MMGMA Spring Conference Review
Robert Barber
President

SUCCESS!!! The Michigan MGMA foray to Troy on the Eastern side of the State for the 1999 Spring Meeting was a rousing success!! Although naysayers predicted doom and gloom, almost 200 members and vendors attended the two-day event.

"Tools for Tomorrow and Beyond" gave Administrators and Office Managers great educational sessions and networking opportunities. Thomas Royer, MD led off the Conference with a discussion of the direction health care is going and the opportunities which exist for medical groups. Doctor Royer sees the challenges presented to health care today resulting in better care at a more reasonable cost. He gave several examples of how efforts to reduce cost has actually made physicians questions care protocols and develop protocols which result in better outcomes. Following Doctor Royer was Louie Larimer. Mr. Larimer's session titled "Promoting and Inspiring Ethics in the Workplace" demonstrated the benefits which organizations and individuals gain by behaving ethically. He presented cases in which business did not act ethically and the negative fall out experienced by the business and sometimes career-destroying results suffered by managers. Usually the gains from the unethical behavior were minor when compared to the devastating effect of the negative outcomes.

After lunch both Doctor Royer and Mr. Larimer presented breakout sessions in which they expanded on their morning presentations. Attendees were given the opportunity to have a more interactive exchange with the presenters. Mary Ellen Duffy did a nuts and bolts presentation titled "Tips, Tools and Techniques to Aggressively Monitor Your Practice's Financial Performance". The final session on Thursday was a presentation by Gerald Brouhard CMPE and Randy Gavorin on accessing and using the Internet. "Surfing the Internet and Keeping Your Head Above Water" gave members hints and information to make them more effective users of the "net".

Friday morning kicked off with an entertaining presentation by Joe Caruso, "The Sea of Change: Are You Riding the Waves or Sucking the Surf?" Joe's presentation was fast paced and interactive as well as thought provoking. Attendees left the session with a better understanding of the power they have to control and change their lives. Breakout sessions afterward included a presentation by Joe expanding on his earlier talk; Jeanne Rutledge presenting a nuts and bolts session titled "A Physician's Guide to Coding and Documentation"; and Mary Bunker, DO discussing "Alternative Medicine - The New Medicine". All three breakouts were well attended and the most heard comment was "They all look good, I don't want to miss any of them!" Oh well, the price we pay for being in a consumer driven, free market economy - choices!!!

The Conference ended with attendees literally in stitches. Michigan MGMA continued the tradition of closing the Conference with an entertaining as well as informative session. Bobbie Staten, RN had the members rolling in the aisles with one of the funniest presentations in recent memory. "Why They Make You Crazy" touched close to home for most attendees with an extremely humorous approach.

Great general sessions, great breakouts, great networking opportunities, what more could one ask for from a Conference? Quotes heard from Naysayers before the Conference included statements like "Last time Michigan MGMA went to the East side of the State, about three people showed up." If you build it, they will come. And close to 200 members did come!!! Thank you Program Committee! Thank you Vendors!! AND THANK YOU MICHIGAN MGMA MEMBERS!!! Oh, by the way, the food was great too!!

If you want additional information on the conference, please contact Liz Sayre-King CMPE, MMGMA President at (231) 935-6997 or e-mail her at [email protected].