On Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17, dozens of practice administrators and providers gathered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the annual THRiVE Healthcare Summit (hosted by FocusMD). This dynamic two-day event has become a cornerstone for independent practices, providing an opportunity to collaborate, share insights and drive forward the future of healthcare technology.
This year’s summit centered around the theme of Optimization as practices seek to streamline operations, enhance patient engagement and get the most out of their EHR and Practice Management systems. With an agenda packed full of panel discussions, user-group sessions and hands-on learning, attendees walked away with actionable strategies to improve workflows, boost efficiency and deliver better care.
For MEDENT, participating in and supporting events like this isn’t just about showcasing our software; it’s about listening, learning and growing alongside the practices we serve. We’re proud to support the independent healthcare community and remain committed to helping practices thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.
THRiVE opened with Jennifer Little-Fleck: BrainCelling – How to Engage Patients, in which she introduced a fascinating concept of how the brain responds to a surprise combined with emotion. When we surprise a patient, then follow up with genuine care and attention, we create a lasting emotional imprint.
This was followed by a Practice Administration Panel on Operational Excellence and a Meet and Greet with MEDENT’s Customer Experience & Engagement Team and OptimizedEHR.
Next, Suki’s Megan Van Buren delivered a sharp, forward-looking session on AI – Documentation Simplification AI Solutions. And Joie Miller spoke about leading with authenticity in Practice Culture – Leading with Excellence.
Stephen Nawotniak reminded us that mental health isn’t a side note in healthcare in Mental Wellness for Healthcare Professionals.
And Friday’s session wrapped with a Panel Discussion on the Patient Journey. Created by OptimizedEHR CEO Jennifer Duplantie, this hands-on workshop invited participants to identify friction points and explore practical improvements across every stage of care. From there, Duplantie then moderated a thoughtful discussion with Well iQ COO Scott Strother, PracticeBeat CEO Rick Cancelliere and ThoroughCare CEO Dan Godla who shared how each stage of the patient’s journey is an opportunity to shape a great experience.
On Saturday, James L. Gardner III, MD, held a leadership panel Unity in the Community – Leveraging Provider Collaboration, in which he reminded attendees what it really takes to lead through complexity: clarity, compassion and courage. Bonus moment? Hearing Dr. Gardner casually mention that MEDENT breadcrumbs (an well-established feature) were a cool new trick he just learned. Proof that even great leaders are always learning too.
Dan Green then discussed State Policy Trends Shaping the Future of Independent Practice in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Brian Lieb then moderated the Excellence in Care: Optimizing Our Clinical Tools panel. He was joined by a powerhouse lineup of leaders including Sudhir Rao, MD, James Gardner III, MD, Alecia Hutsler, DO, and Raul Vazquez, MD, who shared real-world strategies they’re actively using to improve care every day.
In the Build Your Asset: Alternative Income Streams panel, Eugene Bonaroti, MD, brought together a powerful mix of voices:
Gregory Erhard, Jr. shared insights on navigating value-based reimbursement models.
Commissioner Nick Sherman discussed public funding opportunities tied to the opioid crisis.
David Provenzano, MD, explored strategies for building and managing outpatient surgery centers.
Nikhil Asher, MD, spoke on the growth and sustainability of wellness centers.
Next, Brett Hartman, DO, and Kate Hrynewycz, MD, co-founders of Elevated Medical, shared their bold vision for a new healthcare facility in Pittsburgh.
And finally, MEDENT’s Customer Experience & Engagement Team led a two-hour super user session with Duplantie from OptimizedEHR. Together, we delivered real-time tools, answered practical questions and shared ways to optimize our system.
Risk scores drive revenue.
EHRs must do more than charting; optimize them for communication, coding and scheduling.
Train super users and optimize regularly.
Build systems that scale across teams.
Put patients first, and let business follow.
