About this event

Community Health Institute & Expo (CHI) – NACHC

Overview

The Community Health Institute & Expo (CHI) is the flagship annual conference event of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). It brings together leaders of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and community-based primary care organizations, along with public health partners, health plan and payer stakeholders, community and governmental program leaders, and a large vendor/exhibitor community that supports the FQHC mission. The event is designed to strengthen the entire community health ecosystem—clinical care delivery, operations, workforce, quality improvement, health equity initiatives, value-based care capabilities, and the technology and services community health centers need to scale impact.

Because CHI sits at the intersection of community health practice, policy implementation, and healthcare innovation, the attendee mix is typically a blend of: executive decision-makers (care delivery and operations), clinical leadership (quality and outcomes), program and transformation leaders (value-based contracting and government program execution), compliance leaders (CMS/program requirements), and procurement/partnering stakeholders at both health center organizations and allied networks.

1️⃣ Who attends (BUYERS / ATTENDEES)

CHI is not a general consumer health conference. The buyer and decision-maker audience is largely driven by the needs of community health centers and the organizations that support them. Buyers attending CHI tend to be in leadership, operations, clinical transformation, IT/data, workforce, and partnership roles.

Primary buyer/decision-maker attendee groups

• FQHC & health center executives: CEOs, COOs, CFOs, and Presidents focused on operational sustainability, growth, quality, and compliance.
• Clinical and quality leadership: Chief Medical Officers, Chief Nursing Officers, VP/Director of Quality, Quality Improvement (QI) leaders, Population Health leaders, and Clinical Operations leaders.
• Health IT and informatics: CIOs, CMIOs, Directors of Clinical Informatics, EHR/EMR optimization leaders, Data/Analytics leaders, and leaders responsible for reporting, interoperability, and performance dashboards.
• Value-based care & contracting: Directors/VPs of Value-Based Care, Accountable Care (where applicable), Contracting, Revenue Cycle leaders, and Program Transformation staff.
• Workforce and HR leadership: Talent Acquisition leaders, HR Directors, Workforce Development leaders, and staffing program leaders focused on clinician recruitment and retention.
• Community partnerships & program leadership: Directors of Behavioral Health Integration, Community Health Programs leaders, Grants/Policy leaders, and staff that drive community partnerships and social needs programming.
• Compliance & government programs stakeholders: Compliance officers and program leadership teams supporting federal reporting requirements, audits, and operational governance.
• Vendor/exhibitor decision makers (buyers in the exhibitor community): Product and partnership leaders who sell services to health centers, including EHR solutions, revenue cycle services, workforce solutions, care coordination vendors, and analytics vendors.

What this means for buyer-fit targeting

For attendee-list style research and targeting, the highest monetizable value usually comes from roles tied directly to budgets and program decisions: executives (operations/finance), quality and clinical transformation leaders, health IT/informatics leaders, workforce leadership, and revenue cycle/value-based care stakeholders.

2️⃣ Where the show is happening + attendee geographic origin

CHI is held at rotating venues each year (the exact host city and dates vary by year). The geographic footprint typically attracts community health centers and partners from across the United States, including leaders from many states, given that FQHCs operate nationwide and must address common operational and regulatory realities.

Expected geographic origin of attendees

• Domestic national audience: Strong representation from across the U.S., especially from states with dense FQHC networks and high patient volumes served through community-based primary care.
• Regional concentration effects: When the event is located in a specific region, attendance often increases from local/regional health center organizations and state-level association partners.
• Policy and national program stakeholders: National organizations (policy, standards, workforce, and technology partners) attend consistently, making CHI valuable for broad national targeting.

Best geographic targeting approach for buyers

• United States nationwide (primary)
• Additional emphasis on regions with strong FQHC density (secondary)
• States with active value-based care initiatives and reporting requirements (secondary)

3️⃣ Audience reach (Local / National / Global)

CHI’s reach is best characterized as national, with a meaningful depth of community health organizations and partners. The event’s core buyer base is primarily U.S.-based because it is tightly aligned to U.S. FQHC operations, federal program requirements, and domestic healthcare delivery models. International participation can occur via global health, policy, and technology organizations, but the dominant audience is national.

4️⃣ Sample buyer company names (BUYERS ONLY) + Websites

Below are buyer-oriented samples representative of organizations that commonly align with the CHI community health ecosystem. These are health center organizations and national/mid-market partners that typically serve FQHC needs across clinical operations, quality improvement, workforce, health IT, value-based capabilities, and population/community health.

Important: CHI attendance patterns vary by year based on exhibitor commitments, sponsorship strategy, and product relevance. We recommend validating the final target list against the specific year’s attendee/sponsor/exhibitor roster.

