Growing With Healthcare: A Lifetime of Learning and Leadership with Tracy Bird
Download MP3Hi, everyone. I'm Daniel Williams, senior editor at MGMA and host of the MGMA Podcast Network. What an honor today. We have a true treasure, of MGMA, Tracy Bird. Tracy is this year's MGMA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
Daniel Williams:So well deserved. I'm gonna pause for a minute, Tracy, and just say congratulations. You have been such a good friend to me personally, but to MGMA in total. So thank you and congratulations.
Tracy Bird:Thank you, Daniel. This is an unbelievable honor. I just am still thinking maybe they sent that email to the wrong person. Is this really intended for me? Because I just, it's so hard to believe that someone could be rewarded or awarded such an achievement for doing what they love to do every day.
Daniel Williams:That's, that's the definition of something that's, that's meaningful work if we put it that way. If you get up in the morning and love doing it, wow. What a, what a joy. I did want to say everyone, so we're going to be recognizing Tracy at MGMA's annual conference in San Antonio. I'm going to give a direct link for the time and date when that's going to take place.
Daniel Williams:It'll be in our episode show notes, you so can look for it there. But we're going to talk to Tracy right now about her career and about lots of things related to healthcare and not related to healthcare. So, you and I have talked about this offline already, but what went through your mind when you saw you had been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award?
Tracy Bird:You know, Dan, honestly, I did think that surely they must have sent that email to the wrong person. I had to read it three times and then I just had to process for a little bit. It's like, how can that be? I mean, there have been so many people before me that have received this award that have done such notable things. And it's like, I don't know why people think I would fit in that category.
Tracy Bird:It's very, very humbling, and I am truly honored.
Daniel Williams:Well, we are honored to have you as our Lifetime Achievement Award honoree for this year. Can't wait to see you in San Antonio. We can talk about that more in a minute. But let's go back into the time capsule. You and I were talking about pretty much almost since you got out of college, you moved into the healthcare world.
Daniel Williams:Worn many different hats over that period of time. What was it like? I mean, it's hard for somebody to go, This is where I am right now, and this is where I'm going to be down the road. I mean, you look back at that person who first sat in a medical practice and was working there, what were your goals then? Did you even think that far out or were just trying to get No.
Daniel Williams:Through each
Tracy Bird:Actually, I did not. And it's funny because I was newly married. We had gone back to the college town where I had just graduated from college so my husband could go back to school. And my degree was actually in fashion merchandising. Back in that day, and I'll tell you what year it was, it was 1976.
Daniel Williams:That's a good year. It was our bicentennial year, right? Country's bicentennial, yeah.
Tracy Bird:That's right. And I thought, well, there's not much in this little college town for me in that field. And I went to work in a pediatric office. And the mentor I had there was one of the physicians. And I learned early on that physicians love to teach.
Tracy Bird:I asked so many questions and he so patiently worked with me and answered my questions. I just, that's where I fell in love with medicine and I knew I wanted to stay there forever. That was back in the days before computers. Everything was paper, very manual, paper charts. I can remember pulling those paper charts and having to file papers in the charts and it was such tedious work, but I loved it.
Tracy Bird:I loved the patients. It was a very, very busy practice. I loved the families. I learned, you know, how to fill out a claim form. Well, just about everything, other than the clinical part.
Daniel Williams:Yeah. I love talking to you because I learn something new every time. Now I know that your background is in fashion merchandising, and so anybody watching can see your beautiful green blazer jacket that you're wearing. And so if I have to ask, when you've gotten into practices, did you bring some of that sparkle, some of that fashion merchandising eye? Did you spruce up people's scrubs or what?
Daniel Williams:Did you just get the No. Job
Tracy Bird:But I actually have done a presentation. I do a lot of training at front office staff training. And I put this PowerPoint together about expectations of what we would expect at a professional office to look like. I have this picture of this girl in a sloppy t shirt that says something inappropriate. And I said, no, you do not wanna dress like that.
Tracy Bird:You know? I I was always taught dress for the job you want, not the job you have. So
Daniel Williams:That is wonderful.
Tracy Bird:That's about it.
Daniel Williams:Yeah. And you're still doing it. You're still doing it. Right. So in your background, you have had an opportunity to work in practices of different sizes, of different specialties.
Daniel Williams:What has that taught you about healthcare when you move from one size, one specialty to another? The one caveat I'll add, there's always the people element. No matter the size or location or specialty, it's still people at the heart of it. Right? So
Tracy Bird:Absolutely. You know, we were put on this earth to be in community with people.
Daniel Williams:Yeah.
