THA’s 2026 Leadership Fellows Class Tackles Texas Healthcare Workforce and Access

Strong hospitals depend on strong leaders — not only to guide their organizations, but to understand the policies and decisions shaping healthcare across Texas.

For more than a decade, the Texas Hospital Association (THA) Leadership Fellows program has brought together emerging and established hospital leaders to develop the skills, knowledge and relationships needed to become effective advocates for their hospitals, patients and communities.

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The Class of 2026 has now completed the yearlong program, adding a new group of hospital leaders to a growing network of Leadership Fellows alumni.

The program consists of four modules throughout the year, covering topics including the legislative and regulatory process, healthcare policy, hospital finance and the state budget, leadership and communications. Fellows also engage with elected officials, participate in media training and mock testimony exercises, and work throughout the year on a capstone project.

The capstone gives Fellows an opportunity to take what they have learned and apply it to pressing issues facing Texas hospitals. This year’s projects explored a range of challenges and opportunities across the healthcare landscape, including building the healthcare workforce and improving access to care and coverage – two topics that Fellows will present at THA’s Annual Conference in September.

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Diverse group of professionals standing and looking up at the ornate ceiling in a wood-paneled legislative chamber in a historic meeting hall.

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Building a Stronger Healthcare Workforce

The workforce group examined a critical bottleneck in Texas’ healthcare workforce pipeline: the capacity to train new healthcare professionals.

While demand continues to grow, limited access to qualified faculty, preceptors and clinical training sites can constrain the state’s ability to expand its workforce. The Fellows’ recommendations include increased investment in faculty and preceptor programs, stronger regional partnerships and better coordination of clinical placements.

Improving Access to Care and Coverage

The healthcare access and coverage group examined how administrative and payer-related barriers can affect patients and hospital operations.

Their project focused on prior authorization delays, payer requirements for the next level of care and Medicaid administrative inefficiencies, which can contribute to longer hospital stays, reduced bed capacity and increased pressure on hospital resources. The Fellows proposed greater transparency around insurance denials and appeals, along with technology-enabled approaches to streamline medical necessity reviews.

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From the Cohort to the Community

The two groups will take their work beyond the Leadership Fellows classroom this fall when they present their projects at the 2026 THA Annual Conference in Fort Worth.

The Leadership Fellows Capstone Presentations are scheduled for 9-10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, giving Fellows an opportunity to share their findings and recommendations with hospital leaders and healthcare professionals from across Texas.

The presentations are a fitting culmination of the Fellows’ yearlong experience, putting their skills in policy, communication and advocacy into practice while highlighting potential solutions to challenges affecting Texas hospitals and patients.

The 2026 THA Annual Conference will be held Sept. 22-23 at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel and will feature education and discussion on health law, finance, health IT, workforce, advocacy and other issues affecting Texas hospitals.

As the 2026 class graduates, these leaders join a growing network of Fellows helping strengthen the voice of Texas hospitals and advocate for the patients and communities they serve.

Interested in becoming a Leadership Fellow? Learn more about the program and application process at THA Leadership Fellows.

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