7:45 AM – 8:30 AM

Breakfast

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

New Member/ 1^st Time Attendee Breakfast

8:30 AM – 8:45 AM

Opening Remarks

8:45 AM – 9:00 AM

Legislative Updates

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

Opening Keynote Session

Lead Them Well
Presented by Matt Griswold

I’m excited to share a deeply personal and impactful keynote that reveals the profound power of influence we all possess. Leadership is not just about decision-making but about the ongoing influence we exert on others. This presentation will explore how to harness this influence positively, recognizing every interaction as an opportunity to uplift and inspire. It’s a reminder of your own greatness and the significant role you play in others’ lives. Join me to discover how to channel your influence for good, make choices that inspire, and unlock your leadership potential for positive change.

Keynote Learning Objectives

1. Recognize Personal Influence: Attendees will identify their inherent influence and understand its impact on others. 
2. Channel Influence Positively: Participants will learn strategies to use their influence intentionally to inspire and uplift. 
3. Cultivate Leadership Potential: Individuals will gain insights into their leadership strengths and learn to leverage them for positive change. 

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session 101 - Legal Considerations in the Use of AI in Medical Practices
Presented by Jonathan Joseph

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in clinical, administrative and operational workflows, health care leaders must proactively establish clear policies to guide its use. This presentation will explore frameworks to draft an enforceable organizational AI policy that support innovation while mitigating exposure. Attendees will gain insights into key legal issues in AI deployment; compliance with evolving federal and state regulatory considerations; data governance; vendor contracting; ethical use and risk allocation.

Breakout Session 102 - The Destruction of the American Physician - Will the Last Doctor Please Turn on the Lights
Presented by Ron Howrigon

Becoming a doctor is one of the hardest and most intense professional in this country. In years past becoming a doctor came with respect, a feeling of being able help people and compensation commensurate to the time and training it takes to become a doctor. Today the challenges facing our doctors are growing every year while the compensation is not keeping up with inflation.

As a result of the current environment, we are facing a physician shortage and fewer and fewer people wanting to go into medicine. Physicians burn out is at an all-time high and unfortunately the rate of suicide among doctors is almost twice the rate for the general public. is presentation is designed to show participants the drivers behind these changes and what our future looks like if something doesn’t change.  The Presenter will offer some ways to combat these trends and what steps need to be taken now before it’s too late.

Session Objectives: 

• Learn how to recognize and deal with physician staffing issues and job satisfaction 
• Real legislative solutions and how to advocate for them
• Legal options 
• Evaluation of the future and how to prepare for it

 

Breakout Session 103 - Navigating the Private Equity Wave: A Strategic Roadmap for Virginia Practice Leaders
Presented by Matthew Dyer, MBA 

Private equity is no longer a distant national trend. It is an active strategic question for healthcare leaders. This executive session gives physicians, administrators, board members, and practice leaders a practical framework for evaluating the private equity landscape without reducing the issue to a simple “good or bad” debate.

The session will examine why practices have become attractive investment targets, how platform and add-on strategies work, what rollover equity and second bite economics really mean, and how practices can assess the opportunities and risks of a potential transaction. Participants will also explore the growing role of artificial intelligence, revenue cycle automation, analytics, and productivity tools in strengthening the private equity investment thesis.

Designed as an educational and strategy focused discussion, this session will help leaders understand how to evaluate real offers, protect clinical governance, negotiate key deal terms, and build enough scale to compete whether they sell, partner, merge, or remain independent. The discussion will include Virginia specific market dynamics, specialty sectors attracting investment, common deal structures, diligence questions, red flags, and strategic alternatives to a private equity sale.

Attendees will leave with a board level roadmap for the next 90 days, including how to know their number, map their competitive market, define non-negotiables, prepare for valuation readiness, and develop both a sale readiness plan and a no sale independence strategy.

