2026 Annual Conference
Independent Medical Group Track: Thriving on Agility, Resilience, and Autonomy
This track is designed for leaders of independent medical groups navigating today’s challenging and ultra-competitive value-driven landscape. Sessions focus on preserving autonomy while scaling innovation, optimizing performance, and competing in evolving markets. Learn from peers who are leading growth, advancing care delivery, and building strong, sustainable organizations.”
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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Unrealized Promises of Value-Based Care
Stephen Nuckolls, Chief Executive Officer, Coastal Carolina Health Care
Value-based care promised a revolution in healthcare: improved outcomes, lower costs, and stronger patient engagement. But real-world implementation has often fallen short. In this candid presentation, Stephen Nuckolls, CEO of Coastal Carolina Quality Care, shares lessons from years of leading value-based initiatives, including the challenges, unexpected obstacles, and strategies that actually work. This session goes beyond theory, offering actionable strategies that healthcare leaders can apply to accelerate meaningful value-based care outcomes in their own organizations.
Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:
- Analyze the factors contributing to the gap between the vision and reality of value-based care implementation.
- Identify common operational and workforce challenges that hinder progress toward improved outcomes and financial performance.
- Apply proven strategies and leadership approaches to strengthen value-based initiatives and achieve sustainable, measurable results.
Intended Audience: CEO, COO, CMO, Chief Clinical Officer, CFO, Chief Population Health Officer, Chief Value Officer, Chief Strategy Officer in health systems and large multispecialty medical groups, as well as Independent groups seeking to advance value-based care initiatives.
Topic focus areas: Value-based care, finance, workforce, operations
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Value-Based Inpatient Care: Esse Health’s Journey to Smarter, Safer Hospital Medicine <420>
Sean McLaughlin MD, Chairman of the Board, Esse Health, and Bob Pendleton, MD, Chief Clinical Officer, SSM Health
Hospital care is expensive, fragmented, and often misaligned with patient needs. Esse Health, an independent, primary care-focused medical group in St. Louis, recognized that as hospital medicine responsibilities shifted away from their PCPs, clinical outcomes and care efficiency began to degrade. In this session, attendees will explore how Esse Health reimagined inpatient care by integrating primary care teams with hospital medicine, leveraging technology and data, aligning incentives, and adopting a “home-first” philosophy. Key strategies include standardized communication tools between PCPs and hospital teams, multidisciplinary rounds with care managers, and a compensation model that rewards value creation beyond RVUs. Participants will leave with actionable insights on improving clinical outcomes, enhancing patient and provider satisfaction, and reducing total cost of care—demonstrated by initial savings of $100+ per member per month in pilot programs.
Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:
- Analyze strategies for integrating primary care teams with hospital medicine to improve clinical outcomes and care coordination.
- Evaluate the impact of value-based inpatient care models on patient experience, provider engagement, and financial performance.
- Apply practical approaches, including incentive alignment and technology-enabled workflows, to implement “home-first” and high-value inpatient care programs.
Intended Audience: CEO, COO, CMO/Chief Clinical Officer, CFO, Chief Population Health Officer, Operational and clinical leaders: VP/Director of Care Management, Hospital Medicine leaders, Population Health, and Quality teams from independent medical groups, integrated health systems, and any organization managing inpatient populations in value-based care arrangements
Topic focus areas: Value-based care, workforce, access, care coordination, health equity & SDOH, finance
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Leading Through Financial Turbulence: CEO & CFO Perspectives
Independent medical groups are navigating unprecedented financial pressures, from payer dynamics and workforce shortages to evolving value-based care demands. In this candid fireside chat, the CEO and CFO of an AMGA independent group member will share how they’ve partnered to guide their organization through volatility while preserving independence and positioning for long-term sustainability. Hear how strategic decision-making, data-driven financial stewardship, and an aligned leadership culture can help independent groups not just survive—but thrive—in today’s environment.
Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:
- Analyze key financial pressures and market dynamics affecting independent medical groups and clinically integrated networks.
- Evaluate strategies for aligning CEO and CFO leadership to preserve independence, optimize resources, and drive long-term sustainability.
- Apply data-driven financial stewardship and strategic decision-making practices to navigate volatility and strengthen organizational performance.
Intended Audience: for CEOs, CFOs, COOs, physician enterprise leaders, and board members of independent, CIN and affiliated medical groups.
Topic focus areas: Finance, operations, workforce
Friday, April 17, 2026, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
The Power of Partnership: Driving High-Performing Emergency Care
Stephen Behnke, MD, Chief Executive Officer, Lexington Clinic, and Anthony Houston, EdD, FACHE, President of CommonSpirit Health’s Arizona Market, CommonSpirit
Independent medical groups often face challenges partnering with health systems, from cultural differences to misaligned incentives. This session highlights Lexington Clinic’s innovative People+ Model, which transformed emergency medicine operations across seven EDs by combining provider ownership, culture change, operational redesign, and leadership support. Attendees will learn how this independent group successfully partnered with CommonSpirit Kentucky to improve patient flow, reduce wait times, enhance patient experience, and optimize key performance metrics—all while prioritizing provider engagement and work-life balance. Real-world outcomes demonstrate measurable improvements in metrics such as left without being seen (-80%), median door-to-provider time (-55%), and patient experience (+250%), showing how independent groups can lead impactful change in partnership with health systems.
Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:
- Analyze strategies for improving emergency care operations through partnerships between independent medical groups and health systems.
- Evaluate the impact of culture change, operational redesign, and leadership engagement on patient flow, access, and performance metrics.
- Apply practical approaches to enhance provider engagement, work-life balance, and care coordination while achieving measurable operational improvements.
Intended Audience: CEOs, CMOs, COOs, and physician group executives, especially those from independent medical groups exploring or managing partnerships with health systems.
Topic focus areas: Workforce, access, care coordination, operations, patient experience
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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CCM or APCM? The Strategic Shift That Could Unlock $1M per Care Manager
Trisha Ballard, Director of Operations, and Tracie Jefferson, PA-C, Clinical Director of Quality, Sound Family Medicine
As CMS introduces scalable care management through Advanced Primary Care Management (APCM), many organizations are grappling with how it compares to Chronic Care Management (CCM) and which model best fits their structure and patient population. This session, led by Tracie Jefferson, PA-C of Sound Family Medicine, offers a real-world roadmap for independent medical groups—and health system leaders alike—on how to evaluate, implement, and scale high-performing care management programs without adding overhead. Learn how one independent group transitioned from a 2,700-patient CCM program to APCM, enrolling 50% of eligible Medicare patients while driving clinical outcomes and financial sustainability.
Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:
- Differentiate between Chronic Care Management (CCM) and Advanced Primary Care Management (APCM) models and their applicability to various patient populations.
- Interpret real-world strategies for implementing and scaling high-performing care management programs in independent medical groups or health systems.
- Develop actionable plans to optimize care manager roles, improve patient outcomes, and achieve financial sustainability without adding overhead.
Intended Audience: Chief Medical Officers, Chief Population Health Officers, Chief Nursing Officers, operational executives from independent medical groups and health systems.
Topic focus areas: Value-based care, operations, workforce, finance, care coordination