Reflecting on 100 Years of MGMA | Leadership, Change, and What Comes Next

On this episode of the MGMA Insights Podcast, host and senior editor Daniel Williams sits down with Dave Gans, longtime MGMA leader and historian, and Akash Madiah, MGMA’s acting CEO, to mark a major milestone — 100 years of MGMA. Together, they reflect on MGMA’s origins in 1926, the enduring role of the medical practice administrator, and how the association is positioning itself to support medical practice leaders through the next century of change.

Episode Takeaways

• MGMA was founded on a simple but powerful idea — medical practice leaders are stronger when they share challenges, data, and solutions rather than operating in isolation.
• Many of today’s administrative challenges — staffing, overhead, collections, physician–administrator alignment — were already being discussed at MGMA’s very first meeting in 1926.
• Despite sweeping clinical and technological change, the core role of the practice administrator has remained remarkably consistent for a century.
• The physician–administrator partnership is central to effective group practice management and remains one of MGMA’s defining principles.
• MGMA’s impact is deeply personal — members routinely credit the organization’s data, education, and community with helping them improve performance, advance careers, and navigate uncertainty.
• Conferences and peer networks remain one of MGMA’s most valuable assets, offering real-world insight that goes beyond sessions and speakers.
• As MGMA enters its second century, the focus is on staying outward-facing — listening to members, evolving content and data, and addressing emerging challenges like AI and administrative burden.
• The centennial is both a celebration and a call to action — honoring what has endured while actively shaping what comes next for medical practice management.

Resources

• Connect with Dave Gans on LinkedIn
• Connect with Akash Madiah on LinkedIn
• A Century of Progress? - MGMA DataDive article by Dave Gans
• MGMA Annual Conference (Centennial Special)
• MGMA Data Resources
• MGMA Advocacy Efforts
• MGMA Membership

Email us at dwilliams@mgma.com if you would like to appear on an episode. If you have a question about your practice that you would like us to answer, send an email to advisor@mgma.com. Don't forget to subscribe to our network wherever you get your podcasts!