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      Large Group Council Executive Summit

      January 21-23, 2026 | JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District | Savannah, GA

      Join top-level leaders from medical groups and health systems with over 1,000 FTE physicians at the Large Group Council Executive Summit. From the agenda and networking opportunities to the special destination, this invitation-only event is designed with you in mind. Gain a fresh perspective and learn practical strategies during structured and unstructured conversations with your true peers.
      5:00 - 6:15 pm Welcome Reception
      7:15 - 8:00 am Networking Breakfast
      8:00 - 9:20 am Welcome, Introductions, & Discussion
      Bill Baron, Senior Vice President, Membership and Community Engagement, AMGA; and Rick Bone, MD, Senior Medical Director, Population Health, Advocate Health & Chair, AMGA Large Group Council
       
      • What are 2-3 of your chief concerns for 2026?
      • What are 2-3 of your organization's biggest successes from 2025?
      9:20 - 9:55 am Inside DC
      Lauren Lattany, MPS, Director, Government Relations, AMGA

      Attendees will have a front row seat to Washington DC policy updates from AMGA. Learn how recent federal legislation, regulatory shifts, and policy reforms are reshaping patient care delivery.
      9:55 - 10:10 am Networking Break
      10:10 - 10:45 am Care in Rural Markets
      Doug Smith, Chief Operating Officer, Physician Services Division & Melissa Davis, MHA, Chief Operating Officer, Northcentral PA Region, West Central PA Regional, and Western Maryland, UPMC

      Rural healthcare presents distinct challenges—thin margins, workforce shortages, and dispersed patient populations—that require fundamentally different strategies than urban markets. UPMC will share how they've developed their rural care model across their geographic footprint. Learn how they're making strategic decisions to serve rural communities while maintaining organizational sustainability.
      10:45 - 11:10 am Roundtable Discussions

      At this time, attendees will have a chance to reflect on the presentation, share their own experiences, and learn from the others at their table. Potential starter questions include:
       
      • How do you evaluate the financial performance of your rural operations—what metrics and timeframes do you use to determine whether a rural site is sustainable versus when divestment becomes necessary?
      • What workforce models and recruitment strategies have proven most effective for staffing your rural sites, and how are you addressing the ongoing challenges of provider retention in these markets?
      11:10 - 11:25 am Networking Break
      11:25 am - 12:10 pm Hot Topics
      Rick Bone, MD, Senior Medical Director, Population Health, Advocate Health

      Topics for discussion to be based on the challenges raised during the introduction or suggested directly from the floor.
      12:10 - 1:25 pm Networking Lunch
      1:25 - 2:00 pm What Is It Going To Take? How Fairview Is Positioning Itself For The Future
      James Hereford, President and Chief Executive Officer, Fairview Health Services

      The Federal policy environment, the potential of AI and overall cost structure reduction pressures create an environment that will require significant and fundamental changes to health care delivery. How do we decide what changes to drive towards and how do we execute to those changes? This is the work that Fairview Health Services is undertaking and will be described in this session.
      2:00 - 2:25 pm Roundtable Discussion

      At this time, attendees will have a chance to reflect on the presentation, share their own experiences, and learn from the others at their table. Potential starter questions include:
       
      • As you navigate declining reimbursement, how are you balancing short-term financial stabilization with longer-term investments in transformation (AI, virtual care, new care models)?
      • What organizational capabilities and cultural shifts do you believe are essential to execute successfully in this new financial reality, and how are you building those capabilities now?
      2:25 - 2:40 pm Networking Break
      2:40 - 3:15 pm Access Improvement Approaches at Allina
      Bill Evans, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Group Operations Officer, Allina

      Allina Health embarked on a multi-year journey to increase enterprise-wide ambulatory access, and Bill Evans will share key strategies and tactics the system used to significantly improve access across multiple Clinical Service Lines. Participants will gain insights from a highly productive medical group they can utilize to drive additional growth in their own practices, as well as learn how new technologies are enabling additional growth.
      3:15 - 3:40 pm Roundtable Discussion

      At this time, attendees will have a chance to discuss their approaches to the presented topic and learn from the others at their table. Potential starter questions include:
       
