A Letter from LUGPA to All Independent Urology Group Practices

This blog post is part of a series of ongoing content to celebrate LUGPA’s 15th anniversary throughout 2023.

To my fellow independent urologists,

For 15 years, LUGPA has served as the leading national voice for independent urologists, working to strengthen and advance the independent practice of urology. Over this time, LUGPA has grown to encompass more than 150 members, including small, medium and large practices. As we celebrate LUGPA’s 15th anniversary and look to the future, I invite every independent urology group practice to experience the benefits of LUGPA membership that help to foster collaboration, effective practice management and advancements in the field of urology.

At the LUGPA 2022 Annual Meeting, the recipient of LUGPA’s Spirit of Independence Award, Gail Reede Jones, M.D., explained, “Being an independent physician does not mean practicing without the aid of members of the greater urologic and medical community. It forces you to be very collaborative, sharing and practicing in a way that collectively enhances the whole practice and uses the resources you have to do what is best for patients.”

LUGPA membership benefits everyone in an independent practice – including practice administrators, advanced practice providers, lab directors and research teams. As a part of the LUGPA community, member practices from across the country collaborate and support one another to reach their potential.

“As CEO of an independent urology practice, being a LUGPA member allows my practice to succeed,” said E. Scot Davis, a member of LUGPA’s Board of Directors. “LUGPA’s resources for practice management are unmatched, and the members are truly a community who work together to both advance and preserve the practice of independent urology.”

The changing landscape of health care can be daunting, but LUGPA is here to support our practices so they can meet the challenges of the future. Here are three ways that our members benefit.

1. Access to one-of-a-kind events: One of the greatest benefits of being a LUGPA member is our incredible in-person events, which provide opportunities to network, earn CME credits and learn about cutting-edge topics in urology and health policy from experts. Our members look forward to these events every year, including the Annual Meeting, multiple regional meetings (including our advocacy-focused meeting in Washington, DC), the Urology Resident Summit & Job Fair, the Bladder and Kidney Cancer Academy,  Prostate Cancer Academy and more. LUGPA members also have exclusive access to sponsored events with experts throughout the year, such as the Innovation Theater, and they receive discounts for other urology-related events and certifications.
   
   
2. Resources to excel: We provide resources to help your urology practice stay ahead of the curve.  For example, our LUGPAOnsite program brings experts to your practice for free to conduct in-person educational sessions based on your priorities. Our signature benchmarking program allows you to analyze and improve your practice’s performance, and our Practice Management Guidebook provides invaluable guidance to adapt to changes and implement innovative solutions. These are just a few of LUGPA’s numerous resources for our members.
   
   
3. A voice in shaping the future of independent urology: LUGPA’s advocacy efforts are instrumental in advancing progress on key health policy issues, through virtual and in-person lobbying, comment letters and working with coalitions to champion legislation that supports integrated urologic care.

It is an honor to serve as the president of LUGPA, an organization made up of so many exceptional practices who are dedicated to advancing the state of independent urology, supporting their fellow physicians and ensuring all patients have access to the urologic care they deserve.

My hope is that all independent practices, small and large, take advantage of the resources and benefits that a LUGPA membership has to offer, so that we can all strengthen independent urology, together. To learn more about the benefits of being a LUGPA member, visit www.lugpa.org/membership.

Sincerely,

Evan Goldfischer, MD, MBA, FACS

President of LUGPA