MGMA Podcasts

On this episode of the MGMA Insights Podcast, host Daniel Williams, Senior Editor at MGMA, sits down with Jimmie Richmond, MPH, CHFP, CMPE, CPC, Financial Analysis Consultant at Banner University Medical Center. Jimmie is both a longtime MGMA member and a volunteer on MGMA’s new Human Resources & Compliance Advisory Board.

Daniel and Jimmie explore the modern challenges facing medical practices — from unbilled revenue recovery to workforce shortages, patient access, remote work, and how leaders can weave compassion, communication, and connection into their operations. They also discuss the power of professional community through MGMA’s Book Club and advisory boards, offering listeners actionable insights to strengthen both their teams and their financial performance.

Key Takeaways:

• 1:53 — The “Unbilled Revenue” Problem: Why It Happens & How to Fix It
Jimmie explains how his team identifies root causes of unbilled revenue in the EMR—an issue that directly impacts margins. He highlights the need for cross-functional collaboration between finance, revenue cycle, and providers.

• 5:27 — A Career Built on Connection, Persistence, and Service
From call centers to surgery centers to financial analysis, Jimmie shares how listening skills and empathy became core leadership tools.

• 9:01 — Book Club as Leadership Training: Why MGMA Members Should Join
Daniel and Jimmie discuss how MGMA’s Book Club builds leadership skills, encourages vulnerability, and helps members solve real-time workplace problems.

• 12:55 — Finding Your Place in MGMA: Scholarships, Certification, and Fellowship
Jimmie recounts how MGMA’s education, grants, and benchmarking tools helped advance his career—and how the fellowship journey validated his expertise.

• 18:05 — Why a Finance Professional Joined the HR & Compliance Advisory Board
Jimmie explains how financial analytics intersects with HR and compliance, and why multidisciplinary perspectives matter for better decision-making.

• 20:20 — The Pressures Facing Practices Today: Patient Access, Staff Retention, & Provider Burnout
Jimmie outlines the post-COVID challenges he sees across the system and why compassion must be a core leadership competency.

• 22:13 — Making Remote Work… Actually Work: Tools, Touchpoints, and Trust
As a fully remote financial consultant for a Phoenix-based practice, Jimmie offers tactical advice for communication rhythms, collaboration tools, and building team cohesion from afar.

• 22:54 — How Leaders Can Recruit Talent in a Competitive Landscape
Remote work can widen talent pools—if leaders invest in connection, scheduling discipline, and inclusive communication practices.

Resources Mentioned: 

In this episode of the MGMA Insights Podcast, Sr. Editor and host Daniel Williams speaks with Allen Alongi, MBA, PMP, SSGB, Physician Practice Manager at Northside Hospital in Marietta, Georgia, and one of the newly appointed members of MGMA’s Human Resources and Compliance Advisory Board. Allen shares his journey from patient to healthcare leader; his passion for writing, reading, and mentorship; and strategies for building resilient teams in a challenging healthcare environment. 

This conversation offers practical solutions for medical practice leaders and MGMA members looking to strengthen their teams, improve operations, and foster professional growth.

Key Takeaways:

• 01:21 Allen’s Role at Northside Hospital
  Learn how Allen oversees multiple clinics, manages P&L, and drives strategic initiatives focused on retention and patient experience. 
• 04:42 A Personal Healthcare Journey
  Allen’s diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes at age 14 and how it inspired his career in healthcare leadership.
• 06:08 Career Path & Lessons Learned
  From academic medicine to physician practice management, Allen shares insights on staffing challenges and operational excellence. 
• 09:05 Connecting with MGMA
  How MGMA resources and certification programs became a cornerstone for Allen’s professional development and decision-making. 
• 11:05 Writing for MGMA
  Allen discusses his published articles on mentorship, feedback loops, and practical clinic solutions—and why writing matters for leadership. 
• 12:36 Allen's Passion for Writing Stemmed from his Love of Reading
  Allen talks classic literature and various writing roles throughout his career. 
• 19:28 Book Recommendations & Lifelong Learning
  Allen and Daniel talk about some leadership reads, plus details on MGMA’s book club for members.
• 25:07 Maximizing Mentor-Mentee Programs
  Actionable advice for getting the most out of mentorship programs, including preparation, engagement, and growth strategies.

Resources Mentioned:

In this episode of the MGMA Insights Podcast, Sr. Editor and host Daniel Williams speaks with Justin McMartin, Director of Product Innovation at Surescripts, about one of the most important developments in U.S. healthcare interoperability: TEFCA and Qualified Health Information Networks (QHINs). They dig into what TEFCA is (and isn’t), how QHINs operate, what Surescripts is doing as a newly approved QHIN, and — most importantly — how practice leaders can use these tools to improve clinical decision-making, streamline workflows, reduce prior authorization pain, and support value-based care.

Justin’s insights translate a deeply technical topic into clear, practice-oriented guidance that helps healthcare administrators understand what’s changing, how it impacts their clinicians, and what steps they should take now.

