Join peers for an interactive roundtable on using virtual care to enhance safety in behavioral health settings—from ED safe rooms to dedicated behavioral health units and hospitals. We’ll discuss managing dual diagnoses, reducing self-harm risk, meeting regulatory requirements, and protecting staff. Expect candid conversations, real-world examples, and actionable strategies you can take back to your team.

Who Should Attend: Nurse executives, healthcare leaders, and frontline staff caring for behavioral health patients.

Lead by Lisbeth Votruba, MSN, RN, FAONL, CAVRN, Chief Clinical Officer, AvaSure

As virtual care programs scale, integration becomes the backbone of success—not just between systems, but across teams, technologies, and workflows. This session is designed for clinical, IT, and operational leaders ready to streamline their vendor landscape and make the most of fewer, smarter integrations.
Through guided discussion and shared case examples, we’ll explore which integrations truly move the needle for virtual care, from EHR connections to contactless monitoring and interactive patient care (IPC) systems. You’ll walk away with a framework for prioritizing your top three must-have integrations and a clearer path for collaboration between clinical and IT stakeholders.

Who Should Attend:
Nurse leaders, IT decision-makers, virtual care strategists, and operations leaders seeking to consolidate vendors, simplify workflows, and scale virtual care effectively.

Led by Brad Smith, Principal Product Manager, AvaSure

Room: Charlotte F-G

Achieving the full potential of virtual care requires more than just implementing technology—it demands a long-term vision, cross-functional alignment, and a clear path forward. In this immersive, consultative workshop, AvaSure’s VP of Customer Success will guide you through the process of developing a personalized, future-focused roadmap aligned to your organization’s virtual care goals.
Through expert facilitation and peer collaboration, you’ll:
• Assess your current state using AvaSure’s Virtual Care Maturity Model
• Define a long-term vision tailored to your clinical, operational, and strategic priorities
• Identify key milestones, success metrics, and organizational enablers
• Leave with a clear, actionable roadmap that helps your team lead with confidence
This session is ideal for clinical and operational leaders looking to elevate their virtual care strategy, align stakeholders, and drive sustainable transformation.

Lead by Bonnie Radintz, VP of Customer Success, AvaSure

Welcome Reception & Innovation Showcase
Kick off Symposium week in style! Join us for an evening of great company, delicious food, and lively conversation as we gather to celebrate the start of an inspiring event. Explore our Innovation Showcase, where you can connect with industry partners, see the latest advancements in virtual care, and spark ideas that will carry you through the week. It’s the perfect blend of networking, discovery, and fun—don’t miss it!

Marriot City Center Event Hub

ROOM: Charlotte A-C

Sponsored by Equum Medical

ROOM: Charlotte D-E


The future of healthcare isn’t on the horizon—it’s already here. Join AvaSure’s leadership team for a dynamic look at how clinically driven innovation is transforming care delivery through the power of virtual care.
Experience our latest technology in action and see what it means for bedside teams, care coordination, and patient outcomes.
Don’t miss this exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at what’s next for AvaSure—including a major announcement that signals the start of an exciting new chapter.

The AvaSure Team

ROOM: Charlotte D-E

A celebration of people and programs transforming care through virtual innovation. The AvaPrize honors outstanding achievements in safety, collaboration, and impact across the AvaSure community.

ROOM: Charlotte D-E

Too often, virtual care programs remain stuck in pilot mode—small in scope, limited in impact. Hackensack Meridian Health is changing that narrative. In this dynamic panel discussion, nurse leaders from across the health system will share how they’ve rolled out a systemwide virtual nursing model to reduce bedside burden, improve discharges, and elevate both staff and patient satisfaction.

In partnership with AvaSure and Equum Medical, these clinical leaders will walk through their journey from concept to enterprise implementation—sharing key lessons in workflow design, change management, and culture shift. Learn how they embraced virtual care not as a temporary fix, but as a foundational platform to transform care delivery.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to scale, this session will offer real-world insights on breaking free from the pilot trap and building a virtual care program that lasts.

