Every challenge is an opportunity to shine

First of all, I’d like to say that I can’t be more humbled and honored to have been chosen by my peers to be Chair of the MGMA-ACMPE Board of Directors for 2016-2017. In my time thus far on the Board, I’ve had the pleasure of serving the organization I love with some incredible colleagues, mentors and leaders. I’ve also been able to meet many of the wonderful members, volunteers and MGMA staff who make the organization into the one I’m proud to serve.

There’s nothing like just ending a presidential election year to fan the flames of uncertainty and fear of change. In 2017 we will have new leaders in Washington. New leaders often bring new agendas and priorities. This uncertainty or fear of potential significant changes on the horizon is nothing new. Change is the constant in healthcare. Knowledge, agility and adaptability are the keys to success in such an environment. These are all themes that you will see throughout this “State of Medical Practice” issue of MGMA Connection magazine.

Regardless of what may happen in Washington with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, we can expect a continued change in what our patients expect of us. We’ve always said we were in the business of healthcare, but the economic model of our business has been “sick care.” We need to evolve an economic model that matches the expectations of our patient population and keeps them healthy instead of just treating them when they are sick. 

The inevitable change in our environment is not just limited to results of this last election. Another major change that will impact healthcare dramatically in coming years is the evolving workforce. The largest generation – millennials – is entering the workforce. The millennials even outnumber the baby boomers who have been the largest generation in the workforce for decades. At a time when the baby boomer population is entering a stage of life that will proportionally consume more healthcare resources, baby boomer healthcare professionals will be retiring in ratios similar to the number of new patients of that age. How do we recruit and retain millennials to our healthcare professions and organizations to accommodate the increasing demand and decreasing supply for healthcare services? If we cannot, how will we be able to keep our patient populations healthy without them?

A new year also brings new opportunities. Over the next few years, the successful organizations, practices and leaders will be the ones that can thrive amid the chaos and uncertainty or the ones who take an active role in bringing order to it. Frequently amid the chaos, patterns will be present. Patterns are made up of data and data has always been a strength of MGMA. In the last few months, hopefully you have been introduced to MGMA Stat, a new real-time survey tool. 

One of the ways in which MGMA and its members actively bring order to the chaos is through our Government Affairs office. Our Government Affairs office is constantly bringing current information to our members via webinars, articles and other resources. The MGMA Government Affairs office is a recognized authority on healthcare in Washington and is a regularly consulted resource by our elected leaders and federal agencies when considering changes to policy. 

Members can take part in bringing order to the chaos by volunteering with MGMA on one of our numerous committees, mentoring new generations of leaders, designing or piloting new modes of healthcare delivery, recruiting new members to the organization and writing or speaking about their experiences.

Another way to stay current on the State of Medical Practice is via MGMA’s many educational offerings. The organization has a couple of stellar educational opportunities on the horizon through our many conferences.

One of the greatest benefits of being part of MGMA has always been each other. The Member Community is a great way to network and find other members who share your specialty, your organizational structure, locale, specific interest or even a current issue you are facing. Do you have a question? One of your peers may have experience with it. Are you that peer with experience? Add to the conversation. 

I would be remiss in not mentioning Board certification and Fellowship in the American College of Medical Practice Executives (ACMPE). The value of certification for me was two-fold. First, in preparing for the exam, I was able to get a better understanding of which domains within medical practice management I was strong in and those which represented an opportunity to expand my knowledge of my profession. Once I became a Certified Medical Practice Executive (CMPE), the value has been an external validation of my medical practice management knowledge. While a degree in business or healthcare administration is an indication of a certain amount of broad business or healthcare knowledge, formal education programs are still severely lacking with regards to medical practice management curricula. The CMPE designation is the credential specific to medical practice management. Those who wish to go a step further can then pursue an ACMPE Fellowship by contributing to the Body of Knowledge for Medical Practice Management. ACMPE Fellow (FACMPE) is the highest recognition within the field of medical practice management. Get the latest information about certification and Fellowship.

The successful organizations, practices and leaders will be the ones that can thrive amid the chaos and uncertainty or the ones who take an active role in bringing order to it.

In closing, the challenges on the horizon for medical practices are numerous. Every challenge is an opportunity to shine among what may seem like darkness. MGMA’s role will be to provide the tools and the education necessary for medical practice leaders to successfully improve the delivery of healthcare so that its leaders, our members, can be successful. Together we cannot only survive amidst change, we can thrive … for the health of our patients.