12:00 PM – 1:15 PM

Lunch

1:15 PM – 2:15 PM

Networking Power Hour

2:15 PM – 3:15 PM

Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session 201 - Healthy Leadership in Action: The Traummunicate™ Approach to Building Stronger Teams 
Presented by Ryan Gallik & Michael Stahl

In healthcare's high-pressure environment, leaders must navigate complex interpersonal dynamics while maintaining operational excellence. This workshop introduces Healthy Leadership—a leadership style that focuses on a stronger human connection with Traummunicate, a structured emotional intelligence tool for trauma-informed communication across diverse contexts.

Participants will learn to balance seemingly opposing leadership traits: diplomacy with frankness, helpfulness with assertiveness, and collaboration with authority. Through interactive exercises, leaders discover how respectful, trauma-informed communication reduces conflict, builds trust, and strengthens team cohesion.

Outcomes include immediately applicable communication strategies, enhanced emotional intelligence skills, and practical frameworks for establishing healthy boundaries while supporting staff.

The result? Reduced turnover, improved team performance, and sustainable organizational resilience. This will help your members invest in leadership that doesn't just manage the team; it empowers them.

Breakout Session 202 - Risk Adjustment Overview
Presented by Lisa Garrett

The presentation will provide a comprehensive review of risk adjustment, its importance in healthcare, and the implications to providers, payers, and healthcare organizations. The following main topics will be discussed:

1. Overview of risk adjustment
2. Diagnoses documentation and coding concepts for risk adjustment 
3. Tips for success

Outcomes: Attendees will be able to define risk adjustment, explain the importance of risk adjustment, explain the DSP framework for risk adjustment diagnosis documentation and coding, and identify three or more tips for successful integration of risk adjustment concepts into operations. 

Value to Attendees: The presentation intends to support improvement of accurate diagnoses documentation and coding of chronic conditions, patient optimization of their health insurance benefits and services, and accurate reporting of patient clinical data, which may support patient quality care.

Breakout Session 203 - Ambulatory Patient Access and Operations
Presented by Megan Barefield & JonRyan Campbell

This session explores how forward-thinking healthcare organizations use compliance as a competitive asset—not just Ambulatory patient access and operations play a critical role in ensuring timely, coordinated, and patient-centered care delivery. This session will explore strategies to optimize scheduling, referral management, patient flow, and access pathways across ambulatory networks. Attendees will gain insight into operational frameworks that improve access, enhance patient experience, and support provider efficiency. Key outcomes include identifying practical approaches to reduce barriers to care, streamline front-end workflows, and align access operations with system-wide performance goals. Participants will leave with actionable strategies and operational insights that strengthen ambulatory access, improve care continuity, and drive measurable value for patients, providers, and health systems.

3:15 PM – 3:45 PM

Networking Break

3:45 PM – 4:45 PM

Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session 301 -  What's New for 2027: MIPS Updates & the Ambulatory Specialty Model — A Practice Administrator's Action Guide 
Presented by Barbara Gillinder & Gary Hyman

Stay ahead of Medicare's quality payment requirements with this practical, 45-minute session designed specifically for practice administrators. We'll break down what's actually changed in MIPS for the 2027 performance year and what your practice needs to do about it — plus an update on the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM) and how to assess your exposure.

Key topics include: Anticipated Changes in Measures, Improvement Activities, Promoting Interoperability, and Cost Categories

MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) — CMS finalized 6 new MVPs for 2026 related to diagnostic radiology, interventional radiology, neuropsychology, pathology, podiatry, and vascular surgery. We'll help you assess whether your practice should consider switching from Traditional MIPS, with mandatory MVP reporting potentially coming as early as 2029.

ASM Update — Where things stand, who it applies to, and what your practice should be doing now to prepare.

Walk away with a clear checklist of action items to position your practice for success, avoid penalties, and plan.

Learning Objectives: 

• Identify 2027 MIPS Scoring Requirements - Describe the updated performance threshold, category weights, and key measure and activity changes necessary to avoid a payment penalty in 2029.
• Evaluate MIPS Value Pathway (MVP) Eligibility - Assess whether your practice's specialty and reporting structure is a candidate for MVP participation ahead of anticipated mandatory reporting. 
• Apply 2027 Promoting Interoperability Requirements - Recognize the new HIPAA Security Risk Management attestation requirement and implement the steps needed to protect your practice's PI category score.
• Assess Practice Readiness for the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM) - Determine whether the ASM impacts your practice, understand the financial implications of the two-sided risk structure, and identify immediate preparation steps. 

