2026 Annual Conference
Academic Medical Group Track: Where Academic Mission Meets Operational Excellence
Tailored for leaders in academic medical groups, this track explores the unique challenges and opportunities at the intersection of education, research, and patient care. Connect with peers who understand the complexities of leading in an academic environment.
Friday, April 17, 2026, 10:30 am – 11:30 am
Navigating the Policy Landscape for Health Systems and Medical Groups
With the dust settling after the 2026 elections, what’s next for healthcare policy? AMGA’s public policy experts will unpack the legislative and regulatory priorities emerging from Washington, DC, and what they mean for health systems and medical groups nationwide. From payment reform and value-based care initiatives to workforce challenges and quality reporting requirements, you’ll get an insider’s view of the new healthcare agenda for Congress, the administration, and key agencies. Learn how AMGA is advocating to protect physician reimbursement, advance patient-centered care, and ensure the concerns of health system and medical group leaders are front and center in policy decisions.
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Performance Under Pressure: Sustaining Accountability During Academic Medical Center Growth
Eugene Hong, MD, Chief Physician Executive, MUSC Health; MUSC Physicians and Anthony Powell, Managing Director, Knowledge Capital Group
As Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) grow through acquisitions and community hospital partnerships, maintaining clinical quality, operational efficiency, and workforce engagement can be challenging. This session examines a real-world case of an AMC acquiring four community-based, for-profit hospitals, highlighting strategies to implement shared governance, performance monitoring, and accountability frameworks from day one. Attendees will gain practical tools to sustain high performance while navigating complex integration and growth.
Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:
- Examine strategies for maintaining clinical quality and operational efficiency during AMC growth and acquisitions.
- Implement shared governance and performance monitoring frameworks to sustain accountability across newly integrated hospitals.
- Formulate approaches to engage the workforce and align leadership in complex academic medical center expansions.
Intended Audience: CEO, COO, CMO, CFO, Chief Integration Officers, Chief Strategy Officers from academic health systems and affiliated multispecialty practices.
Topic focus areas: Finance, operations, governance, workforce
Friday, April 17, 2026, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Academic to Community: Evolving for Sustainability in a Shifting Funding Landscape
As academic medical groups face increasing financial pressures and declining traditional revenue streams, many are rethinking their models to stay viable and impactful. In this timely session, two leading academic practices will share how they’ve strategically evolved toward more community-focused care models—redefining partnerships, patient access, and operational structures in response to today’s funding realities. Attendees will gain insight into how these organizations balanced mission-driven academic excellence with the need for community alignment, financial sustainability, and value-based care. This session will offer practical lessons for peer institutions navigating similar transitions.
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Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:
- Assess strategies for transitioning academic medical groups toward community-focused care models while maintaining mission alignment.
- Design operational and financial approaches that support sustainability, value-based care, and expanded patient access.
- Integrate lessons learned from peer institutions to guide strategic decision-making during shifts in funding and care delivery models.
Intended Audience: CMO, CAO, COO, CFO, Chief Population Health Officers of academic health systems and affiliated multispecialty practices.
Topic focus areas: Finance, operations, care coordination, value-based care
Saturday, April 18, 2026, 10:30 am – 11:30 am
Data-Driven Leadership: Using Enterprise Insights to Accelerate Value-Based Care Success
Learn how an AMGA member group turned an in-depth organizational analysis into a practical, data-driven improvement plan. This session will outline how leaders leveraged key findings within the High Performing Physician Enterprise (HPPE) assessment to redesign processes, track performance, and achieve meaningful gains in value-based care arrangements—while building a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
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Integration of a Medical Group: From Concept to High-Performing Reality
Matt Walsh, MHA- Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Rush University System for Health, and Luis Garcia, MD, FACS, MBA, FACHE, President Rush Medical Group; Professor of Surgery, Rush University
Over the past decade, healthcare organizations have faced unprecedented pressures—from rising costs and workforce shortages to IT and cybersecurity challenges, regulatory complexity, and increasing demand for quality and patient satisfaction. In this session, attendees will explore the full spectrum of medical group integration, including: clinical integration, governance and leadership and non-clinical integration. Participants will gain insights on overcoming anticipated challenges, understanding expected outcomes, and measuring success. Key metrics will highlight improvements in access to care, operational efficiency, employee engagement, clinician retention, and financial performance. Through real-world examples and strategic frameworks, this session demonstrates why high-performing integrated medical groups are central to sustainable healthcare delivery, value-based care, and long-term organizational success.
Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:
- Analyze the key components of medical group integration, including clinical, leadership, and non-clinical structures.
- Evaluate strategies to overcome operational, workforce, and financial challenges during medical group integration.
- Apply metrics and best practices to create high-performing, integrated medical groups that enhance access, engagement, and value-based care outcomes.
Intended Audience: CEO, COO, CMO, Chief Clinical Officer, CFO, CHRO, Chief Strategy Officer in health systems and large multispecialty medical groups and academic systems.
Topic focus areas: Workforce, value-based care, operational efficiency, finance