Featuring:
Ramonita Jiminez DNP, MPA, RN, NEA-BC, VP, Chief Nursing Officer Hackensack University Medical Center

Marie Foley-Danecker DNP, RN, CCRN, NE-BC, VP, Chief Nursing Officer Hackensack Meridian Ocean University Medical Center

Dena Egbert, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Administrative Director of Nursing Hackensack University Medical Center

Kristen Lawton, MSN, RN, CNO Equum Medical

Moderated by Lisbeth Votruba, MSN, RN, FAONL, CAVRN, Chief Clinical Officer, AvaSure Chief Nurse Executive, AvaSure

Breakout 1 - Charlotte F-H: Expanding the Care Team: Rural Access Through Virtual Care

Discover how Holzer and UnityPoint are tackling one of today’s biggest healthcare challenges—delivering high-quality care in rural communities. Through virtual nursing and virtual sitting, they’ve built scalable programs that enhance staffing models, boost patient education, and strengthen safety strategies. From launch to scale, this session unpacks real-world lessons in overcoming barriers, driving impact, and reimagining how virtual care can transform community health.

Matthew L. Hemphill, Director of Acute Care Nursing, Holzer Health
Emily Even, BSN, RN, Supervisor: Resource, Staffing, Central Monitoring, and Patient Observation, UnityPoint

Breakout 2 - 1st/2nd Ward: Achieving Acceptance of RVM: How to Understand What Your Nurses Think

Frontline clinicians and nurse leaders are critical to the success of any virtual care initiative—but how do they really feel about Remote Visual Monitoring (RVM)? In this session, Dr. Lisa Hawksworth, Senior Director of Nursing Excellence & Resource Management at MedStar Health, presents findings from a national study using the Remote Visual Monitoring Acceptance Tool (RVMAT), designed to assess nursing acceptance based on perceived usefulness and ease of use. The research highlights one hospital’s experience with improving RVM adoption and patient safety outcomes. Attendees will gain practical insight into how to engage the frontline team and incorporate their feedback to collaborate on optimizing a virtual care program.

Lisa T. Hawksworth, PhD, RN, NEA-BC Sr. Director, Nursing Excellence & Resource Management MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center

Breakout 3 - Charlotte A-C: Centralizing Success: Building Enterprise Hubs for Virtual Care

Large health systems are moving beyond decentralized pilots to build enterprise-wide virtual care hubs that drive consistency, efficiency, and scalable impact. In this breakout session, hear how CommonSpirit and Ascension are designing centralized command centers to support virtual sitting, nursing, and observation across multiple sites.
Learn how each organization approached governance, infrastructure, clinical workflows, and cross-system collaboration to achieve measurable results—and what lessons they’d offer to others considering centralization.

Anna Pharis, Program Manager, Ascension Texas
Katie Palmer, Clinical Program Supervisor, Ascension Texas.
Tessa Gilbert BSN, MSN-L, RN, System Director CommonSpirit Care Base, CommonSpirit Health
Marcy Phipps Director of Nursing, CommonSpirit Health

Sponsored by Equum Medical

Breakout 1 - Charlotte A-C: Tackling Throughput: Two Virtual Approaches Making an Impact

In a safety-net setting where every resource matters, LA General faced persistent challenges with patient throughput, staff efficiency, and discharge delays. This session explores how the team tackled these issues head-on by launching a virtual nursing program and a reimagined discharge lounge model.
Attendees will hear how LA General integrated virtual care into their discharge workflows—enabling virtual nurses to coordinate with bedside teams, streamline education and discharge tasks, and reduce avoidable delays. From thoughtful workflow design and interdisciplinary collaboration to smart technology and measurable outcomes, this session highlights two complementary virtual strategies that are improving care coordination and driving real results.
Whether you’re facing similar throughput challenges or looking for inspiration to evolve your discharge process, LA General’s story offers a practical and powerful blueprint.

Nikole Swaine MA, LPC, NCC, ACT, Nurse Manager for: Discharge Lounge, Safe Patient Handling Team, LA General Jenny Silva ARN-DNP, Supervising Staff Nurse, LA General


Breakout 2 - 1st/2nd Ward: Driving Adoption, Outcomes, and Culture Through Strategic Leadership

What does it take to build and sustain a high-performing virtual care program? At Carilion Clinic, it starts with visionary leadership, strong cross-functional collaboration, and a relentless focus on clinical impact. Join Jason Crouch and his team for a behind-the-scenes look at how they’ve elevated their AvaSure program across multiple towers and departments, unlocking new use cases, expanding adoption, and strengthening team culture along the way.
This session will explore how Carilion leverages data, frontline engagement, and internal “marketing” strategies to reinforce the value of virtual monitoring and drive long-term success.
Whether you're looking to optimize your current program or scale to new heights, this session offers practical strategies, and inspiration, for taking your virtual care initiatives further.