Tracy Bird:And it's so interesting. I I have had an amazing opportunity to work in nearly every specialty there was ever created. There may be a handful I haven't worked with, but across the board, I've been in nearly, in my, you know, thirty plus plus plus years in consulting alone. Right. I've just had a wonderful opportunity to just see how the different practices work.
Tracy Bird:There is a baseline. Everybody has to have access to patients. How do we do that? Might look different in a pediatric practice or a primary care practice than it does in a specialty practice, but we all have to have that function of patients accessing the practice. We all have to have a clinical workflow.
Tracy Bird:Yes, it looks different in every practice, but we still need it. That's how patients are seen. And then you get to the rev cycle, same thing. We have to process those claims and get our docs paid. Now that may look different in every single practice, but the fundamentals are always the same.
Daniel Williams:Yeah. I love that. Now you've had a front row seat, to so much change that's gone on, in the healthcare world. I will pause on this for one second and just say, you know, MGMA's celebrating its hundredth anniversary this year.
Tracy Bird:Crazy.
Daniel Williams:And, Dave Ganz, who was last year's Lifetime Achievement Award winner, he was looking through the original notes from the first meetings, you see so many of the same problems that we have in 2026 we were having in 1926. So some of the things are constant. Some of the things have remained However, the in your experience, what has been a seismic shift or a seismic change that you've noticed? You were bringing up all the paper documents and things of that nature. It might be that, or if there's something else you'd want to share with us that's really changed a lot of things going on in healthcare.
Tracy Bird:Yeah. For me, it was technology.
Daniel Williams:Yeah.
Tracy Bird:You know, and it's interesting. I still go into a few little onesie twosie doctor practices that are still on paper. And I just have to shake my head, and those physicians are, they said, I'm not gonna do it, Tracy. I'm on my way out. When I look back at how inefficient those paper processes were and how many people it took to do the job, And then, you know, to look at what happened when the EMRs came and we thought, oh, we're gonna hate this.
Tracy Bird:We actually love it and don't know how we could do our jobs without technology. And then now all the little bells and whistles and now we have AI and that's a little bit of a double edged sword I suppose, but there are certain business uses for AI that are amazing and really help to make things efficient. In the environment we're in, the money's going down and the complexities of healthcare are going up, we have to find ways to be more efficient. So I think technology, I would have to say, is the one seismic shift that I've seen during my career.
Daniel Williams:One of the things that you have done that's been so amazing is the way that you've given back. One particular way through MGMA is through the ACMPE program. You have devoted so much time, oh my gosh, to just mentoring, guiding, coaching, teaching, doing all the things you do with those folks who were going through that executive leadership program. What is it about giving back that just comes so naturally to you?
Tracy Bird:You know, I just guess it's how I'm wired. You know, recently I did a, a workshop at my church, and it was to investigate what our what our spiritual gifts are. And mine ended up being hospitality. And I thought, well, is really strange because I do not like entertaining and I get stressed if I have to host a dinner party or something. And so that doesn't sound like me, but when I read the definition of hospitality, it really encompasses bringing people into making people feel welcome and in a sphere of safety.
Tracy Bird:And I am a people person. So that is a natural tendency for me is to just get to know someone. And, you know, I look back at early in my career, the people that poured into me to really encourage me towards certification. And I'm also a certified coder and have several coding certifications. So I was getting it from managers and coders, and I wanted to do it all.
Tracy Bird:And so I just feel real strongly that giving back to that. People poured into me, and there's no reason why I can't give some of that back and help. Sometimes we just need a little nudge from someone else and encouragement to say, this this could be life changing or career changing anyway. So that's why I do it because I love it.
Daniel Williams:Yeah. You give back so naturally, and you're so, patient and, willing to give your time to others be a mentor. Did you have mentors that showed you
Tracy Bird:the Yes. Way as You know, I live in Kansas City, and we had, at one point, our local MGMA chapter had over 300, 500 members. And the first luncheon I ever went to, lunch meeting I went to, there were about 125 people in the room and it's like, oh, this is a bit overwhelming. It you know, it was really a strong chapter and I got to be a know where I started meeting people and getting to know them and was encouraged by my coworkers to pursue certification. And actually, the Kansas City chapter had a very strong workshop and put us through mock testing, the whole thing.
Tracy Bird:So that just was, it was so amazing to see those people volunteer their time to pour into others. And I thought, this is, this is good stuff. Yeah. This is good stuff.
Daniel Williams:Give us a specific example then. You've been on that mentoring side where you're helping others. Is there a project or a client engagement or a person where you just the mentoring was taking place, and it just really sticks with you, and you saw that growth. You saw the kind of, kicking out of the cocoon, and they were ready to go stand on their own two feet and be a great leader.
