Schedule

The MGMA Focus | Private Practice Conference presents a curated lineup of rigorously evaluated content that is solution-oriented and targeted at addressing the most significant challenges for private practices today. Gain insights from top experts across various session formats, including interactive sessions, lectures and more.

Thursday, August 22

7:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Registration Open

9:30 – 10:00 AM

Mid-Atlantic Meet-up Hosted by Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland/Delaware/DC MGMA

Join fellow attendees to foster connections and discuss the benefits of State and Local MGMA memberships.

10:00 - 11:00 AM

Navigating Private Practice Challenges with Fellow Attendees

Eligible for: ACMPE: 1 | CEU: 1
Interactive | Basic | Comprehension
Strategic Decisions

Moderators: Craig Wiberg, MLS, MBA, Senior Manager, Digital Events, MGMA

Pedro Quilez, Director Billing Services, Collaborative Patient Care Group

Kick off the conference by joining fellow attendees to discuss unique key challenges facing privately owned practices. Participants will join roundtables organized by state and topical interests to help them make meaningful connections. The moderated networking session will start four key questions to help frame the discussion and foster problem-solving for issues facing privately owned practices.

Learning objectives:

Discuss key challenges facing healthcare organizations
Share solutions with fellow healthcare executives

Passing Break 11:00 – 11:15 AM

Main Stage Session 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM

MS1: The Power of Two: Harnessing Trust and Collaboration in Dyad Leadership Partnerships

Speaker: Laurie K. Baedke, MHA, FACHE, FACMPE

Effective leadership is crucial for navigating change and driving positive clinical, operational and financial outcomes in private physician practices. This session delves into the dynamic world of leadership partnerships, where the synergy between two leaders can propel organizations to new heights or lead to a lack of alignment and catastrophe. Participants will explore the concept of complementarity in dyad leadership, discovering how the unique strengths and perspectives of each leader can combine to create a high-performing culture. Attendees will gain insights into the importance of trust as the foundation for the dyad and best practices to apply when they return to their practices.

Learning Objectives:

Examine the dynamics of complementarity and synergy between dyad partners
Outline strategies for nurturing and sustaining trust within dyad partnerships
Distinguish best practices for enhancing collaboration, communication and decision-making within dyad partnerships

12:15 - 1:45 PM

Lunch and Networking

1:45 - 2:45 PM

CON101: Scaling Your Private Practice for Growth in a Rapidly Evolving Market

Speaker: Drew Braucht, Director, Ziegler

Amid rapid consolidation and major corporations such as CVS and Amazon entering new markets, healthcare leaders must plan strategically for long-term success and adapt to a changing landscape. This session will provide an overview of the healthcare market activity and review pathways to achieve scale, including local mergers, hospital joint ventures (JVs)/partnerships, national partnerships, private equity (PE), and management service organizations (MSOs). Drew Braucht will discuss the state of the market, recent transactions and stakeholders in healthcare, strategic growth pathways, investments required to ensure competitive differentiation, key performance indicators (KPIs), technology tools such as AI and strategies for building scale.

Learning Objectives:

Examine the current and emerging landscape for private practices and the need to adapt and optimize care models for shifting consumer preferences
Breakdown strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for private practices
Organize near-and-long-term strategic decision-making to enable sustainable growth

CON102: Culture Branding: Building a Strong Business Case for Organizational Success

Speaker: Laurie K. Baedke, MHA, FACHE, FACMPE

In today's competitive business landscape, organizational culture has emerged as a key driver of success, influencing everything from employee engagement and retention to patient satisfaction, brand loyalty, and financial performance. This session explores the business case for culture branding and offers practical insights into how organizations can leverage their culture to achieve strategic objectives and drive sustainable growth.

Through a blend of research insights, real life case studies, and interactive discussion, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the link between culture and business performance. We will explore how a strong organizational culture can enhance employee morale, attract and retain top talent, and foster innovation, ultimately translating into improved financial outcomes and competitive advantage. Participants will walk away with actionable insights and strategies for building a compelling business case for culture branding within their organizations.

