Capstone Health Alliance wraps 2026 Forum with AI, supply chain and leadership focus

Capstone Health Alliance brought members, suppliers and industry leaders to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for its 2026 Capstone Forum Aug. 3-6. The event spotlighted AI, policy shifts, market pressures and partnership-building across healthcare supply chain strategy, with the next forum set for Aug. 3-5, 2027.

Why it matters: - The Capstone Forum is a key meeting point for healthcare supply chain leaders, suppliers and members. - The 2026 event focused on cost reduction, supply chain management, value-based care and emerging solutions for healthcare delivery. - Capstone Health Alliance used the forum to reinforce its role as a connector between supply chain expertise and healthcare operations.

What happened: - Capstone Health Alliance held the 2026 Capstone Forum from Aug. 3-6 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. - The forum opened with pharmacy, member and supplier education sessions, followed by general sessions and evening events. - Attendees heard from Dave Edwards on “The Liminal State of Healthcare: The Promise & Peril of AI.” - Tim Bugg, Capstone’s owner and CEO, and Yolandi Myers, president and CAO, opened the general session with remarks on partnerships, collaboration and innovation. - Paul Epstein delivered the keynote “WIN MONDAY,” drawing on his background in pro sports sales leadership to discuss resilience, culture and winning habits. - Tim Bugg moderated a State of Supply Chain Town Hall with Angie Boliver of HSCA, Teresa Dail of the Vanderbilt Health Purchasing Collaborative, Kathryn DiBitetto of HIDA and Lisa Hohman of Concordance Healthcare Solutions. - The forum closed with a combined Member and Supplier session on the price activation process, moderated by Tabitha Calloway, Capstone’s VP of Contracting, with representatives from Medline and Henry Schein. - Capstone invited attendees to return for the 2027 Capstone Forum at the Sheraton Myrtle Beach from Aug. 3-5, 2027.

The details: - The forum featured panel discussions, educational presentations, a supplier showcase and networking events over three days. - Capstone said the event was designed to support leadership development and innovation in healthcare. - Bugg said Capstone remains focused on serving members with integrity, trust, collaboration and a commitment to reducing healthcare costs. - Bugg also said Capstone will continue delivering services and support while pursuing new opportunities to strengthen the organization. - The Welcome & Awards Dinner recognized graduates of the Capstone Leadership Institute Class of 2026. - The dinner also honored ELEVATE award winners and Innovative Supplier Partner Award recipients. - 2026 ELEVATE Award winners included Julianna Lopez-Echavarria of Adventist HealthCare, Anthony Carpenter of Bayhealth, Aaron Davis of Cape Fear Valley Health, Trina Epperly of Carilion Clinic, Ayoni Roberts-Bradshaw of Mercy Health Services, the Mercy Urgent Care Team, Katherine Tucker of Monroe County Hospital, Jodie Butler of Mount Nittany Health and Jan Elder of WellLink Group Purchasing. - 2026 Innovative Supplier Partner Award winners included Palm Harbor Medical, Professional Disposables International, Inc., Cato Supply, Corza Medical and OurPharma. - Ken Schmidt, former Harley-Davidson communications director, spoke on building loyalty in a competitive market. - Jocelyn Herrington of Advisory Board led a session on assumptions about who controls care delivery. - The Circus de Carnivale Supplier Showcase featured supplier exhibits and demonstrations at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. - Laura Flesher won a $2,000 grand prize for completing the Capstone Challenge by visiting supplier booths. - GoPath Diagnostics won Best Booth for a medieval-themed display. - The forum ended with The Capstone Masquerade: Dinner & Dance Party, featuring live music from Julio & the Saltines.

Between the lines: - The agenda shows Capstone is positioning the forum as both a business conference and a community-building event. - AI, policy and market pressure were recurring themes, signaling that members are looking for practical responses to rapid change in healthcare delivery. - The awards and social events suggest Capstone is using recognition and relationship-building to deepen supplier and member loyalty.

What's next: - Capstone Health Alliance will host the next Capstone Forum Aug. 3-5, 2027, at the Sheraton Myrtle Beach. - The organization is expected to continue centering the event on collaboration, supply chain strategy and new healthcare delivery challenges. - More information is available on Capstone Health Alliance's LinkedIn page.