s symposium moderator. He is currently the Medical Director of the Capacity Coordination Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he sees inpatients as part of the MGH Complex Care Service and outpatients at MGH Internal Medicine Associates.
Adrienne Boissy, MD, MA, Chief Medical Officer at Qualtrics, delivered the events keynote address. She explored how to incorporate compassion into work as a healthcare professional in addition to explaining the importance of understanding the neuroscience behind how people experience and judge interactions.
Ellie Foster, Director of Patient Experience at Maine Medical Center, spoke about creating a culture of compassion, improving quality, and elevating patient experience. She covered the psychological factors that influence how healthcare professionals perceive and respond to patient feedback, as well as common defensive reactions and cognitive biases that can interfere with learning from patient feedback.
Lori Tishler, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer at Alosa Health, spoke about cultivating compassion throughout her career in medicine and encouraged attendees to reconnect with the people and events that first drew them to healthcare. She explored the challenges of providing and maintaining compassionate care across different roles, inviting attendees to share their own stories throughout her presentation.
Aisha Pittman, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at the National Association of ACOs, spoke about the future of healthcare legislation, including how Congress may approach Medicare payment reform and what emerging legislative priorities could mean for providers. She also discussed policy opportunities and challenges shaping the next generation of value-based care and alternative payment models.
This year's speakers provided an engaging day of insights on the human side of healthcare and reminded us of the importance of maintaining compassion in our work. We appreciate everyone who joined us in Portsmouth for another successful Population Health Symposium.
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