Tracy Bird:You know, that's a really interesting question. I have had several clients over the years that have been repeat clients. You know, I'll do a project for them, and then a year or two later, they'll call me back. And maybe even right now, I'm actually working with two clients who are callbacks. And I'm actually managing pieces of their practice at this point on an interim basis.
Tracy Bird:So that always feels good. I do remember one particular person or a practice that I worked with. It was several years ago, about twenty five years ago. And the physicians were about ready to retire, but one of the nurse practitioners decided that she would like to open her own practice. And her model at that time was just to contract with some manufacturing companies in the area, it was in a rural area, to provide an on-site clinic.
Tracy Bird:She engaged me to help her with that startup and to work through all the particulars. It was just direct billing to the manufacturer at that point. So over the years, she was very successful and she loved what she did. Over the years, she would call me with certain questions. There was a HIPAA situation one year and another year it was, she wanted to bring on some help, but how do I do that?
Tracy Bird:And just different things. And so I would hear from her every couple of years with some questions and she'd always say, Just bill me for your time. And it's like, we talked for twenty minutes, I'm not billing you for my time. Or thirty minutes, I'm not billing you for my time. And the first of this year, I got a call from her husband her husband, Fred.
Tracy Bird:And Fred said, Tracy, I just need to let you know that Judy passed away unexpectedly. And, oh my goodness, that just broke my heart. And he said, I'm gonna cry. He said, Tracy, need some help closing her practice.
Daniel Williams:Yeah, yeah.
Tracy Bird:So that was memorable because I'd worked with her for twenty five years off and on, you know? So it was very sad. But lots of things. You know, I have so many clients and so many I formed relationships and friendships. Some of these, they're supposed to be working relationships, but they end up being lifelong friendships with some of these folks.
Daniel Williams:It's really remarkable. And it really gets back to what you were saying earlier. No matter what the practice is like, no matter what their situation is at the end of the day, you're working with human beings. You're working with people and you're building those relationships. You're building trust, building that two way trust between yourself and the people who run that practice.
Daniel Williams:So, it's just incredible that you, have been called It's your calling, really. I mean, let's talk it and call it what it is. Really is. We won't beat around the bush here. Healthcare is difficult.
Daniel Williams:It's complex.
Tracy Bird:Oh boy.
Daniel Williams:You may have had more years in healthcare than you have in front of you, perhaps. Who knows? You may go, Nope, I'm going I
Tracy Bird:don't know if I'm going to live forever.
Daniel Williams:To those folks starting out as leaders, because it's a goal of MGMA to really touch those emerging leaders and really be partners with them in their journey from the start. What would you say to them? Because you do get to talk to many healthcare leaders at various stages of their career, but those people really starting out, what would you tell them?
Tracy Bird:You know, I would have to say to and I have been asked for advice from from young folks that are starting out. And just be genuine. Be truthful. You know, if you don't know what you don't know, admit what you don't know, and then go find out. I mean, I do that now.
Tracy Bird:I don't know it all, but I if I'm I'm a lifelong learner. I that's kinda my mantra. I try and learn something new every day. And if I could give anyone advice is never stop learning. I mean, we'd be left in the dust if we don't keep learning in this industry because so much changes sometimes daily
Daniel Williams:Right.
Tracy Bird:That you just have to stay up on top of all that's going on. So I would say be genuine, do your work, be, you know, inquisitive, curious, and admit when you don't know something.
Daniel Williams:Mhmm. One of the things you mentioned there was being a lifelong learner. Now in a formal setting, an example is the ACMPE program. That's a very formalized lifelong learning, pathway. Are other ways but that has been something you not only went through those programs, as we talked about earlier, you've really made it a commitment to help others studying the exams, to walk them through it, to coach them up.
Daniel Williams:What is it about that kind of formalized lifelong learning has helped shape the mindset that you have as a healthcare leader?
Tracy Bird:Well, that's the million dollar question.
Daniel Williams:It really is. I should trademark that.
Tracy Bird:I don't know that I have a really great answer for that. You know, I just, I am who I am. I think we're all wired. However, you know, the good Lord wanted us to be wired and I just am. I love to learn new things.
Tracy Bird:I love to be intrigued about, especially these difficult facets of healthcare. And you know, it just changes all the time. We have new laws and regulations and rules and dynamics among health systems. Know, we've got these agreements between physicians and hospitals and networks and doctors and private equity firms. You know, it just is so complex.
Tracy Bird:It just I'll never have all the answers, but what I do have is people that have the answers. And I think that's what makes it fun is I can call a colleague anytime and ask them a question about something or ask someone that I know knows more than I do. And that's often, but that's what makes this industry so much fun.