Jason Crouch, Director of Virtual Care Center, Carilion Clinic

Breakout 3 - Charlotte F-H: Observing for Safety: Approaches to Patient and Staff Wellbeing

In today’s complex care environments, keeping both patients and staff safe requires more than one approach. This session features an academic hospital alongside their strategic partner, highlighting how they have integrated observation strategies to improve patient safety, reduce risk, and support staff wellbeing. Attendees will hear how the program has achieved sustained outcomes and uncover growth opportunities that strengthen both patient care and team resilience.

Robert Philo, Senior Administrative Manager, Michigan Medicine
Wendy Wilford, Vice President of Specializations, ManpowerGroup

ROOM: Charlotte D-E

Ever wondered what keeps your CFO up at night—or what makes them say yes? This fireside chat will be a rare peek behind the curtain as a health system CFO shares exactly what resonates in the boardroom when it comes to virtual care. From ROI to risk reduction, staffing to sustainability, you’ll learn how to build a business case that speaks their language. This candid conversation will reveal what gets a CFO’s attention, what falls flat, and how clinical leaders can elevate their voices to drive meaningful investment in virtual care. If you've ever asked, “How do I get leadership to really listen?”—this session is for you.

Dave Ross MBA, Chief Financial Officer, KPC Health
Jan Mosholt, Chief Growth Officer, AvaSure

ROOM: Charlotte D-E

Government policy is a powerful driver of virtual care adoption—often setting the pace for the commercial market to follow. In this session, we’ll explore how federal regulations, VA and DoD initiatives, and state health plan strategies are influencing virtual care models across the country. We’ll also look at innovative applications in settings like prison health systems and examine what these early adopters can teach the broader market. Attendees will gain insight into how evolving legislation, reimbursement structures, and compliance requirements are creating new opportunities—and new challenges—for virtual care expansion.

Nick Muhlenbruch MS, Director Connected Healthcare Technology, CGI Federal Partner
Nick Patel M.D. CEO & Founder Stealth Consulting
Kyle Zebley, Senior Vice President, Public Policy, ATA Moderated by Jacob Hanson

ROOM: Charlotte D-E

In the wake of escalating violence against healthcare workers, health systems are taking a bold, collective stance: zero tolerance for workplace violence.
Aligned in purpose, they are building a future where safety is non-negotiable—where data, technology, and policy come together to protect the very people who show up every day to care for others.

Join D’Andre Carpenter, DNP, RN, a System Chief Nurse Executive, as he shares how he is forging a path forward by prioritizing both protection and prevention. More than a business case, it’s a stand—and a call to all of us that we can do more.

Featuring:
D’Andre Carpenter, DNP, RN, System Chief Nurse Executive

Join us for a night of rooftop views, music, and mingling at our Denim & Diamonds reception. Come casual or dress it up—just don’t miss the food, cocktails, and fun with your AvaSure community.

Dress Code: Boots, bling, or both!

Fahrenheit CLT - 222 S Caldwell St., 21st Floor, Charlotte

Sponsored by Equum Medical

ROOM: Charlotte D-E

Step into a candid and forward-looking conversation with some of the nation's top nursing leaders as they share what’s on their minds—and what’s on the horizon. In this dynamic panel, members of AvaSure’s Clinical Advisory Board will discuss how their organizations are navigating change, driving transformation, and reimagining care delivery with virtual care at the center.

From workforce challenges to technology adoption, this session offers a rare peek into the priorities and predictions shaping the future of nursing leadership. You’ll hear personal reflections, current initiatives, and honest insights you can bring back to your own organization.