Learning objectives:

Define culture branding and its impact on organizational performance
Explore the role of culture in shaping employee behavior, performance, and engagement
Identify key metrics and performance indicators for measuring the impact of culture branding initiatives

CON103: What Docs Don't Get Taught: Tools for Talking Finance with Your Clinicians - Hosted by Maryland/Delaware/DC MGMA

Speaker: Jonathan K. Leer, MHA, FHFMA, FACMPE, Division Administrator — Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology and Hematology, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Healthcare Leaders and Academic Deans in Medical Schools have done a disservice to our new clinicians and new providers who come out of traditional didactic medical education and into private practice — we don't teach them how they are going to get paid or even how their support staff get paid. This session will guide attendees through a framework for orienting and educating new providers fresh out of residency/fellowship, those who just need a refresher, or a clinician in a new leadership role. The session will include PowerPoint training materials, skeletons for discussions and sessions and examples of conversations to relate this "foreign" language of healthcare finance to providers in an easy-to-understand manner.

Learning objectives:

Explain how to communicate effectively with providers to help them understand complex healthcare finance topics
Review a basic framework to develop orientation materials to take back to your organization
Give examples and "role play" common questions and conversations with physicians

2:45 – 3:00 PM

Refreshment Break

3:00 - 4:00 PM

CON201: The Journey from ‘Data’ to Delivering ‘Your Practice Value Proposition'

Speaker: Doral Jacobsen, MBA, FACMPE, Chief Executive Officer, Prosper Beyond; Independent Consultant, MGMA

Discover key value-based care data points to successfully translate the information into clear, concise, impactful talking points. We will address the ‘data disconnect’ by taking attendees through a unique journey of identifying and analyzing cost of care data and then demonstrate how to translate findings into a memorable story. These stories are what attendees can use in payer contract negotiations as a focal point for enhancing revenue, supporting cultural change, and improving patient outcomes. This session is interactive, and participants will set intentions relative to a ‘personal successful data connection’ story, discover data visualization tools, work on activities and share learnings / key takeaways as a group. Attendees will receive a toolkit as a takeaway.

Learning Objectives:

Employ a data analysis approach method
Discover and access available data to support a practice value proposition
Identify methods, tools and resources available to utilize in data analysis and storytelling

CON202: Build Your Annual Revenue Cycle Playbook

Speakers: Shawntea Gordon, MBA, FACMPE, CMOM, Chief Revenue Cycle Officer, H4 Technology, LLC

Kem Tolliver, FACMPE, CPC, CMOM, President and Chief Executive Officer, Medical Revenue Cycle Specialists

As physicians and their practice leaders collaborate on revenue cycle operations it is important that key stakeholders work in alignment toward strategic revenue cycle goals. This program aims to highlight key focus areas and establish a roadmap for developing an annual revenue cycle playbook. Participants of this session will review best practice goals and the responsibilities of each role necessary to guide performance improvement.

Learning objectives:

Develop an understanding of best practice goals in revenue cycle management and their relevance to performance improvement
Evaluate quarterly task assignments and quadrant-based distribution, utilizing the unique skills and proficiencies of individual stakeholders
Construct a framework for developing an annual revenue cycle playbook tailored to the specific needs and objectives of the practice

CON203: Value-based Care (VBC) Readiness Assessment for Private Practice

Speakers: Taylor Johnson, MBA, CMPE, Manager, Physician Practice Development, American Medical Association

Bryan Batson, MD, Chief Executive Officer, Hattiesburg Clinic

Join this presentation to review the current VBC landscape and to discuss the various transition practices experienced when moving toward value. Also included in this presentation are key considerations around risk, data sharing, infrastructure cost, and employee engagement related to value-based care.

