History - 1988

MMGMA member organizations founded in 1988 included Childrens Respiratory and Critical Care, Minneapolis, Hopkins Family Physicians and Summit Orthopedic Associates, St. Paul.

Leadership in the Minneapolis association for 1988 included President John Ostrander, Vice President Marge Canning, Secretary Jim Wilkus, Treasurer David Rothschiller, Legislative Liaison Jean Trygstad, Third Party Liaison Jo Ellen Betram, MMA Liaison Brad Stoneking, Education, William Amery, Exhibits, Tim Wieben, and Membership, Daniel Grosskopf.  In this year John Ostrander was elected to the Midwest MGMA Board of Directors, David Adams resigned from the MINNPAC board after serving the maximum of 12 years.

The Winter Conference was held from February 3-5, 1988, at the Minneapolis Airport hotel with Joe Martin and Bob Gluek serving as coordinators.  Registration included 138 members and 35 guests.  The summer meeting was held July 27-29, 1988, at the Duluth Holiday Inn with Jerry Truscott and Dennis Stebner serving as coordinators.  Tim Wieben directed the exhibits for both of these conferences, which achieved an impressive 44 exhibitors for the winter meeting and 27 for the summer meeting at $300 each.

Membership total at the time of the Summer Conference was 391.  The cash balance of the Minnesota Association was $34,639 on January 1, 1988, and $37,250 on December 31, 1988.

Noteworthy items included:

• Clarified and strengthened relationships with MMA, resulting in MMGMA voting seat on every MMA Committee;
  

• Enhanced the video library through which member groups can (for a small fee) rent videos for training of support staff;

• Presented again several local meetings wherein members conducted training sessions for support staff registrants from interested clinics;

• Created Continuing Service Award:  Jean Trygstad, David Adams and Allen Tank so recognized in 1988; other recipients in later years (listed in the 1993 MMGMA Directory) included:  Marge Canning, Kay Hobday, Chari Konerza, Tom Lietzke, Stan Salzman and Brad Stoneking;

• Legislative Liaison:  Curtis Nielsen to Washington Legislative Conference; major issues -- mandatory assignment, Medicare reimbursement, Minnesota Health Plan regulations, scope of practice;

• Education:  Bill Amery discussed scholarships for the Minnesota Development Award; ACMGA's self assessment exam will be offered at the 1989 Winter Meeting;

• MGMA's 1996 National Conference is scheduled for Minneapolis;

• Newsletter:  Difficulty finding sponsors and difficulty getting articles to editor on time;

• John Ostrander and Marge Canning attended the Midwest Council of Presidents' meeting at Oconomowoc, Wis., on June 26 and brought back excellent meeting planner manuals; and

• The Minnesota State Board of Medical Examiners was conducting seminars on fee splitting regulations.
  

MGMA's 1988 directory shows 133 Minnesota groups as members.

The 62nd Annual Conference of MGMA was held October 23-26, 1988, at the Kansas City Convention Center, Kansas City, Mo., under the direction of President Robert c. Bohlmann, FACMGA, of Arlington, Texas.  Registration totaled 1,340 members and 261 guests for a total of 1,601.

ACMGA president this year was G. Michael Hutchens, FACMGA.

Mark Fisher received his Fellowship in 1988.  Frank Wilkus was recognized as a Life Fellow.

Richard D. Green, FACMGA, of the Carle Clinic Association of Champagne Urbana, Ill., was President when the Midwest Section's 27th Annual Conference was held at Oconomowoc, Wis.  One hundred seventy-four members were registered.  The Midwest Section remained in second place among sections with 2,103 members out of a total MGMA membership of 8,548.