Priority	Company	Website	Best Title to Target	Why This is a Good Buyer Fit
1	Axis Community Health	https://www.axishealth.org	Chief Executive Officer (CEO) / COO	Large multi-site community health organization focused on operational scale, quality, and service expansion—decision influence for platform and services.
2	CHC (Community Health Centers, Inc.)	https://www.chcin.org	Chief Information Officer (CIO) / Director of Health Information Technology	Strong fit for health IT, analytics, workflow optimization, interoperability support, and data reporting needs typical in FQHC operations.
3	Neighborhood Health Services	https://www.nhs-health.org	VP Clinical Operations / Chief Medical Officer (CMO)	Quality and clinical transformation leadership aligns with vendor solutions in care management, population health, and performance improvement.
4	Salud Family Health Centers	https://www.saludclinic.org	Director of Quality Improvement / VP Population Health	Community-focused organization with high value on outcomes, preventive care, and care coordination—ideal for quality and analytics engagement.
5	WellSpace Health	https://www.wellspacehealth.org	Chief Operating Officer (COO) / VP Operations	Operations leadership is often responsible for scaling programs, integrating services, and optimizing workflows across multiple clinics.
6	Lifespan	https://www.lifespan.org	Director of Health Equity / Program Director, Community Health	Often engages in community health initiatives and care equity programs, aligning with solutions supporting outreach and community care coordination.
7	Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Network/Consortium (Regional Health Center Alliance)	https://www.example.com	Network Executive Director / Director of Network Operations	Consortium leadership coordinates shared initiatives (training, standards, technology, procurement alignment) across multiple health centers.
8	eClinicalWorks	https://www.eclinicalworks.com	Director of Healthcare Partnerships / Account Director (Community Health)	EHR ecosystem vendor aligns with CHI audience needs around clinical workflow, reporting, and operational performance.
9	athenahealth	https://www.athenahealth.com	VP Partnerships / Director of Account Management (Public Sector/Community Health)	Strong alignment for revenue cycle, care coordination, and analytics services used by organizations serving complex patient populations.
10	NextGen Healthcare	https://www.nextgen.com	Regional Sales Director / Director of Community Health Accounts	Healthcare systems and ambulatory workflow fit community health needs, including multi-location operations and reporting.
11	CareCloud	https://www.carecloud.com	Director of Strategic Partnerships / Client Success Director	Supports care coordination and clinical operations solutions commonly relevant to multi-site community health centers.
12	Premier Inc.	https://www.premierinc.com	Director of Quality & Performance / Solutions Director (Value-Based Care)	Quality improvement and performance measurement initiatives align with CHI’s focus on outcomes and value-based capabilities.
13	Hims & Hers (Community mental health collaboration programs where applicable)	https://www.hims.com	Partnerships Manager / Director, Behavioral Health Partnerships	Where behavioral health access and care pathways are relevant, partnerships can align with FQHC service expansion goals.
14	Teladoc Health	https://www.teladochealth.com	Director of Partnerships (Community Health) / Enterprise Account Executive	Telehealth access is a continuing operational need—fit for community health centers expanding care delivery reach.
15	Phreesia	https://www.phreesia.com	Partnerships Director / Sales Director (Healthcare Experience)	Front-desk experience and patient intake workflow improvements support engagement and operational efficiency in clinic settings.
16	Veradigm (formerly athenahealth pharmacy/solutions)	https://www.veradigm.com	Director, Pharmacy/Medication Services Partnerships	Medication access and pharmacy services can align with CHI’s focus on chronic care management and operational patient support.
17	CareJourney / Case management platforms (where relevant)	https://www.example.com	Director of Population Health / VP Care Management	Care management and referral workflows align strongly with community health needs for high-risk populations and social care coordination.
18	Staffing partners: Maxim Healthcare Services	https://www.maxhealth.com	Director of Healthcare Staffing / Partnerships Director (Clinician Recruiting)	Workforce challenges are central to CHI—staffing and clinician recruiting leadership is directly relevant to community health center buyer needs.
19	AMN Healthcare	https://www.amnhealthcare.com	Director of Strategic Accounts / Workforce Solutions Director	Fit for workforce solutions, temporary coverage, and recruiting support during staffing shortages and program expansion.
20	Envision Healthcare (or successor brands depending on current structure)	https://www.envisionhealth.com	Director of Community Provider Partnerships / Account Director	Where integrated care partnerships are needed, provider network and service delivery collaboration can align with CHI’s care access priorities.

Top 5 priority samples to start with (buyer-first): Axis Community Health, CHC (Community Health Centers, Inc.), WellSpace Health, eClinicalWorks, and Teladoc Health. These cover the most common CHI decision levers: executive operations, health IT/clinical workflow, and care access/clinical support.

5️⃣ Job profiles, industries & event type

Best job profiles to target (titles and responsibilities)

• Chief Executive Officer (CEO) / President / COO
• CFO / VP Finance (where procurement and sustainability decisions are made)
• CIO / CMIO / Director of Health IT / Health Information Technology Director
• Director of Quality Improvement / VP Quality
• Population Health Director / Director of Care Management
• VP Value-Based Care / Director of Contracting
• Revenue Cycle Director / Director of Billing Operations
• Director of Behavioral Health Integration
• HR Director / Workforce Development Leader
• Talent Acquisition Director / Recruitment Lead
• Community Outreach / Community Health Program Director
• Compliance Officer / Director of Compliance & Risk
• Grants & Public Policy Director / Program Development Leader
• Clinical Operations Director / Chief Medical Officer (CMO)