Learning Objectives:

Identify key considerations for practices transitioning to value-based care
Describe how practices can assess their readiness to deliver value-based care
Review additional infrastructure and data sharing needs required to deliver value-based care

4:00 – 4:15 PM

Passing Break

4:15 – 4:45 PM

CON301: Aligning the Oars: Strategies for Unifying Your Team's Direction

Eligible for: ACMPE: .5 | CEU: .5
Traditional | Basic | Comprehension
Strategic Decisions

Speaker: Zed Williamson, Founder, Physician Growth Accelerator

The goals of the practice may be difficult to achieve without alignment of the team. Often, it can feel like one or two people are doing everything and the rest of the staff just seem to be along for the ride. Attend this session to learn actionable steps to drive measurable and immediate behavior change in your employees and get them to row in the same direction to achieve their goals predictably.

Learning objectives:

Manage measurable and immediate behavior change with your employees
Use techniques to increase your team’s alignment and engagement
Employ strategies that increase proactivity among your existing employees

CON302: Intelligent Solutions to Engage Patients and Help Alleviate Staffing Shortages

Eligible for: ACMPE: .5 | CEU: .5
Traditional | Basic | Comprehension
Operational Excellence

Speaker: Anna Hale, Director of Product Management, Klara Technologies

Did you know that 73% of patients keep a “mental scorecard” of everything they like and dislike about a new doctor’s office? Today’s patients have higher expectations than ever. But how can you deliver a quality patient experience that keeps patients returning in the face of staffing shortages and burnout?

Join this session to learn how to reduce phone volume and automate workflows with Klara’s patient engagement solution. The speaker will walk you through every stage of the patient journey, sharing critical pain points that cause many practices to lose patients. There will be a demonstration of how Klara’s technology consolidates patient communications into a single thread, making it easier for your staff to respond quickly to patient needs. What’s more, you’ll see how you can automate manual tasks, such as appointment confirmations and pre- and post-visit instructions, to help improve the patient experience, reduce no-shows, and boost patient recall.

Learning objectives:

Automate patient communication tasks to free up staff time
Help reduce no-shows and improve patient retention and follow-up
Learn how patient engagement solutions can help reduce phone call volume while making it easier for staff to respond to patient inquiries

CON303: Learning How to Effectively Manage Staff and Evaluate Productivity in Your Practice

Eligible for: ACMPE: .5 | CEU: .5
Traditional | Basic | Comprehension
Operational Excellence

Speaker: Nancy Wallberg, Senior Managing Consultant, DAS Health

This session will provide comprehensive insights into workforce management and productivity evaluation across various roles within healthcare practices. Attendees will learn to establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and benchmarks, implement regular monitoring and reporting through tools you can access, and design staff training programs to enhance skills. The session will also cover the strategic considerations of outsourcing versus in-house management of RCM functions and explore leadership skills crucial for optimizing revenue cycle management. Our goal is for you to walk away with actionable insights and practical strategies and tools to empower healthcare leaders to drive performance and achieve operational excellence. This session is ideal for practice managers, healthcare administrators, and RCM professionals looking to optimize workforce performance and productivity through effective management strategies.

Learning objectives:

Identify the critical KPIs and benchmarks for various positions within healthcare practices
Develop systems for regular monitoring and reporting to evaluate productivity and performance effectively
Design and implement training programs aimed at improving the skills and efficiency of RCM and other practice staff

4:45 – 6:00 PM

Dedicated Exhibitor Time and Reception

Friday, August 23

7:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Registration Open

7:30 - 8:00 AM

Breakfast

8:00 – 9:00 AM

CON401: Growth by Design: Navigating Physician Practice Strategy in a Volatile Market

Speaker: Andrew Sobczyk, MHA, FACMPE, Vice President, Coker Group

Managing a private practice is more difficult than ever before. Declining reimbursement for physician services, labor shortages, ongoing inflation, growing competition, and provider recruitment challenges are squeezing margins and making financial viability more daunting for most practices. In this environment, leaders must be especially strategic when setting goals for growth. Adding a new service or location, expanding upon existing services, or simply growing the provider base can all be ‘make or break’ decisions for practice owners. This session will focus on how physician owners and practice leaders can approach such decisions. We will review specific growth strategies, how to determine which is optimal for your practice, and key considerations for implementation. We will also explore metrics and strategies for leveraging data to make prudent decisions.