Daniel Williams:Yeah. Yeah. I've got a couple more questions for you. One is, I I brought up the idea or the concept that, wow, it's difficult being in healthcare, and what do you tell emerging leaders? But also, I'll turn to the little flip side of that coin.
Daniel Williams:What inspires you or makes you optimistic about the future of healthcare when you meet many of those emerging leaders, those early careerists that really excites you?
Tracy Bird:Oh my goodness, they are so smart. They're smart young people. And they know, you know, I've been doing this a very long time. And while I like to think I'm innovative and I've got good new fresh ideas, they really have good fresh new ideas. And I'm open to listening to them.
Tracy Bird:And I just hope that they would take the same from somebody that has some seasoned wisdom. Because we can learn from each other. Yeah. You know? And I I think that's important too.
Tracy Bird:I think it's important for the young ones today to understand what has happened along the way and to really have that history of how we got to today rather than just walking into today and saying, Well, here I am and I'm conquer the world. Well, let me tell you how the world used to be, and then you could go conquer the world because it's an evolution.
Daniel Williams:Yeah. This is a question, and I wanna share this first. It is not a secret. You being honored as a Lifetime Achievement Award winner, we as MGMA, the organization, we're telling you how much you meant to us. If you don't mind sharing with us, what is MGMA, the organization, and its people and its members meant to you?
Tracy Bird:MGMA has been like a lifeline to me in my career. There are always resources and colleagues. I genuinely have so many amazing friends across the country. I mean truly, across even internationally that I have met and come to know and rely on collegially for questions when I don't know something, but the resources available through MGMA. And I mean, early in my career, if I didn't know some Remember when we used to write papers?
Tracy Bird:Oh, yeah. I got to write a paper. Okay. So they used to publish all those papers. And if I didn't know something about a topic, I would just Google somebody's fellow paper and read it.
Tracy Bird:That was so, you know, there are, we all help each other and we all have helped each other in some of those ways. Here's an example is when I wanted to learn about anti kickback and Stark law.
Daniel Williams:Yeah.
Tracy Bird:And those differences. I had a colleague that had written her fellow paper about So I went and looked it up and it's like, well, that's a great way to learn about that. So then another topic would come up and I would see if I could find a fellow paper, something somebody had written about that. Or even when they went to the business plans. There's a lot you can learn just from a business plan, particularly from the biography, then you know where to go to find the resource to read about that.
Tracy Bird:So, you know, there have just been endless resources and and collegial relationships in MGMA that have absolutely been the lifeline for me in my work.
Daniel Williams:Yeah. Let's put a bow on the work because this is we've been talking about the Lifetime Achievement, but let's talk about Tracy outside of work. When you're not doing the consulting, when you're not working with MGMA and the ACMPE folks, what are you passionate about? What's a hobby or something you love doing that's not work related?
Tracy Bird:I am digging in the dirt. I am I, I live on eight acres, so I have, six flower gardens, and, I have a couple of sunny gardens, a couple of sun shade gardens, I have a couple of shade garden. So you name it, I love to grow flowers and just admire the beauty. My And husband always took care of the vegetables and I lost him a year ago. So I thought, maybe this year I'll just try a little bitty vegetable garden.
Daniel Williams:And
Tracy Bird:I have learned that I have a lot to learn about growing vegetables. I was not quite as successful as he had been in prior years. So I'll try it again next summer. We've had just a crazy summer with rain and then heat that will not go away. Yeah.
Tracy Bird:So I didn't do very well with the veggies. But the flowers were beautiful.
Daniel Williams:Okay. With with the flowers, we'll end on this. What What's your favorite flower? What's the one that just brightens your day when you see it blooming?
Tracy Bird:It's called a Cleome.
Daniel Williams:Okay.
Tracy Bird:And some people, the non formal term is a spider plant.
Daniel Williams:Yes, yes.
Tracy Bird:But it has big, beautiful pink blooms on it, little bitty, delicate flowers. That's my favorite.
Daniel Williams:All right. Well, you're our favorite, Tracy Byrd. Congratulations. Oh,
Tracy Bird:Yeah. Thank you,
Daniel Williams:And being named MGMA's 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award honoree. Well deserved.
Tracy Bird:Humble. Humble is not enough.
Daniel Williams:Yeah. Well, thank you so much. Cannot wait to see you in San Antonio in a few weeks.
Tracy Bird:It won't be long. I know it. So
Daniel Williams:Alright. Well, thank you. And
Tracy Bird:Thank you.
Daniel Williams:You are very welcome. Everybody listening, I hope that you'll be there in San Antonio to help honor, Tracy and the other honorees. And so until then, thank you all for being MGMA Podcast listeners.