Event type (how it typically behaves)

• Healthcare conference + expo with a strong vendor/exhibitor presence
• Policy + operational improvement focus relevant to community health centers
• Technology and service partnerships including health IT, analytics, workforce support, and care coordination platforms

Best-fit industries to target (aligned to common CHI buyer context)

From the industry list we use internally, CHI buyer relevance typically maps best to:

• Hospital & Health Care
• Nonprofit Organization Management
• Public Policy
• Health, Wellness & Fitness
• Medical Devices
• Information Technology & Services
• Internet
• Program Development
• Staffing & Recruiting
• Marketing & Advertising (for community outreach / patient engagement tech)
• Events Services (for event-facing healthcare partnerships)

6️⃣ Estimated attendance (expected total footfall)

CHI attendance varies by year and venue capacity. However, the event generally attracts thousands of attendees, including health center leaders, clinical and operational teams, and a substantial exhibitor footprint. For research planning, we recommend budgeting for a multi-thousand attendee environment where:

• Executive and mid-management decision makers are present in meaningful numbers
• Vendor engagement is high due to the expo component
• Multiple parallel tracks increase the variety of specialties (quality, IT, workforce, policy/program operations)

Research planning assumption: We typically position CHI as a large national healthcare expo/conference rather than a niche meeting, making it suitable for curated buyer targeting rather than only “broad attendee capture.”

7️⃣ Key focus areas & buyer engagement

Common CHI themes that drive buyer attention

• Quality improvement and performance measurement (outcomes, reporting, standardized processes)
• Value-based care readiness and contracting support
• Health equity and social determinants of health approaches
• Care coordination and population health for chronic conditions and high-risk patients
• Behavioral health integration and access pathways
• Health IT optimization (EHR workflow, interoperability, analytics, documentation efficiency)
• Workforce strategy for recruitment, retention, and clinician supply planning
• Operational sustainability (revenue cycle, finance, compliance readiness)

Buyer engagement approach (what resonates at CHI)

• Lead with operational outcomes: reducing administrative burden, improving care coordination workflows, and enabling consistent quality.
• Tie messaging to community impact: access expansion, health equity, and reducing gaps in care.
• Emphasize implementation practicality: onboarding timelines, training resources, and measurable reporting capabilities.
• Use buyer-relevant proof: case studies from FQHCs, multi-site clinics, or similar community health delivery models.

8️⃣ Client product fit (and how we identify the best buyers for you)

To identify the best buyer targets for CHI based on your specific client product, we need your client’s website and a quick summary of what the client sells. Please share:

• Client website URL
• Product/service category (e.g., EHR module, care coordination platform, staffing solution, analytics/reporting, telehealth, revenue cycle services, patient engagement)
• Ideal customer type (FQHCs only, community clinics, provider networks, payers, states, etc.)
• Geographic focus (nationwide vs specific states/regions)
• Primary buyer roles if you already know (e.g., CIO, VP Quality, HR Director)

Once we have that, we will refine the buyer targets into the most relevant CHI-aligned job functions. Below are examples of how buyer selection changes depending on product type.

How we would shortlist “best-fit buyers” by product type

• If the client sells health IT / workflow / EHR-related solutions: we prioritize CIO/CMIO/Director of Health IT, Clinical Informatics, Quality Reporting leaders, and Analytics/Data leaders.
• If the client sells quality, analytics, or population health platforms: we prioritize VP Quality, Director of QI, Population Health Director, Care Management leadership, and Value-Based Care teams.
• If the client sells workforce / staffing / clinician recruiting: we prioritize HR Directors, Workforce Development leaders, Talent Acquisition, and Operations leaders responsible for coverage plans.
• If the client sells revenue cycle / billing optimization: we prioritize Revenue Cycle Directors, CFO/Finance leaders, and Billing Operations leaders.
• If the client sells behavioral health integration solutions: we prioritize Behavioral Health Integration Directors, Chief Medical Officers, and Clinical Operations leaders.

What we need from your client to finalize the list

After we review the client website, we can map the product to the exact CHI buyer roles and narrow down the best-fit organizations among health centers, networks, and partner organizations. Please share the website when ready.

9️⃣ Final recommendation (CHI – is it a strong target event?)

Yes—CHI (NACHC) is typically a high-fit event for healthcare buyers focused on community-based primary care operations. It has:

• Clear buyer alignment to FQHC operational realities (quality, compliance, care coordination, workforce)
• A strong executive and mid-management presence that influences vendor selection and program decisions
• Expo-driven engagement where organizations actively compare solutions
• National reach with multi-state health centers

Quality score for buyer-fit targeting (research planning): 8/10
Primary caution: CHI includes a wide range of roles, so the strongest outcomes come from role-based targeting (CIO/QI/operations/workforce/value-based leaders) rather than broad capture of general attendee profiles.

Quick Action Checklist (so we can finalize your best buyer shortlist)

1. Send the client website URL.
2. Confirm your product category (1–2 sentences).
3. Tell us the top 3 buyer roles you want (or we can recommend them after website review).
4. Confirm desired geography (nationwide vs specific states/regions).