Breakout Session 302 - Flatlining: How Health Care Could Kill the U.S. Economy – and How We Can Stop it
Presented by Ron Howrigon

Health care was one of the main topics of discussion during the election, and it will continue to be one of the biggest issues for the new administration. Many people are left wondering: what does the future of health care look like? For the past several decades, the health care segment of the U.S. economy has been growing at an alarming rate. Many economists now believe that health care is poised for a major collapse if something isn’t done. This speaker breaks down the complex system that is health care in the U.S. and helps people gain a deeper understanding of the issues that will arise in 2025 and beyond. With over 35 years of experience as a managed care executive, economist, and physician consultant, Ron brings a uniquely broad perspective on the health care system. Participants will explore and discuss how recent changes in health care will affect medical practices and predict how health care is likely to evolve over the next decade. e presenter will share critical actions that medical groups should take to survive the future changes to our system. Finally, we will discuss the cure - seven areas where decisive action is needed to create a more sustainable model for health care.

Session Objectives: 

• Describe the macro-economic factors and pressures that are affecting the health care industry
• Evaluate recent changes in health care that will affect medical practices, and predict how health care is likely to evolve over the next decade
• Develop a plan of strategies and tactics that medical practices can utilize to succeed and prosper in the future

Breakout Session 303 - Revenue Cycle Management in Medical Practices
Presented by Cinzia Lawrence

Review each element of the cycle from patient appointment to completion of office visit and scheduling follow up and how it effects revenue. Demonstrate how you are only as strong financially as your weakest link.

Discuss productivity and how it impacts revenue, the revenue cycle and compensation outcomes, RVUs, collections, coding, Volume. 

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Reception, Dinner & Entertainment

7:45 AM – 8:30 AM

Breakfast

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM

Business Meeting, Exhibitor Thank You & Door Prizes

9:15 AM – 10:15 AM

Breakout Session

Breakout Session 401 - CMS Reimbursement for Patient Navigation: How Medical Assistants Can Provide Reimbursable Patient Navigator Service
Presented by Donald Balasa

CMS issyed a final rule (effective January 1, 2024) authorizing Medicare reimbursement for patient navigator services billed incident to the services of a licensed provider. Such services may be provided for patients with "serious, high-risk disease" expected to last at least three months. 

Learning Objectives:

• Grasp the essentials of the CMS rule to receive maximum reimbursement.
• Acquire a working knowledge of the new codes for community health integration and principal illness navigation services (for example). 
• Understand the credentialing requirements that medical assistants and other navigators must meet for participation in the CMS reimbursement program. 

Breakout Session 402 - Managing a Medical Practice During Difficult Financial Times- Tips for Improving the Bottom Line
Presented by Ron Howrigon

Running any business can be easy when times are good, but things get much harder when adversity strikes. Mike Tyson once said: “Everyone has a plan until they are punched in the mouth.” Medical practices have been punched in the mouth repeatedly. Between Covid, labor cost increases, and now Medicare reimbursement cuts, 2025 and beyond will present significant financial challenges for Medicare groups. Maintaining the bottom line will be difficult enough, but improving it will take foresight and careful strategy. In this speech, the presenter will lead the audience through an evaluation of the economic conditions facing medical groups and how they are impacting profitability. With a sound understanding of the current environment, we will explore tactics and strategies for maximizing the financial health of your practice during these complex times.