      • How are you currently utilizing technology and digital tools to expand access capacity, and what ROI criteria did you use to justify these investments?
      • How are you thinking about access improvement in the context of your broader growth strategy—is it primarily a patient retention tool, a market share play, or both?
      3:40 - 3:55 pm Networking Break
      3:55 - 4:55 pm From Chaos to Clarity: Strategies for Leading Through Change and Uncertainty
      Michael Sorrell, President, Paul Quinn College

      When Dr. Michael Sorrell accepted the position of president of Paul Quinn College, the future of the school remained in the balance. Graduation rates were low, academic standards had plummeted, and there was almost no money left for the school to operate. Despite uncertainty lurking at every corner, Dr. Sorrell succeeded in communicating his vision to the Paul Quinn community, and the school is now pointed to as an example of academic excellence among HBCUs and small colleges. In this talk, Dr. Sorrell focuses specifically on the challenges of leading through change and times of uncertainty. Drawing from his own experiences leading at Paul Quinn College, Dr. Sorrell offers valuable strategies for managing resistance, overcoming obstacles, and seizing opportunities for growth and transformation amid the complexities and disruption that exist all around us. He inspires leaders to embrace the unknown, lead with empathy, and drive positive change within their organizations and communities.
      5:40 pm Bus Loading & Travel
      5:45 - 7:15 pm Evening Networking Reception Event at the American Prohibition Museum
      209 West Saint Julian St.
      7:15 pm Bus Loading & Travel
      7:20 - 8:30 pm Networking Dinner at Stone & Webster
      7:15 - 8:00 am Networking Breakfast
      8:00 - 9:00 am Strategic APP Integration: Executive Frameworks for Optimizing Utilizations
      Kim Gecsi, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Froedtert ThedaCare Health; Amanda Rumpke, DNP, APRN-CNP, System Director Advanced Practice, Bon Secours Mercy Health; & Mike Conroy, MD, Chief Executive Officer, Sutter Medical Group/Sutter Medical Foundation

      APPs now represent 41% of the provider workforce, yet most large health systems struggle with inconsistent utilization across specialties and persistent scope-of-practice disagreements. This strategic panel brings CEO, CMO, and APP executive perspectives on transforming APP integration from a departmental staffing tactic to enterprise competitive advantage. Learn governance frameworks, clinical integration models, and career pathway infrastructure that drive optimal APP utilization and retention in organizations with 1,000+ physicians.
      9:00 - 9:15 am Roundtable Discussion

      At this time, attendees will have a chance to discuss their approaches to the presented topic and learn from the others at their table. Potential starter questions include:
       
      • How has your use and recognition of APPs evolved over the past two years? What changes do you envision making in the immediate future?
      • As the number of APPs providing care increase, how is your culture adapting to more fully integrate them?
      9:15 - 9:30 am Networking Break
      9:30 - 10:15 am Lightning Round: Comp Designs and Structures
      Sarah Wingfield, MBA, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, IU Health; Mark LePage, MD, MBA, FACHE, Senior Vice President, Medical Groups and Ambulatory Strategy; & Fred Horton, MHA, President, AMGA Consulting

      Compensation design remains a critical lever for physician recruitment, retention, and alignment with organizational strategy. The question is: how does your model compare to everyone else's? In this lightning round, hear from fellow executives as they share their real compensation designs in rapid-fire 5-minute presentations. What's driving results? What's not working? What are they changing? This is your chance to benchmark against and gain comparative insights into what your peers are doing.
      10:15 - 10:30 am Roundtable Discussion

      At this time, attendees will have a chance to discuss their approaches to the presented topic and learn from the others at their table.
      10:30 - 10:45 am Networking Break
      10:45 - 11:45 am AI (Group Work Session)

      Healthcare organizations are at various stages of AI adoption, each facing unique challenges and opportunities. In this interactive session, we'll share real-world AI scenarios (from attendees) and the roadblocks that are being encountered—whether technical, cultural, or financial. At peer-driven table discussions, you'll tackle these challenges together, share practical strategies, and learn from organizations further along in their AI journey. This is your opportunity to move beyond theoretical AI discussions and engage with the concrete realities of implementation with leaders facing similar challenges.
      11:45 - 11:50 am Wrap-Up and Adjourn
      Rick Bone, MD, Senior Medical Director, Population Health, Advocate Health

      Networking Reception and Dinner

      The Executive Summit has a tradition of providing a memorable networking experience where attendees can more easily connect with one another on a personal level. Past locations include Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Penske Racing Museum, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, National World War II Museum, and more.

