Nebraska Rural Health Conference

June 8-10, 2026 | Kearney, NE

The Nebraska Hospital Association and the Nebraska Rural Health Association are proud to host the 2026 Nebraska Rural Health Conference at the Younes Conference Center North in Kearney.

The conference offers expert insights, practical strategies, and discussions on workforce, operations, community health, populations, research, and policy, while providing opportunities to connect, share ideas, and highlight local successes. It is designed for hospital and clinic leaders, including C-suite executives and professionals in nursing, HR, finance, quality, IT, and operations.

Event Details

Registration

Registration for the Nebraska Rural Health Conference is now open! Join us at the Younes Conference Center North in Kearney, NE, for Nebraska’s premier event for rural health care leaders! The conference brings together professionals from across the state to share ideas, explore solutions, and learn about key topics like workforce, operations, community health, populations, research, policy, and more. This year includes a general conference agenda plus a dedicated RHC Clinic Track with four focused sessions for rural clinic leaders, offering both specialized insights and opportunities to engage with the broader conference.

Pre-Conference

Strengthening Your Hospital and Community Through Rural Research: Relationships, Resources, Results

This session highlights the value of rural health care research in improving financial performance, enhancing staff satisfaction, and strengthening outcomes for rural communities in Nebraska. Participants will explore how to communicate these benefits across interprofessional teams, identify key relationships and resources supporting critical access hospital research, and review research approaches such as comparative effectiveness, implementation science, and pragmatic studies.

Attendees will also learn how to evaluate research protocols for their impact on partnerships, resources, and results, and will identify current rural research needs and opportunities that encourage broader participation.

Learning Objectives:

Describe how rural research improves the bottom line, enhances staff satisfaction, and benefits rural communities, while communicating these impacts effectively across interprofessional teams to support shared understanding and coordinated action.
Identify interprofessional relationships and resources that support critical access hospital research.
Describe research options—including types (e.g., comparative effectiveness and implementation science) and approaches (retrospective observational and pragmatic.
Discuss how to evaluate research protocols and their impact on critical access hospital relationships, resources, and results.
Identify rural research needs in Nebraska and opportunities that inspire participation.

ACCREDITED CONTINUING EDUCATION
Jointly Accredited Provider Logo In support of improving patient care, University of Nebraska Medical Center is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

PHYSICIANS/PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATES
The University of Nebraska Medical Center designates this live activity for a maximum of 4.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

NURSES/Nurse Practitioners
The University of Nebraska Medical Center designates this activity for 4.5 ANCC contact hour(s). Nurses should only claim credit for the actual time spent participating in the activity.

ACHE
By In support of improving patient care, University of Nebraska Medical Center is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Welcome Reception

NHAPAC Reception

Lodging

For lodging accommodations while in Kearney, there are three hotel properties on the Younes campus offering group rates for this conference. Reservations need to be made by May 18, 2026, to receive the discounted rates. Contact either of the following properties and mention the NHA NeRHA Rural Health Conference to make your reservation:

Crowne Plaza | $180 + tax/per night (connected to conference center)
- Book Online: Here!
- Call-In Reservations: (308) 238-7000
Tru/Home2 by Hilton | $170 + tax/per night
- Book Online: Here!
- Call-In Reservations: (308) 270-6700
Hampton Inn & Suites | $169.95 + tax/per night
- Call-In Reservations: (308) 234-3400

Cancellations must be received within 48 hours.

Rural Health Conference Materials