by Kristin Rowan, Editor

In a few days, care at home leaders, influencers, educators, and solutions providers are set to descend on Scottsdale, AZ for the 2026 winter edition of the Home Care 100 Leadership Conference. I had the opportunity to speak with Managing Director Jeanette Lynn about this year’s theme, some of the events, and her outlook for 2026.

The Rowan Report:

Jeanette, thank you for taking some time to chat today. I know how busy the week before an event is. Can you tell our readers about some of the agenda highlights for Home Care 100?

Jeanette Lynn:

The theme is the data imperative. The future will rely on becoming a data-centric organization. 

I’m very excited about the keynote address from a former employee of Pixar talking about storytelling. When we’re talking with policymakers, providers, payers, we have to tell a story and find the connection with the audience. There is also an opportunity to do a follow-up workshop with him.

• Panels of providers sharing case studies
• Six round-table facilitated discussions that are specific to home care, home health, or hospice. Those topics are listed on the event website
• A showcase on new approaches to being a CEO of a data-driven organization including tangible and practical takeaways on how to do it. Where is the data? Where can I find it and how do I use it?

RR:

What is your industry outlook?

Jeanette

There is so much that is changing so fast. Look at the conversations around AI technology just in the last year or so. The technology is opening doors that didn’t previously exist. I’m reminded of what I recently heard from Judy Faulkner from EPIC. This is a company that has been ridiculed for some time for having closed systems, following regulations but sharing information as limited as possible; it has taken them awhile to be more patient and physician-friendly. A recent announcement said patients could now access all medical information in one MyChart system across the country.

This will shift interoperability – from patients to nurses to agencies. The demand to fix this is getting higher; we’ve been sitting on the excuse of not being able to influence reimbursement rates; but MA coming out and saying the rates are going to get lower requires that we increase efficiency and the data will help get you there.

There are multiple opportunities and pathways. Our goal is to guide our members toward the ones that will work for each organization.

RR:

You’ve been at the helm long enough now that you’ve had a chance to get your feet wet. What have been your observations and what does that mean for Home Care 100 and Lincoln Healthcare Leadership for 2026?

Jeanette:

My biggest observations at Home Care 100 and Lincoln Healthcare Leadership: HC100 is a group of diverse leaders who can drive and influence change; there will be continued consolidation and the big players influence everyone else.

For me, the biggest win is after the conference hearing that one of our members initiated a new program, new deal, new partnership. We want that on steroids. We want to exponentially expand those wins.

The Intelligence group pairs advisors with intelligence group members to figure out how to put into action what you learned at the conference. We align experts to supercharge members. So we’ve relaunched the Intelligence Group as an offering year-round.

The subsets of members in the intelligence group are doing smaller in-person meetings covering particular topics. We’re looking for more organizations joining the group and expanding those events, not hosting more HC 100 events.

Speaking with Jeanette, it was so easy to see her passion and excitement for the industry, for the upcoming event, and for the members who benefit from the event. I am looking forward to the sessions she mentioned, seeing old friends and making new ones, and, of course, a little dancing and revelry after the hard work is done. 

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Kristin Rowan is the owner and Editor-in-chief of The Rowan Report, the industry’s most trusted source for care at home news. She is also a sought-after speaker on Artificial Intelligence, Technology Adoption and Lone Worker Safety. She is available to speak at state and national conferences as well as software user-group meetings.

Kristin also runs Girard Marketing Group, a multi-faceted boutique marketing firm specializing in content creation, social media management, and event marketing. She works with care at home software providers to create dynamic content that increases conversions for direct e-mail, social media, and websites.  Connect with Kristin directly at kristin@girardmarketinggroup.com or www.girardmarketinggroup.com

©2026 by The Rowan Report, Peoria, AZ. All rights reserved. This article originally appeared in The Rowan Report. One copy may be printed for personal use: further reproduction by permission only. editor@therowanreport.com