NC AHEC Practice Support is celebrating 20 years
(2006-2026)
Established in 1972 to address healthcare workforce shortages, NC AHEC Practice Support has evolved from focusing on medical training to providing tailored, on-the-ground, and virtual coaching for primary care, behavioral health, and specialty practices across all 100 North Carolina counties, aiding over 1,300 practices with health IT, quality improvement, and Medicaid transformation. Thank you for 20 years of making a difference in the lives of others in North Carolina.
Register Now! Practice Manager Basic Courses
Practice Manager Basic Courses
September 7, 2026 – May 10, 2027
Location: Zoom
Target Audience
Novice practice managers, experienced practice managers, providers and staff who desire an overview of the basics of medical practice management.
Program Description
The Practice Manager Basic Courses include ten separate courses that introduce the basic concepts of practice management: financial management, insurance, the revenue cycle, coding, human resources, customer service, leadership, operations management, and quality improvement.
A new one-hour recorded lesson is released each Monday during the course. To receive a completion certificate, all quizzes must be completed by midnight on the final day of the course. The Practice Management Academy’s free mobile app makes it easy for you to learn any time or any place that works for you. COURSES MAY BE TAKEN INDIVIDUALLY OR COMPLETED IN THEIR ENTIRETY AT A DISCOUNTED RATE of $900 compared to the total price of $1080. To register for the entire course module, please contact Christi Boahn at 910-678-7240 or email at christi.boahn@sr-ahec.org
Updates
NC Medicaid Eligibility Changes Take Effect October 1
Starting Oct. 1, 2026, many adults ages 19-64 on NC Medicaid must document work or an approved activity and will move to 6-month renewal cycles instead of annual. Some non-citizens will lose coverage. Practices should prep front-desk and care-management staff not to help patients update contact info with their local DSS and respond quickly to any eligibility letters.
2026 MIPS Reporting: New Rules for Multispecialty Groups and MVPS
The Quality Payment Program stays stable this year, but multispecialty groups can no longer register as a group to report an MVP, they must register at the subgroup, individual, or APM Entity level. Six new MVPs were added, and the “Achieving Health Equity” Improvement Activities subcategory has been replaced with “Advancing Health and Wellness.” Practices should recheck their measure selections against this year’s updated inventory.
Medicare Shared Savings Program: Comment Period Closes September 14
CMS’s CY 2027 proposed rule includes significant ACP financial methodology changes, some of which could retroactively affect 2025 and 2026 reconciliation for ACOs already in agreement periods, plus new higher-value add-on payments for complex/coordinated visits billable only by ACO-participating clinicians. Comments are due Sept. 14, 2026.
NC HealthConnex Seeking Early Adopters for New Data Programs
NC HIEA is offering financial incentives to practices willing to pilot two new use cases: Digital Quality Measures and Health-Related Social Needs screening. The underlying HIE connection mandate itself remains suspended pending legislative enforcement reforms.
Electronic Prior Authorization: Is Your EHR Ready?
Electronic prior authorization is becoming an increasingly important part of EHR optimization. CMS is moving toward greater use of electronic prior authorization processes, with payer APIs beginning to take effect in 2027. Practices can use this time to review their current prior authorization workflows, identify unnecessary manual steps, and talk with their EHR vendor about available electronic prior authorization tools and capabilities.
Quality Improvement: From Reporting to Action
Medicaid, Medicare, and ACO programs continue to place greater emphasis on quality, outcomes, and value-based care. Practices can prepare by identifying their highest-priority care gaps, assigning clear ownership for outreach and follow-up, and using EHR reports and registries to monitor progress throughout the year. The goal is to make quality improvement part of the everyday workflow, not just something addressed when reporting deadlines approach.
PODCAST: What if it's me? A manager's response to turnover
Your best employees keep walking out the door. Maybe it's time to take a painful look in the mirror and consider if your management style may be contributing to the problem. GeGe Beall of Engaged At Work discusses this uncomfortable issue and how you can face it and transform your practice into a place employees enjoy.
Find out more about GeGe at engagedatwork.com.
For information about the North Carolina Practice Management Academy, visit ncahecpma.org
Continuing Professional Development
In-Person | Live Webinar
Looking to grow your skills or stay ahead of regulatory changes? SR-AHEC Continuing Professional Development offers a variety of courses through in-person sessions and live webinars. Our trainings are practical, timely, and tailored to today’s healthcare environment.
Explore upcoming opportunities and register today!
Click here to see our full course catalog
We have a new web address for the Practice Management Academy
ncahecpma.org - Go check it out!
Any bookmark you have should still work because we've mapped the old URL to the new one. If you'd like to see what our new page looks like, you may need to sign out of the academy so you can see the landing page. Anyone can join the free side of the Practice Management Academy. This includes any free courses, access to our group chat, and announcements about upcoming classes and events. We hope this new address and page will be easier to navigate and share.
