The focus of the meeting was on the future. Chairman Leo Casey told the crowd that the board and executive were working on a five-year strategic plan to be released next year.

Mr Casey said that the focus of healthcare would move increasingly out of the acute care hospital and back to clinics, doctors’ offices and even into schools, workplaces and homes, during the next decade.

“The focus continues to change, as well, away from intervening in the acute phase of the disease towards early screening, detection and treatment and even toward preventing the disease in the first place,” Mr Casey said.