Lorie Rhine, MSN CNO, NE-BC, Chief Nursing Executive UNC Health,
Tamera Dunseth-Rosenbaum, DNP, RN, NE-BC Chief Nursing Executive UCHealth
Karen Henson, MSN, RN, Vice President, Nursing Operations, CHS
Moderated by Lisbeth Votruba, MSN, RN, FAONL, CAVRN, Chief Clinical Officer, AvaSure

ROOM: Charlotte D-E

In 2022, at the height of the pandemic, Brian Weirich was promoted into a system Chief Nurse Executive role for a large, multi-state health system - just as corporate offices shuttered and virtual leadership became the new norm. But after two years in the trenches as a facility-based nurse executive, Brian struggled with the isolation and disconnect of remote leadership. Rather than retreat, he returned to the front lines - donning scrubs and working more than 1,000 hours as a night-shift med-surg nurse at the height of the COVID crisis.

In this powerful and deeply personal keynote, Brian shares the lessons learned from this unique vantage point—how stepping back into the bedside role reshaped his leadership philosophy, reignited his empathy, and sharpened his understanding of what frontline caregivers truly need. From launching virtual care models in real time to navigating moral injury, staffing crises, and rapid innovation, this talk offers unfiltered insight into leading with presence, humility, and purpose during healthcare’s most challenging chapter.

Dr. Brian Weirich, DHA, MHA, BSN, CENP, Chief Nursing Innovation Officer, Bon Secours Mercy Health

Breakout 1 - Charlotte F-H: Partnering for Progress: Supporting Hospitals at Every Stage of the Virtual Nursing Journey

As healthcare systems navigate workforce shortages, rising costs, and evolving patient expectations, virtual nursing has emerged as a strategic solution to improve care delivery, enhance staff support, and drive operational efficiency. This presentation will explore how to meet hospitals where they are on their virtual nursing journey—whether they are just beginning to explore options, hit unexpected roadblocks during implementation or scaling existing programs.
We will introduce a practical framework for assessing organizational readiness and aligning virtual nursing models with specific hospital goals and constraints. Attendees will learn how to use to build tools to help build a data-informed case for investment, identify key value drivers, and tailor implementation strategies that reflect the unique needs of their institution.
By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with actionable insights and tools to guide thoughtful, scalable adoption of virtual nursing—starting from wherever they are.

Angel  Bozard, RN, MSN, CENP, CAVRN, Chief Nursing Officer, VirtuAlly
Emily H. Warr, MSN, RN, Administrator Center for Telehealth, MUSC


Breakout 2 - Charlotte A-C: Best Practices for Scaling Virtual Sitting Across the Enterprise: This is Not Your Parent’s Virtual Sitting Program

When it comes to rolling out a successful virtual care program, the difference between “just another pilot” and a sustainable, system-wide solution often comes down to process, communication, and leadership. Joe Cowan, leader of the Virtual Patient Observation Program at Advocate Health, has mastered the art of scaling—from an initial fall prevention pilot with outstanding results to multiple high-impact use cases across the health system.

In this session, Joe will share his proven best practices for launching and expanding virtual sitting, including how to:
• Collaborate with spoke sites and unit leaders for buy-in and accountability
• Provide hands-on, on-site support to set programs up for success
• Create compelling videos and educational resources to drive engagement and adoption
With a wealth of real-world experience and a track record of measurable impact, Joe’s insights will equip you with the strategies, tools, and communication methods needed to transform your own virtual sitting initiatives from idea to enterprise standard.

Joe Cowan, RN, BSN Manager - Virtual Patient Observation Program, Advocate Aurora Health

ROOM: Charlotte D-E

The next era of healthcare will be defined by intelligent systems that connect seamlessly across the care continuum. In this session, we’ll look ahead to how innovation emerges when technologies converge — from EHR platforms to virtual care to ambient AI — creating fully integrated ecosystems that transform how care is delivered. Clinician-led innovation will remain at the center, guiding how these tools reimagine care models, reduce workforce strain, and unlock new possibilities for patient care. Join us to envision what’s next — and how today’s innovations are laying the foundation for the hospital of the future.

Bre Loughlin, MS, RN, Executive Director of Virtual Care Innovation, AvaSure
Nandita Kamath, Director of Nursing, Suki AI
Jallel Harrati, SVP & GM New Business Development, Suki AI
Moderated by Sarah Quiring, MBA, BSN, RN, CAVRN, Senior Product Manager, AvaSure

ROOM: Charlotte D-E

We’re shaping the next era of virtual care with the people who know it best—our customers. Join this interactive roundtable to share your experiences, ideas, and challenges in a collaborative setting with AvaSure leaders and peers across the country. Your input will directly influence our roadmap, services, and strategies moving forward.