The Puerto Rico Hospital Association (AHPR) held its 2026 Convention under the slogan "We save lives and promote healthy communities." The event brought together leaders of the hospital sector, government officials, representatives of academia and insurers, as well as local and U.S. experts, to discuss the decisions and transformations that will shape the future of health in Puerto Rico.
Topics covered included Medicare and Medicaid financing, demographic changes on the island and the workforce, hospital sustainability, mental health, artificial intelligence, precision medicine, access to services, and the evolution toward new care models. Demographic, social, climate and economic changes that are redefining the population's health needs also occupied a central place at the convention. Attorney Jaime Plá Cortés, executive president of the Puerto Rico Hospital Association, said the convention took place at a particularly important moment for the health system, noting that decisions being made both in Puerto Rico and in Washington have direct implications for hospitals' capacity to keep providing services and respond to patients' needs.