Dr. Susan Turney leaving MGMA to lead Marshfield Clinic

MGMA President and CEO Dr. Susan Turney plans to resign Aug. 29 to take over as the first CEO of the Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic Health System starting Sept. 1.

Turney was the CEO and executive vice president of the Wisconsin Medical Society when it was announced she would succeed Dr. William Jessee as leader of the Englewood, Colo.-based Medical Group Management Association in October 2011. She previously was the medical director for patient financial services at the Marshfield Clinic and practiced as an internist there for 22 years.

“Dr. Turney brings her visionary leadership to the Marshfield Clinic Health System at a time of great change in healthcare in general and for the system itself,” Mark Bugher, chairman of the Marshfield Clinic Health System board of directors, said in a news release. “Her clinical patient-care background and experience and the depth of knowledge she has about the business of healthcare delivery makes her ideal to take on this important role.”

The selection of Turney as CEO continues a restructuring process underway at Marshfield since 2011. The system includes the 700-physician multispecialty clinic that was founded in 1916 and has more than 50 locations; the Security Health Plan; and Marshfield Clinic Information Services (which markets the internally developed Cattails electronic health record and other products). It also has two small hospitals: 40-bed Lakeview Medical Center, Rice Lake, Wis.; and 25-bed Flambeau Hospital, Park Falls, Wis., which is jointly operated with Ministry Health Care.

Turney, who was named to Modern Healthcare's list of the 50 Most Influential Physician Executives and Leaders for the past three years, oversaw the MGMA rebranding project and expanded MGMA's Data Solutions efforts.

“MGMA's future is very bright,” Turney said in a news release. “I will continue to be very engaged with the association as a member and will rely on MGMA resources and insights to help position Marshfield Clinic Health System for success.”

Turney was the 2005-06 MGMA board chairwoman and received praise from its current chairman, Stephen Dickens, a risk management specialist at State Volunteer Mutual Insurance Co. in Brentwood, Tenn.

“I personally have enjoyed her company, her insights, and her collaboration and will miss her presence at board meetings after September,” Dickens said in the release. “We wish her success."

Follow Andis Robeznieks on Twitter: @MHARobeznieks