A Publication of the Virginia Medical Group Management Association
Winter 2007
Welcome to the quarterly member newsletter of the Virginia Medical Group Management Association (VMGMA).
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Increasing membership is one of several major goals (cover page)
Open access scheduling really does work
A big victory: No cuts in Medicare reimbursement
Here's the inside track on 2007 payments
VMGMA is supporting two legislative issues
How to confront difficult employees
RMGMA members contribute to food bank
Practice Notes is the quarterly member newsletter of the Virginia Medical Group Management Association. If you have feedback regarding this newsletter, article ideas or suggestions, please contact the editor:
Thomas Miller,
MSHA, CMPE
VMGMA Secretary
Phone:
(540) 355-1964
E-mail: tmiller@carilion.com
A message from the president
Increasing membership is one of several major goals
by William C. Lueck, MHA, CMPE
VMGMA President
It is my pleasure to write to you in this space for the first time. If you know me, you know that I lean toward long-windedness when writing. Thus, I’ll make a conscious effort to keep these columns short and to the point.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve this organization as its President for the next two years. I promise to do my best to build on the Virginia Medical Group Management Association’s successful track record. We will however, not sit by lazily, becoming satisfied with the status quo.
You are represented by 14 outstanding board members who enter 2007 with great ideas and energy to make this organization better.
No doubt, one of our largest goals will be to increase membership. |
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At the end of January, your board met in Richmond to develop a formal strategic plan — the first of its kind in VMGMA. We hope to redefine and reinvigorate the value equation that compels you to give your resources to this association.
No doubt, one of our largest goals will be to increase membership. It is my belief that we can increase our average meeting attendance and expand our total active membership by 20 percent or more in the coming year. This can be accomplished by improving our educational meetings, by expanding the range of educational and networking opportunities, and by enhancing communication amongst the membership — to name a few.
We will use our Web site, www.vmgma.org, and our e-mail and postal connections with you, to encourage involvement and knowledge sharing. Associations such as ours cannot thrive without regular participation from membership. To that end, we will provide you with tools to get involved, thereby benefiting yourselves, your employers and our association.
As the new year kicks into high gear and a new set of challenges — declining reimbursement, pay for performance, skilled labor shortages, increasing overhead costs — materialize for our practices, please get or stay involved with VMGMA.
Together, we all benefit.
The author of this article, William Lueck, MHA, CMPE, is Executive Director of Operations at Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists in Richmond. His phone number is (804) 521-5803 and e-mail is blueck@vacardio.com.
