First Reflections—Back to Normal... A New Normal

• June 01, 2022

• Cynthia Y. Reisz , Bass Berry & Sims PLC

As I draft my final column as President of AHLA, I am reflecting on how well AHLA endured two extraordinary years as we adapted to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic and then, in 2021, resumed our long-standing tradition of offering outstanding in-person conferences and networking events. We are back to normal… but it is a new normal. In-person attendance began with the Fraud and Compliance Forum in September 2021, which was smaller than in previous years, but attendance has increased steadily at subsequent conferences. Our resilience was evident in the changes we made to the registration process that minimized the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. We also offered virtual attendance at the early conferences. By the time the Health Plan Law and Compliance Institute rolled around in May 2022, masks were optional, hand sanitizer was still plentiful, and our networking events were well-attended. It was a delight to be able to spend time together in person. Many thanks to AHLA’s staff for their creativity and resilience as we transitioned back to the in-person setting.