Speaking Information
IMPORTANT DATES
Submissions Open – November 3, 2025
Deadline for Submissions – February 13, 2026
Submissions Notified of Status – week of March 23, 2026
ONLINE SUBMISSION PORTAL
HEALTHCARE FACILITIES SYMPOSIUM & EXPO SPEAKING GUIDELINES
All parties interested in speaking at the 2026 Healthcare Facilities Symposium & Expo must read through the information below and use the online portal in order to be considered by the proposal review committee. Unless a submission is received via the online portal it will not be considered for inclusion in the program. Please review our guidelines and policies prior to preparing your submission. By submitting a proposal you are agreeing to the conditions outlined below.
WHO SHOULD SPEAK
We welcome proposals from:
- Industry executives, senior leaders, and subject matter experts in healthcare planning, design, construction, and operations.
- Innovative companies with compelling case studies that demonstrate measurable impact.
- Collaborative teams that include a representative from a healthcare facility.
- All case studies must include a healthcare facility representative as a co-presenter; submissions without one will not be considered.
WHAT SHOULD THE SESSION BE ABOUT
We are looking for educational, experience-driven content that goes beyond traditional lectures. Your session should:
- Present real challenges and solutions—not just successes, but also lessons learned from what didn’t go as planned.
- Avoid sales pitches and promotional language. Focus on thought leadership and practical insights.
- Be interactive and engaging. Our attendees value sessions that invite participation and spark discussion.
Session Formats We Encourage
- Interactive workshops
- Panel discussions with audience Q&A
- Live polling or feedback tools
- Small group breakout activities
- Case study walk-throughs with audience input
2026 Themes of Interest
Here are some of the key topics we’re prioritizing this year:
- Resilient Design & Surge Capacity Planning
- Flexible Infrastructure for Evolving Care Models
- Emergency Preparedness & Crisis Response
- Post-Occupancy Evaluation & Performance Metrics
- Sustainable & Regenerative Design Practices
- Smart Hospitals & Emerging Technologies
- AI Integration in Facility Operations
- Telehealth-Ready Environments
- Behavioral Health Design Innovations
- Senior Living & Aging-in-Place Strategies
- Designing for Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility
- Specialty Departments & Complex Care Spaces
- Funding Models & ROI in Healthcare Projects
- Clinical Collaboration in Design
- Enhancing the Patient & Staff Experience
OTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND
- Speaker Commitment:
Please ensure all speakers are fully committed to participating before submitting your proposal. Last-minute cancellations disrupt the program and diminish the attendee experience. -
Originality Matters:
If selected, your presentation must be unique to HFSE and not presented in the same format at any other industry event within the same calendar year. You may present the same project elsewhere, but the title, description, and angle must be distinctly different. -
Stay True to Your Proposal:
Your final presentation must align with the session description submitted and approved. Significant deviations may result in removal from the program. -
Presentation Review:
All final presentations will undergo a review process to ensure they meet HFSE’s standards for educational value, relevance, and compliance. Presentations that do not meet these criteria may be removed from the agenda. -
Presentation Sharing:
Speakers must provide HFSE with a copy of their final presentation (proprietary or sensitive information may be removed). These materials will be made available for attendees to download starting two weeks prior to the event. -
Travel & Expenses:
Each speaker will receive complimentary conference registration, but is responsible for all travel and lodging expenses.
REVIEW PROCESS
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All proposals will be reviewed by JD Events, the Healthcare Facilities Symposium & Expo team, and the HFSE Advisory Board.
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Due to high interest and limited session slots, not all submissions can be accepted. We encourage thoughtful, well-developed proposals that clearly demonstrate relevance, originality, and audience engagement.
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Each submission must include a complete and accurate session description. Incomplete proposals will not be considered.
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HFSE Management reserves the right to collaborate with selected speakers to refine session titles, descriptions, and content to better serve our audience and align with overall conference programming.