      Our January location will be the American Prohibition Museum. Discover the secrets of the 1920s through interactive exhibits (and a speakeasy). After touring the museum, we'll return for dinner at Stone and Weber.

      Private Online Discussion Board

      To help facilitate the networking before (and after) the meeting, a private online community connects attendees with all registrants for the upcoming and prior meetings. In addition to being a repository of prior presentations, members can ask each other questions, share insights, and offer content suggestions for hot topics and future meeting. 

      Registration

      Your event registration gives you access to all activities during the Summit – from the welcome reception to the networking dinner. Spouses are welcome to join attendees for the reception on Wednesday and networking dinner on Thursday for an additional fee.

      Rates

      • Registration: $750

      • Spouse add-on: $225

      Three ways to register

      1. Online here

      2. Scan/email the registration form with credit card payment to Adam Powers at apowers@amga.org 

      3. Mail the registration form and check (payable to AMGA) or credit card payment to: 

      AMGA Executive Summit
      One Prince Street
      Alexandria, VA 22314-3318

      Cancellation requests must be sent to AMGA in writing by Wednesday, January 7, 2026, to receive a refund less a $100 processing fee. Requests received after January 7, 2026, AMGA will review on a case-by-case basis.

      Hotel and Meeting Venue

      JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District (Book Your Room)
      400 West River Street
      Savannah, GA 31401
      912-373-9100

      The AAA Four Diamond JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District is located in the heart of historic Savannah on the Savannah riverfront, with countless activities a short walk away. Once Savannah’s iconic power plant, the Plant Riverside District now represents the beauty of progress and one of the most unique Savannah historic district hotels. Their three unique buildings are enriched in history, from chic architecture in the Power Plant to romantic styling in the Three Muses and contemporary maritime details in the Atlantic. Complete your experience with a relaxing massage at the hotel spa before you enjoy the vibrant nightlife in the entertainment district. 
       
      • Room Rate: $299/night 
      • Reservation Deadline: Friday, December 12. The discounted rate and availability cannot be guaranteed after this date.
      Check-in starts at 4:00 pm and attendees should check-out by 11:00 am. 

      Our meeting location is about 30 minutes away from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV). To make your travel experience as smooth as possible, AMGA provides complimentary transportation between the airport and hotel. After you book your flight, please submit your itinerary to AMGA via this link by Friday, January 2, 2026. If you have any questions, please contact Adam Powers at apowers@amga.org or (703) 838-0033 ext. 342.

      Dress is business casual. Please be advised that meeting rooms may be air-conditioned; a sweater or jacket is recommended for your comfort. Depending on the weather, some networking or meal functions may take place outdoors, so please plan accordingly. More information will be shared with attendees ahead of the meeting.

      Questions?

      Contact Joe DeLisle, Director of Council Relations, at jdelisle@amga.org or 703.838.0033 ext. 355.

      Advocate Health

      Atrium Health

      Banner Medical Group

      Baylor, Scott, & White

      Bon Secours Mercy Health

      Cleveland Clinic

      Columbia University Irving Medical Center

      CommonSpirit Health

      Corewell Health

      Duly Health and Care

      Emory Clinic

      Froedtert Medical College of Wisconsin

      Geisinger

      HCA Healthcare

      HealthPartners Care Group

      Henry Ford Medical Group

      Houston Methodist

      Intermountain Medical Group

      IU Health Physicians

      Jefferson Health

      Johns Hopkins Univ., Clinical Practice Association

      Lehigh Valley Physician Group

      MaineHealth

      Mayo Clinic

      Mercy

      Michigan Medicine

      Montefiore Medical Center

      MultiCare

      Northwell Health

      Novant Health

      Ochsner

      Optum Health

      Permanente

      Privia

      Sanford Health

      SSM Health

      Sutter Health

      Trinity Health

      UNC Health Care

      UnityPoint Clinic

      University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group

      UVA Health

      UW Health

      Vanderbilt Medical Group

      Wake Forest Baptist Health

      WellSpan
       

       
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