IEHP Hosts Mission Conference for Health Care Leaders

Inland Empire Health Plan welcomed nearly 200 health care leaders to its second annual Mission Conference on May 6. Held at its company headquarters in Rancho Cucamonga, the conference featured educational and networking opportunities and a keynote presentation from New York Times best-selling author and Reality-Based Leadership CEO Cy Wakeman. 

The Mission Conference was first held in 2019 but took a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The gatherings may have been paused, but the work certainly was not,” said IEHP CEO Jarrod McNaughton. “It was important for us as health care leaders to come back together to reflect on the challenges and successes of the past two years, strengthen our connections, claim our collective courage, and find opportunities to better meet the needs of those we serve in the Inland Empire.”

Like the inaugural event, this year’s conference brought together health care CEOs, hospital board members and other industry leaders from across the state to share in collectively preparing for the future in a post-pandemic world. 

This year’s event also honored the very first recipients of IEHP’s Living the Mission INSPIRE Award, which honors providers, community organizations and partners for their commitment to the health plan’s mission to “heal and inspire the human spirit.” This year awards recognized Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County for their dedication to eliminating effects of poverty and SAC Health System for its tireless support and service to residents in both Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Sharing her insight on what the pandemic can teach us about post-traumatic growth, Wakeman highlighted how experiences of the past year can be leveraged to build sustainable resilience and reduce burnout and exhaustion. “If you’re in health care, you need to do two things. You need to love people up and call people up. Remind people that what we do here is sacred,” Wakeman shared with conference attendees. 

“What makes the IEHP Mission Conference unique is its ability to celebrate courage and truly inspire the future of health and wellness in the Inland Empire,” said IEHP Governing Board Chair and San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe. “Putting all of that under one roof cultivates a type of collaboration that will sculpt and define Inland Empire Public Health Systems for generations.”

To learn more about how IEHP is charting a collaborative path forward, visit iehp.org or follow IEHP on social media.