Learning objectives:

Examine different growth strategies and the pros and cons of each
Analyze each strategy and how it fits practice needs – ROI and strategic impact
Outline considerations for implementing growth strategies and discuss keys to success

CON402: Crisis Averted: Effective Downtime Protocols for Your Revenue Cycle Operations

Speakers: Shawntea Gordon, MBA, FACMPE, CMOM, Chief Revenue Cycle Officer, H4 Technology, LLC

Kem Tolliver, FACMPE, CPC, CMOM, President and Chief Executive Officer, Medical Revenue Cycle Specialists

Many healthcare organizations have seen firsthand how rough it is to manage daily operations and revenue cycles under the strain of the rent clearinghouse cyberattack, leaving countless practices unprepared, confused and financially strapped. Healthcare leaders must prioritize downtime protocols for continuity of patient care when systems are offline. This presentation will explore strategies for developing a revenue cycle downtime protocol to reduce future impacts of internal and external threats to RCM operations.

Learning objectives:

Examine the recent Change Healthcare cyberattack and its global impacts on stakeholders
Outline threats to successful revenue cycle management
Organize processes to minimize revenue cycle impacts during future downtime instances

CON403: Utilizing Performance Management to Increase Retention– Hosted by Virginia MGMA

Speaker: Jacob Henderson, Sr. Performance Management Consultant, HR Talent Engagement, University of Virginia

In the ever-evolving landscape of workforce management, performance management is often overlooked as a pivotal tool for enhancing engagement and reducing turnover. Jake Henderson and his innovative team at UVA have redefined this approach through years of dedicated research and practical application. This session will present a straightforward yet powerful framework for performance management that prioritizes continuous feedback and development. Join us to discover how this methodology can transform your organization by fostering a culture of ongoing growth, ultimately boosting employee engagement and lowering attrition rates. Expect to walk away with actionable insights and tools to revolutionize your performance management practices.

Learning objectives:

Comprehend the complexities of engagement and attrition
Master the art of engaging performance conversations
Implement effective feedback and development strategies

9:00 – 9:45 AM

Refreshment Break with the Exhibitors

9:45 – 10:45 AM

CON501: How to Become Financially Resilient Through Digital Transformation

Speaker: Jeffrey Daigrepont, MHA, FACMPE, Senior Vice President, Coker Group

Rising medical costs, continued staffing shortages, patient access challenges and staff burnout are challenges that healthcare organizations can no longer solve effectively through traditional strategies and outdated approaches. This is also happening against the backdrop of an aging population, further increasing the burden on healthcare systems. Many high-performing organizations have taken initial steps on the path forward through digital transformation strategies. This session will help leaders understand that using technology needs to be symbiotically and strategically leveraged. This is not about adopting a particular platform or device for the sake of incremental change; instead, we will focus on how to prepare for the future and thrive through the challenges. Attendees will learn digital transformation tactics that create financial resilience through automation, improve patient and provider experiences, and strengthen strategies for contracting and negotiating with vendors. The session will detail how to align technologies to improve financial performance, patient access and capacity.

Learning objectives:

Discover digital opportunities for technology adoption and implementation
Employ effective methods for communication to key stakeholders
Produce a digital transformation action plan

CON502: Physician Compensation: Strategies for Recruiting, Retaining and Incentivizing Physicians

Speaker: Jessica Minesinger, CMOM, CMPE, FACMPE, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Surgical Compensation & Consulting; Independent Consultant, MGMA

Physicians list compensation as the first consideration for taking or leaving a job. This session will cover tools and best practices for finding, keeping, and motivating physicians. We’ll discuss designing competitive and compliant recruitment incentives, compensation plans, and retention strategies that motivate physicians and build your practice.

