Note: In the early years of the association, themes were selected for the Annual Conference only. In more recent years, the chair selects a theme for use during his or her tenure including application to the Annual Conference.
| Year | Theme |
| 2021-22 | Bolder, Brighter, Better |
| 2020-21 | Your Challenge. Our Mission. |
| 2019-20 | Dare You To Move (Allen) |
| 2018-19 | Imagine Tomorrow (Brennan) |
| 2017-18 | Where Passion Meets Purpose (Friesen) |
| 2016-17 | Thrive (Mirabelli) |
| 2015-16 | Go Beyond (Hancock) |
| 2014-15 | Leading the Change (Cornicelli) |
| 2013-14 | Whatever It Takes (Rose) |
| 2011-12 | Believe to Achieve (Adams) |
| 2010-11 | StepUp (Kuchka-Craig) |
| 2009-10 | Making It Count (Jacobson) |
| 2008-09 | Making Connections (Broadway) |
| 2007-08 | Make a Difference (Briscoe) |
| 2006-07 | Courage in Leadership (Fifer) |
| 2005-06 | The Business of Caring (Rodriguez) |
| 2004-05 | Beyond the Numbers (Zimowski) |
| 2003-04 | HFMA: It’s Personal (Canfield) |
| 2002-03 | Create the Future (Cowling) |
| 2001-02 | Leading at the Speed of Light (Long) |
| 2000-01 | Imagine Possibilities (Cape) |
| 1999-00 | Leading with Integrity (Henley) |
| 1998-99 | Community Chapters of Change (Mitchell) |
| 1997-98 | From Opportunity to Action (Anspaugh) |
| 1996-97 | Leading and Learning (Hern) |
| 1995-96 | Pioneering Together (Nelson) |
| 1994-95 | Gateway to the Future (McGuire) |
| 1993-94 | Set the Course (Weinheimer) |
| 1992-93 | Accept the Challenge (Phipps) |
| 1991-92 | Invest in Quality (Judge) |
| 1990-91 | Advancing the Standard (LeMoine) |
| 1989-90 | New Decade New Choices (Hoyler) |
| 1988-89 | Partnerships Sharing Resources Reaching Goals (Black) |
| 1987-88 | Leadership Opportunities for Growth (Blair) |
| 1986-87 | Challenge of Change (Hews) |
| 1985-86 | Managing the Business of Health Care (Kohlman) |
| 1984-85 | We Are HFMA (Long) |
| 1983-84 | Face the Future (Pattillo) |
| 1982-83 | Positive Action (Haussler) |
| 1981-82 | Time to Act (Cisneros) |
| 1980-81 | 80s Ready or Not (Fuller) |
| 1979-80 | Strive to Excel (Satterfield) |
| 1978-79 | Meet the Challenge (Guenther) |
| 1977-78 | Be a Pro/FM (McCue) |
| 1976-77 | Render an Accounting of Stewardship (30th anniversary) (Legel) |
| 1975-76 | Winning (Scott) |
| 1974-75 | Team (Silver) |
| 1973-74 | Intensify FM (Fernandez) |
| 1972-73 | Managing Change (Kovener) |
| 1971-72 | Keys to Tomorrow (25th anniversary) (Anderson) |
| 1970-71 | Internal Cost Containment |
| 1969-70 | Focus on Planning |
| 1968-69 | Focus on Management |
| 1967-68 | A New Look |
| 1966-67 | Changes and Challenges |
| 1965-66 | Budgeting |
| 1964-65 | Management Controls Through Responsibility Accounting |
| 1963-64 | Achievement Through Knowledge |
| 1962-63 | Opportunity Unlimited |
| 1961-62 | Using Management Accounting to Meet Management Problems |
| 1960-61 | Financial Management Controls |
| 1959-60 | The Forward Look in Hospital Accounting |
| 1958-59 | Furthering Professional Growth in Hospital Accounting |
| 1957-58 | Brodening the Horizons of Hospital Accounting |
| 1956-57 | Increasing the Use of Hospital Accounting for Administration |
| 1955-56 | The Hospital Accountant and Better Patient Care |
| 1954-55 | Achieving the Objectives of Hospital Accounting |
| 1953-54 | Improving Financial Management Through Better Accounting |
| 1952-53 | Better Administration Through Better Accounting |