March Message from the NCMGMA President

March President’s Message
Steve Parker, 2019-20 NCMGMA President

Friends,

I know I speak for all of us in expressing amazement that the end of the 1st quarter of 2020 is just around the corner. And what an exhausting year it has already been! The unexpected rise of a worldwide pandemic, a roller-coaster political environment, and extreme economic gyrations have, I’m sure, challenged us all – both personally and professionally. It’s in times like these, however, that our collective efforts in helping each other be prepared for whatever is around the corner is more important than ever. Thank you for contributing to the impact that NCMGMA can have in promoting stability and safety for the patients of this state.

There’s much to update you on, so I’ll try to hit the highlights briefly:

Annual Conference/May 13-15. Registration is open for our cornerstone annual event, which this year will be held at the Grande Dunes Marriott in Myrtle Beach. Our Conference Committee has put together a stellar agenda for this meeting, including two keynote sessions centered on the patient experience led by the world-renowned Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center. I would encourage you to review the full agenda here (https://www.ncmgm.org/annual-conference-meeting-agenda).

It is important to note we are, indeed, still planning to hold this conference. Since it is slated to be held in mid-May, we currently believe to do anything otherwise at this moment would be premature. However, please be assured we are continuously monitoring this issue, that the health and well-being of our members and guests is our highest priority, and we will continue to rely upon the guidance of the CDC and NCDHHS as we move forward. At this point, I would encourage you to register for the meeting and book your hotel reservations.

Salary and Benefit Survey Results. Thanks to the many, many practices who participated in our survey! We were immensely pleased at the level of participation – which encompassed almost 6,100 medical office job positions. The results are in and ready for your review. More information, a demo webinar, and a link to purchase the survey is included in our NCMGMA News posting.

Advocacy Days/June 9-10. Once again, our Advocacy Committee has arranged an absolutely spectacular line-up of speakers/panels for our Advocacy Days event to be held in Raleigh. It’s no news flash that it’s an election year – so it’s particularly critical this year that you and your practices are heard by leadership in state government, and that you hear from them, so that our collective interests are represented. Be there and be heard!

MGMA State Leaders Conference. In January, representatives from NCMGMA leadership attended this annual meeting hosted by MGMA, which provides us with an opportunity to collaborate with boards/leadership from MGMA state chapters all over the country. I’m pleased to announce that NCMGMA was awarded 4th place in the “State Affiliate of the Year” recognition, which is something in which we can all take pride. We are immensely grateful to our friends and partners at MagMutual, NCMGMA’s Executive Sponsor, for their gracious assistance in underwriting our ability to attend this meeting. Thank you!

A famous mathematician once said, “Uncertainty is the only certainty there is.” And we are certainly in uncertain times. I’m grateful to all of you – medical practice executives, practice/billing consultants, medico-legal professionals, our association staff and our indispensable Alliance Sponsor partners – for all that you do to make this one of the most successful MGMA state chapters in the country. Together, we make a difference!

Best,

Steve Parker
2019-20 NCMGMA President