2026 Medical Fitness Summit - Southeast
Hosted by Cone Health's Sagewell Health & Fitness Center in Greensboro, NC.
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
at
1:00 PM (EDT)
to Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 3:00 PM (EDT)
Category: Conferences
This year's theme is: Reimaging Wellness: The Next Chapter in Medical Fitness
Calling all fitness professionals in the southeast! Don't miss this great opportunity for education & networking at the 2026 Medical Fitness Summit-Southeast on Tuesday, April 21st and Wednesday, April 22nd at the beautiful Union Square Campus in Greensboro, NC, hosted by Cone Health's Sagewell Health & Fitness Center. This two-day event will include great educational sessions, roundtables, expert panels, a social event, and tons of networking!
Register before March 20th to take advantage of our Early Bird discount!
Questions: contact Mariann Murphy at mariann.murphy@medicalfitness.org.
Registration Options
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Registration Options
|
Price |
|---|---|
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Non-Members - Early Bird
Registration Ends 3/20/26 at 11:55 PM EDT
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$99.00 |
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Non-Members - Regular Rate
Registration Opens 3/21/26 at 5:00 AM EDT
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$119.00 |
Agenda
| April 21 | |
| 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM |
Keynote - Wellness is Here to Stay-Why Health Systems Need to Make the Investment Now!
Presenter: Deno Adkins, Senior VP, Ambulatory & Consumer Services of Cone Health Discover how your medical fitness facility can act as the front door to your health system’s well-being strategy by understanding your patient population, creating long term members of your brand, and accelerating the need for continual innovation. |
| 2:45 PM - 3:35 PM |
The Challenge of Access - How the 24-hour Model Fits into Medical Fitness
Presenters: John Caliri & Rene Dunlap of FirstHealth of the Carolinas In an effort to improve access and affordability, FirstHealth transitioned the smallest of its medical fitness facilities to a 24-hour operation. Membership more than doubled in the first 6 months. Learn how FirstHealth did it successfully and ask those hard questions so we can see that this really does fit into the medical fitness industry. |
| 2:45 PM - 3:35 PM |
Standardized Group Exercise Models in Medical Fitness Setting
Presenter: Katherine Swinson, Lead Exercise Specialist at ECU Health Group exercise is often the primary point of entry into physical activity for individuals participating in medical fitness programs; however, variability in instructor delivery and unmanaged intensity can present safety and consistency challenges. This presentation examines the use of standardized, pre-choreographed group exercise models within medical fitness facilities serving the general population. |
| 3:50 PM - 4:50 PM |
Roundtables
Bring your ideas, questions, or challenges to these sessions and be ready to share your advice and successes too! Integration with Healthcare Brain Health Exercise Oncology Growing Your Service Line Wearable Tech 24-Hour Access |
| 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM |
Social Event & Facility Tours
Join us at the Cone Health Sagewell Health & Fitness Center for facility tours, food & drinks, and networking! |
| April 22 | |
| 8:45 AM - 9:45 AM |
Keynote - The Intent-Driven Medical Fitness Center: How AI Becomes the 24/7 Operating System
Presenter: Karl Koutroupas, Senior Director of Product Development of Daxko Club Automation This session explores how medical fitness centers can begin using AI today in practical, responsible ways to support prevention, adherence, and access without adding complexity or compromising trust. |
| 9:45 AM - 10:45 AM |
Exercise in Cancer Care: A Whole-Body Biological Strategy
Presenter: Juan Torres of BayCare Fitness Center This presentation explains exercise as a whole-body biological strategy in cancer care. Attendees will leave with a stronger understanding of the WHY behind exercise in cancer care, so professionals can communicate it with confidence and patients can feel empowered to move with purpose. |
| 9:55 AM - 10:45 AM |
Don't Call it Exercise - Considering the Medicine of Movement
Presenter: Dr. Jason Fanning of Wake Forest University The focus of this presentation is on dismantling widely-held myths about the types of behaviors that constitute health-enhancing physical activity. I will emphasize the ways in which these myths have disrupted our ability to promote wide-spread behavior change. |
| 10:55 AM - 11:55 AM |
Roundtables
This is your opportunity to tap into the experience of other industry professionals on these hot topics. Integration with Healthcare Brain Health Exercise Oncology Member Engagement Cross Training Staff Using AI |
| 12:55 PM - 1:45 PM |
Post-Rehabilitation - A Fresh New Look
Presenters: Michael Cain & Jessica Hightower of Cone Health Sagewell Health & Fitness Sagewell’s post-rehab model redefines recovery by treating it not as an endpoint, but as a seamless transition into lifelong health and independence. The result is a post-rehab experience that builds confidence, prevents setbacks, and sustains long-term health...where patients don’t fall through the cracks, but move forward with purpose and support. |
| 12:55 PM - 1:45 PM |
Global Wellness Trends and Biz Opportunities
Presenter: Debbie Bellenger of Fit Bodies, Inc. In this session, we will examine the expansive opportunities that lie in Wellness Programming and Chronic Disease Education which will expand your market footprint, increase your ancillary revenue streams, and expand your community outreach via education. We will explore current trend data from multiple organizations highlighting the most common ones and the ones that have potential business growth for Medical Fitness Centers. |
| 1:55 PM - 2:45 PM |
Enjoy the Pursuit: The Missing Variable in Medical Fitness Outcomes
Presenter: Dr. Mike Rucker of Upcraft Labs This session makes a practical case for adding an important consideration to the design of medical fitness programs. As practitioners, we’re used to leading with designing for outcomes because outcomes are measurable and meaningful. What predicts follow-through more reliably is whether the pursuit itself feels worth returning to. |