Key Takeaways 

• Justin’s background & the evolution of Surescripts beyond e-prescribing
  00:58 — From EHR implementation during Meaningful Use to building national data exchange networks.
• What Surescripts offers medical practices today
  02:45 — Eligibility, medication history, real-time benefit tools, clinical messaging, record locator/exchange.
• TEFCA explained: Why it exists and what it solves
  04:59 — Preventing fragmented, state-by-state frameworks by establishing a single national standard.
• QHINs & the Sequoia Project’s role as RCE
  06:08 — How QHINs govern secure, standardized data exchange nationwide.
• How Surescripts participates: InterConnect & QHIN approval
  07:33 — Surescripts’ new QHIN subsidiary and what it means for practice connectivity.
• Scope of data available: Billions of clinical documents exchanged
  08:39 — How Carequality volume and TEFCA adoption are converging.
• What TEFCA adds to existing practice workflows
  10:33 — Access to CCDAs across care settings, improving completeness at the point of care.
• Practical use cases for clinicians and practice managers
  12:33 — ED episodes, chronic disease management, and value-based care coordination.
• Why practices hesitate: Awareness, education, and workflow clarity
  14:54 — Adoption barriers and how vendors can support practices.
• Action steps for practice leaders
  17:44 — Review InterConnect resources, understand state exchanges, and incorporate patient feedback on data access.

Resources Mentioned in the Episode

In this inspiring bonus episode of the MGMA Podcast, recorded live at the 2025 MGMA Leaders Conference in Orlando, Senior Editor Daniel Williams sits down with Delores McNair—speaker, mentor, and longtime MGMA leader—who brings her trademark energy and authenticity to a conversation about leadership, mentorship, and human connection in healthcare.

Delores McNair shares what fuels her continued engagement with MGMA, from mentoring and speaking to leading the MGMA Book Club community. She reflects on the power of authentic leadership, the importance of diversity and inclusion, and why MGMA conferences offer more than education—they build connection.

Highlights from this episode:
How mentorship through MGMA helps leaders grow and give back
The value of authentic leadership and building a personal brand
Lessons from the MGMA Book Club and continuous learning
Networking vs. connecting: why real relationships matter

Reflections on MGMA’s 1920s-themed gala and the joy of community
If you’re passionate about healthcare leadership, professional development, and authentic connection, this conversation will leave you inspired.

Subscribe to the MGMA Podcast for more interviews with healthcare innovators and leaders shaping the future of medical practice management.

In this episode, Sr. Editor and host of the MGMA Insights Podcast, Daniel Williams, MBA, MSEM, sits down with Macy Dotty, Clinic Director of Interventional Pain, Neurology, Urology, and Visiting Specialists at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby, Minnesota — and one of MGMA’s 2025 Future Five Award winners.

Macy shares her unconventional entry into healthcare during the early days of COVID, how growing up in rural Minnesota shaped her leadership approach, and how her team cut wait times from 54 days to just over 10 without adding staff. She also reflects on what it means to be honored as a Future Five leader and what excites her most about the future of healthcare.

This episode is full of actionable insights for medical practice leaders, especially those working in rural and resource-constrained environments.

Key Takeaways

Starting a Healthcare Career During the Pandemic Built Adaptability and Resourcefulness (05:43)
Macy entered healthcare in the spring of 2020 with no traditional onboarding, learning instead through immersion, curiosity, and creative problem-solving — skills that continue to shape her leadership.

How a “Small but Mighty” Critical Access Hospital Serves a Large Rural Region (15:18)
CRMC sits in a town of 2,300 but serves 50,000–60,000 patients across rural Minnesota, performing more than 10,000 surgeries a year. Macy explains why patients drive past larger systems to receive care there.

Managing Seasonal Patient Shifts: Coordinating Care for Snowbirds (17:23)
Macy outlines how her team tracks which patients winter in other states, ensures continuity of care, prevents unnecessary follow-up outreach, and keeps partner providers informed.

Cutting Wait Times from 54 Days to 10 with Data, Templates & Team Alignment (21:05)
Rather than adding staff, Macy’s team redesigned provider schedules, room utilization, and workflows — dramatically expanding access and improving patient outcomes.

Leadership That Drives >99th Percentile Engagement Scores (24:56)
Macy prioritizes visibility, staff autonomy, psychological safety, and genuine personal connection. Her approach empowers teams to solve problems and care for patients more effectively.

Innovation + Policy Awareness Will Shape the Next Generation of Healthcare Leaders (26:54) Future leaders must embrace creative problem-solving, partnership-building, technology, and an active understanding of state/local legislation impacting care delivery.

Bonus: A Disney First-Timer? Planning Orlando Travel as a Minnesotan (28:09)
Macy hopes to turn her upcoming Orlando trip into her fiancé’s first-ever Disney experience — if she can persuade him.

Resources Mentioned