Applied Policy was honored to participate in the American Medical Group Association’s (AMGA’s) 2024 Conference, held from April 9-12 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, Florida.
AMGA represents more than 440 multispecialty medical groups and integrated delivery systems, with the mission of advancing these groups and systems as the preeminent model for delivering high-performance health care. The organization offers its members benchmarking, educational programs, and targeted advocacy on Capitol Hill. AMGA’s influence is wide-reaching and consequential, as the 175,000 physicians represented by its members are responsible for the care of approximately one-third of all Americans.
Key Issues
The conference’s 1,200 attendees, including Applied Policy’s President and CEO Jim Scott and Vice President of Healthcare Services Carl Mallory, comprised healthcare executives and clinicians from across the country. Unsurprisingly, the keynotes, breakout sessions, and side conversations reflected the top-of-mind issues for these healthcare leaders.
The peer-to-peer breakout sessions covered a range of topics, including workforce challenges, operational efficiencies, value-based care, patient care and experience, leadership and governance, and legislation and regulation.
The subject of workforce challenges was of particular interest to attendees. In the face of persistent labor shortages and a dwindling physician pool, healthcare systems and medical groups have been re-evaluating their strategies for workforce recruitment and retention to maximize efficiency without overwhelming their staff. For many, including Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health Network, Intermountain Health, and Utah Medical Group, each of whom led breakout sessions, this has meant reimagining the relationship between physicians and advanced practice providers, such as physician assistants.
Other sessions addressed the importance of understanding and accommodating generational differences in work and communication styles and recognizing the needs of frontline staff in addition to those of clinicians.
Health equity was also high on the agenda for many participants. A preconference immersion session considered the fact that “health inequities account for approximately $320 billion in annual healthcare spending” and several organizations offered poster presentations on addressing care equity and disparities.
Dr. Marc Harrison, CEO of Health Assurance Transformation Group, observed, “Health equity is like innovation—you can’t only innovate on a good day, you have to innovate every day.” The participants’ discussions of health equity anticipated AMGA’s release of the American Health Equity Trailblazer Pledge and preview of the Health Equity Playbook, which is currently in development.
Speakers
Carla Harris, Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley, spoke at the opening of the general session. The author of Expect to Win, Strategize to Win, and Lead to Win, Ms. Harris is also an accomplished singer who has performed at Carnegie Hall. She shared her eight “pearls of wisdom” for transformational leadership, emphasizing the importance of bringing one’s authentic self to the workplace.
Another keynote speaker, Jeremy Gutsche, Chief Executive Officer of Trend Hunter and Founder of Trend Hunter AI, addressed the challenges and opportunities inherent in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). With AI being a hot topic across all industries, his insights into emerging trends and strategies for innovation in healthcare resonated with the audience.
The closing keynote featured John Heilemann, National Affairs Analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, alongside Mark McKinnon, co-founder of the bipartisan group No Labels. The lively Q&A session provided attendees with an opportunity to ask a wide range of questions about the upcoming election.
Recognizing Excellence and Sharing Solutions
Jerry Penso, MD, MBA, AMGA President and CEO, presented AMGA’s Distinguished Corporate Partner Award to Merck, citing the company’s “commitment to helping AMGA members advance high-performance health.”
The Acclaim Award, which recognizes efforts to address the quadruple aim of reducing costs, improving population health, enhancing the patient experience, and promoting team well-being, was presented to Corewell Health. The Michigan-based health system, which has over 12,000 affiliated, independent, and employed physicians and advanced practice providers, was honored for moving “closer to the ideal medical group and health system” as they transition toward value-based care. Baylor Scott & White Medical Group and St. Elizabeth Physicians were also recognized as Acclaim Award honorees.
The poster session provided a venue for organizations to share ideas and solutions. Topic categories included Addressing Care Equity and Disparities, Patient Care Management and Treating Chronically Ill Populations, Physician Well-Being and Staffing Challenges, and Technology Tools and Strategies. The interactive exhibit hall also hosted over 100 exhibitors.
Activities
But it wasn’t all work and no play. The conference featured the return of the AMGA Golf Classic, sponsored by Lightbeam Health Solutions, which took place at the Shingle Creek Golf Club, an Arnold Palmer Design Company course.
Beyond the fairway, the conference buzzed with meals, receptions, and happy hours where attendees could relax and network. Oversized “Happening Today” slides and an “AC24” app kept attendees informed of events and on track. A highlight was the presence of puppies from the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, available for adoption or simply cuddling.
Looking Forward
AMGA’s 2025 Conference will be held in Grapevine, Texas, from March 27-29, 2025.
Below left: Applied Policy President and CEO Jim Scott and Vice President of Healthcare Services Carl Mallory at AMGA’s annual conference.
Below right: The Pet Alliance of Great Orlando helped to unite puppies with fur-ever homes.
