History - 1977

New state associations formed in 1977 included MGMA of Alabama (incorporated in 1981) and New Hampshire MGMA.

Minnesota clinics founded in 1977 included Associated Eye Physicians and Surgeons in Stillwater, and Midwest Internal Medicine in Coon Rapids.  Curtis J. Nielsen became the first Administrator of Brainerd Medical Center in 1977 and remains in that position in 1993.

In 1977, the officers and committee leadership in Minnesota were:  President Dale Molesworth, Vice President Vivian Linquist, Secretary David Adams, Treasurer Tom Lietzke, Legislative Liaison David Adams, Third Party Reimbursement Committee Sandra Rorem, Membership Douglas Ravnholdt.  President Molesworth wrote in July 1993:  "...I am very proud to have played a part... I still keep the plaque on my office wall wherever I go."

Minnesota conferences included the Winter Conference on February 13-14 at the Minneapolis Sheraton Inn Northwest for which Richard Board was the local Arrangements Chair and Sandy Rorem and David Adams Program Co-Chairs.  The Summer meeting was held July 22-24 at the Holiday Inn in North Mankato.

MMGMA members at that time included 134 members from 109 groups.  Meeting activities for this year included:

• Combined the Blue Shield Committee and the Billing Procedures Committee;
  
• Life membership was approved for Ormond Seavey;
  
• Memorial gift to the widow of Virgil Hanson in his memory;
  
• Established a policy on the chairman declaring certain portions of meetings being closed to nonmembers;
  
• Start bimonthly newsletter -- assigned initially to Vivian Linquist.  (Through the courtesy of Adrienne Bendel, we have a copy of this first newsletter, published in December 1977);
  
• David Adams and Neil Swartz are serving on an ad hoc committee with representatives DPW, BCBSM, Travelers Medicare, MSMA and other interested parties; and
  
• Salary survey reported by Duane Carlson.
  
  

President Dale Molesworth published an announcement of the Summer Meeting in Mankato.  The program included:

• Health planning in Sweden by Glen Horesji and Bjorn Larson;
  
• Workshops on:
  --third party problems and solutions;
  --own your own telephone system; and
  --public relations for your clinic;
  
• Luncheon speaker will be Mr. Larry Schmidt, consumer inquiry reporter, WCCO-TV;
  
• Satellite development and operation;
  
• Medical record systems, POMR, etc.;
  
• People planning, selection and development; and
  
• Clinic accreditation presented by Ms. Susan Falkenthal of the Accreditation Council staff in Chicago.
  
  

Registration fees for the Mankato conference were $25 for members and $10 for spouse.  The cash balance of the MMGMA on June 20, 1977, was $7,570.

In 1976-1977 MGMA directory indicates 66 Minnesota groups as members of MGMA.

The 51st Annual Conference of MGMA was held in Houston, on October 9-13, 1977, under the direction of MGMA President Austin Ross Jr., FACMGA, of the Virginia Mason Clinic/Hospital in Seattle.  Official attendance is reported to have been about 640 members plus 240  spouses and guests for a total of 880.  Minnesota's delegation numbered 32 members.

The Midwest Section in 1977 was headed by Kenneth C. Peterson of Grand Forks who chaired the Midwest Section Conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on July 10-13, 1977.

Items of interest:

• The Midwest Council voted in December to discontinue the "Midwest Memo"; and
  
• The Midwest Section had grown to 658 members, still in second place out of a total of 2,286 for the MGMA nationally.
  
  

  Edgar J. Saux was President of ACMGA.  Minnesota's new Fellow for this year was James G. Stolhanske, FACMGA.

  
  

  Committees

  
  

  * Dale Molesworth - President David R Adams - Secretary E. Thomas Lietzke - Treasurer Vivian Lindquist - Vice-President

  Third Party Liaison * Sandra Rorem