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The Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Iowa Conference feature a variety of clinical, regulatory and leadership topics presented by national consultants and industry authorities.Tuesday, December 1st and Wednesday, December 2nd, 2026, in personIHA Conference Center, 100 E. Grand Ave. Ste. 100, Des Moines Optional Pre-Conference – Social Work EthicsPRECONFERENCE | MONDAY, DEC. 1IHA Conference Center1 p.m. Social Work Ethics; Joel Fry4 p.m. Adjourn CONFERENCE AGENDA | WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2IHA Conference Center8:30 a.m. Registration and Breakfast9 a.m. Welcome and HPCAI Business Meeting; Sara Krieger, CEO, Iowa City Hospice and Visiting Nurse Association of Johnson County, Iowa City and Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Iowa President9:15 a.m. Honoring Those Who Served: A Veteran-Centered Hospice Workshop; Erin Cubit, Executive Director, Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Iowa, Des Moines; Diana Ferriss, Hospice Volunteer Coordinator, WesleyLife, Urbandale9:45 a.m. BreakBREAKOUT SESSIONS10 a.m. The FY 2027 Hospice Final Rule: Turning New Requirements into Daily Practice; Annette Lee, Founder and President, Provider Insights, Des Moines10 a.m. Deprescribing in Hospice: Aligning Medications with Comfort and Goals of Care; Tamara Ruggles, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP, Owner, Specialty Pharmacy Consulting and The Deprescribing Clinic, North Dakota11 a.m. BreakBREAKOUT SESSIONS11:15 a.m. From ADR to Action: Managing CGS Hospice TPE Audits; Annette Lee, Founder and President, Provider Insights, Des Moines11:15 a.m. Cynthia Letsch, Letsch Law Firm12:15 p.m. LunchBREAKOUT SESSIONS1 p.m. Concurrent Care 1 p.m. Cynthia Letsch, Letsch Law Firm2 p.m. Break2:15 p.m. Leading With Trust: The Head + Heart Strategy3:15 p.m. Overcoming the “Impossible”; Cindy Mullins, Motivational Speaker, Kentucky4:15 p.m. Closing commentsCONTINUING EDUCATIONHPCAI will provide a certificate of attendance after completing the program evaluation and strongly encourages nurses to retain a program brochure as documentation of their participation. Nurses determine whether course content meets the Iowa Board of Nursing’s criteria for appropriate continuing education.For Iowa-licensed social workers, therapists and other health care professionals, it is the licensee’s discretion to choose relevant sessions and self-report. HPCAI will provide generic certificates of attendance.PROGRAM LOCATIONIHA Conference Center, 100 E Grand Ave. Ste. 100, Des MoinesLODGINGHPCAI offers a discounted corporate rate for attendees to use for overnight accommodation. HPCAI offers a discounted rate to attendees on “non-last room” availability, meaning that this rate may not always be available because of high demand. Book early if you think you may need arrangements. Staybridge Suites Des MoinesCorporate rate: $139/night plus taxes515-280-3828Corporate ID No.: IXNRDowntown Des Moines AC MarriottCorporate rate: $177/night plus taxes515-518-6060Corporate ID Code: 3QR Full conference details to follow.Contact Autumn McGill with questions about this event and student/volunteer pricing for the educational sessions.
The Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Iowa Conference feature a variety of clinical, regulatory and leadership topics presented by national consultants and industry authorities.
Tuesday, December 1st and Wednesday, December 2nd, 2026, in person
IHA Conference Center, 100 E. Grand Ave. Ste. 100, Des Moines
Optional Pre-Conference – Social Work Ethics
PRECONFERENCE | MONDAY, DEC. 1
IHA Conference Center
1 p.m. Social Work Ethics; Joel Fry
4 p.m. Adjourn
CONFERENCE AGENDA | WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2
8:30 a.m. Registration and Breakfast
9 a.m. Welcome and HPCAI Business Meeting; Sara Krieger, CEO, Iowa City Hospice and Visiting Nurse Association of Johnson County, Iowa City and Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Iowa President
9:15 a.m. Honoring Those Who Served: A Veteran-Centered Hospice Workshop; Erin Cubit, Executive Director, Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Iowa, Des Moines; Diana Ferriss, Hospice Volunteer Coordinator, WesleyLife, Urbandale
9:45 a.m. Break
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
10 a.m. The FY 2027 Hospice Final Rule: Turning New Requirements into Daily Practice; Annette Lee, Founder and President, Provider Insights, Des Moines
10 a.m. Deprescribing in Hospice: Aligning Medications with Comfort and Goals of Care; Tamara Ruggles, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP, Owner, Specialty Pharmacy Consulting and The Deprescribing Clinic, North Dakota
11 a.m. Break
11:15 a.m. From ADR to Action: Managing CGS Hospice TPE Audits; Annette Lee, Founder and President, Provider Insights, Des Moines
11:15 a.m. Cynthia Letsch, Letsch Law Firm
12:15 p.m. Lunch
1 p.m. Concurrent Care
1 p.m. Cynthia Letsch, Letsch Law Firm
2 p.m. Break
2:15 p.m. Leading With Trust: The Head + Heart Strategy
3:15 p.m. Overcoming the “Impossible”; Cindy Mullins, Motivational Speaker, Kentucky
4:15 p.m. Closing comments
CONTINUING EDUCATION
HPCAI will provide a certificate of attendance after completing the program evaluation and strongly encourages nurses to retain a program brochure as documentation of their participation. Nurses determine whether course content meets the Iowa Board of Nursing’s criteria for appropriate continuing education.
For Iowa-licensed social workers, therapists and other health care professionals, it is the licensee’s discretion to choose relevant sessions and self-report. HPCAI will provide generic certificates of attendance.
PROGRAM LOCATION
IHA Conference Center, 100 E Grand Ave. Ste. 100, Des Moines
LODGING
HPCAI offers a discounted corporate rate for attendees to use for overnight accommodation. HPCAI offers a discounted rate to attendees on “non-last room” availability, meaning that this rate may not always be available because of high demand. Book early if you think you may need arrangements.
Staybridge Suites Des Moines
Corporate rate: $139/night plus taxes
515-280-3828
Corporate ID No.: IXNR
Downtown Des Moines AC Marriott
Corporate rate: $177/night plus taxes
515-518-6060
Corporate ID Code: 3QR
Full conference details to follow.
Contact Autumn McGill with questions about this event and student/volunteer pricing for the educational sessions.
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