Covered Topics: 

• Macro-Economic trends impacting medical groups
• How your practice is like an airline
• Developing a predictive financial modeling tool for your practice
• Understanding tactical options from improving the bottom line

Session Objectives:

• Understand how economic trends impact your practice 
• Gain knowledge and understanding of predictive financial modeling
• Learn how to evaluate and implement tactics designed to improve financial performance

Breakout Session 403 - Small Practice, Strong Defenses: How to Prioritize Cybersecurity Spending 
Presented by Michael Fleshman & Garth Wermter

Medical practices face the same cybersecurity threats as large health systems, but with far fewer resources to respond. It's easy to overspend on tools while under investing in the fundamentals that actually reduce risk. This session redefines cybersecurity as a business risk management issue, rather than an IT challenge and emphasizes the need for alignment with patient safety, regulatory obligations, and operational resilience.

Designed with medical office managers in mind, this talk cuts through vendor noise to focus on where cybersecurity dollars matter most. We will explore how threat actors target small and mid-sized practices, why compliance alone is insufficient for guiding decisions, and how to prioritize investments based on risk likelihood and impact rather than fear-driven headlines. Attendees will gain a practical framework for ranking cybersecurity spend across people, process, and technology, with emphasis on high-return measures such as identity protection, staff training, backup strategies, and incident readiness.

10:15 AM – 10:30 AM

Networking Break

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session 501 - AI in Action: Real- World Use Cases for Medical Practices Transforming Efficiency, Accuracy, and Patient Experience with Applied AI 
Presented by Reda Chouffani & Bill Lopez

AI is rapidly reshaping healthcare operations, and this dynamic session delivers a clear, practical roadmap for turning opportunity into measurable results. Through real-world case studies and a live demonstration of AI tools already deployed in local medical practices, participants will see how applied AI accelerates claims processing, reduces errors, automates workflows, and strengthens revenue cycle performance. The presentation cuts through industry hype to explain how AI works, how it integrates into existing systems, and what tangible outcomes it produces. Grounded in operational impact and financial performance, this session offers timely, high-demand insights that equip healthcare leaders to operate smarter, faster, and more competitively.

Breakout Session 502 - BINGO: A Rewarding New Way to Map Your Goals 
Presented by Mykael Kurth

This session introduces a structural framework the supports the balance of personal and professional growth. Using corporate strategies like the Balanced Scorecard and Objective and Key Results, attendees will transform vague goals and intentions into a visual game. Attendees will learn how to weave corporate strategic planning and development into their lives. They will be able to personalize a Bingo Card, define their strategic pillars, and set intentions balancing their professional and personal goals. This gamified method leverages the science of dopamine making the journey fun and flexible. It provides multiple paths to victory that helps to maintain momentum without the weight of failure. Whether developing team members or challenging yourself, this sessions turns the grind of goal-setting into measurable wins.

Breakout Session 503 - Getting Paid What You're Owed: Leveraging Virginia's Ethics and Fairness in Carrier Business Practices Act
Presented by Colin McCarthy

Commercial payers count on practices not knowing their rights. Virginia's Ethics and Fairness in Carrier Business Practices Act (Va. Code § 38.2-3407.15) imposes enforceable "minimum fair business standards" on every carrier contract - governing prompt payment, automatic interest, fee-schedule changes, claim-policy disclosure, and, new in 2026, improper downcoding. This session translates the statute into a practical revenue-cycle and payer-negotiation playbook. Attendees will learn to identify violations, demand statutory interest, contest unilateral amendments and automated downcoding, and choose between Bureau of Insurance complaints and circuit-court remedies. 

11:30 AM - 12:15 PM

Lunch

12:15 PM - 1:45 PM

Closing Keynote 

Navigating the Ten Tensions of Leadership

Presented by Neil Ihde

As a leader, you want to be effective – to get results and empower your team. You want to be friendly and approachable...but also authoritative and respected. You try to lead on a macro level, but find yourself slipping into micromanagement from time to time. You want to be relational and yet hold people accountable. If you’ve experienced these tensions, you’re not alone. Dealing with these leadership tensions is a necessary part of developing your leadership style and increasing your self-awareness. The better you recognize the natural tensions that go along with your leadership role, the better off you will be relationally with your team and you will accelerate your ability to make efficient and effective decisions.

1:45 PM

 Conference Ajourns