Learning Objectives:

Distinguish elements of physician compensation that help drive recruitment success
Compare methodologies and incentives for boosting retention of your physicians
Breakdown factors unique to private practices in motivating physicians

CON503: Practice Management Roundtable – Hosted by New Jersey MGMA

Join fellow healthcare executives in this facilitator-led networking session to discuss current practice management issues and foster connections. This session provides a platform to share best practices and collaborate on solutions to the unique challenges faced by healthcare providers. Strengthen your professional network and contribute to the collective efforts to improve healthcare.

Learning objectives:

Discuss current practice management issues
Identify colleagues whom you can contact after the conference to continue problem-solving

10:45 – 11:00 AM

Passing Break

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

CON601: Washington Policy Outlook with MGMA Government Affairs

Speakers: Madeline Weil, Analyst, Government Affairs, MGMA

James Haynes, Associate Director, Government Affairs, MGMA

In this session, MGMA Government Affairs staff will provide an update on current and potential policy developments impacting medical group practices. The speaker will discuss the latest legislative and regulatory issues covering topics such as Medicare reimbursement, telehealth, quality reporting, and surprise medical billing.  

Learning Objectives:

Identify key regulatory developments
Discuss legislative issues impacting medical groups
Describe MGMA advocacy initiatives

CON602: Physician Fit: Tips for Attracting and Retaining Physicians Who Will Thrive in Your Practice

Speaker: Jessica Minesinger, CMOM, CMPE, FACMPE, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Surgical Compensation & Consulting; Independent Consultant, MGMA

Private practices require effective retention strategies to address a critical physician shortage and escalating turnover rates. Embracing a vibrant practice culture is a secret weapon for attracting and retaining physicians who will thrive in your practice for the long haul. This session will highlight the art of identifying and drawing in physicians across generations, cultures, and career stages.

Learning Objectives:

Identify key factors contributing to physician shortages, turnover and retention in your practice
Employ strategies to cultivate a culture that attracts and retains diverse physicians
Develop methods for identifying and attracting physicians from different generations, cultures and career stages

CON603: Practice Management Roundtable – Hosted by Pennsylvania MGMA

Learning objectives:

Discuss current practice management issues
Identify colleagues whom you can contact after the conference to continue problem-solving

12:00 - 1:00 PM

Lunch and Networking

1:00 - 2:00 PM

Prioritizing Solutions and Building an Action Plan for Private Practices

Facilitator: Craig Wiberg, MLS, MBA, Sr. Manager, Digital Events, MGMA

Before we return home, let's harness the collective knowledge of the attendees to help identify and prioritize the best solutions from the Private Practice conference. Participants will again join roundtables organized by state and topical interest to share insights in this moderated and structured networking session.

Learning objectives:

Prioritize solutions to key challenges facing healthcare organizations
Build an action plan to implement impactful solutions

2:00 – 2:15 PM

Passing Break

2:15 - 3:15 PM

MS2: Thriving Beyond the Exam Room: When Physician Entrepreneurs Thrive, Communities Win

Speakers: Joshua Dumas, MHA, Co-founder, Vim Afya

Delaney Wallace, Financial Planner and CEPA (Certified Exit Planner), Co-founder, Vim Afya

Brandi L. Fields, MHA, Co-founder, Vim Afya

Ensuring financial success and enhancing patient care often weigh heavily on private practice owners, driving many toward either burnout or to private equity acquirers. This session presents a third option: retain the independence of your practice while enhancing its financial and operational health. Discover the unique perspectives from a practice strategic operator and an exit planner, respectively, aimed at lifting your practice from the daily grind to sustainable success. Attendees will discuss the business levers that directly impact practice health. This session will dissect the hidden costs of overlooked business opportunities and outline actionable strategies for financial improvement. By focusing on strategic tax planning and systematic approaches to problem-solving, attendees will depart with insights to protect and enrich the future of their medical practice.

Learning Objectives:

Examine your practice’s financial health and how critical business decisions influence its worth
Outline financial neglect pain points that impact your practice’s business health
Organize strategic tax strategies that will cut costs and ensure reinvestment and growth

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MGMA Focus | Private Practice Conference

Uncover solutions and best practices for independent or privately owned practices

Thursday, August 22

Friday, August 23