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LUGPA 2025 Annual Meeting Recap  


     
        
     
        
     
        
     
        

LUGPA's 17th Annual Meeting has concluded, and once again attendance records were broken with 1,314 attending!  The LUGPA 2025 Annual Meeting  brought independent urologists, practice administrators, industry leaders, and policymakers together in Chicago for three days of connection, learning, and leadership.

Across sessions, policy discussions, CME programming, and breakout groups, attendees explored ways to strengthen autonomy, advance patient care, and empower the next generation of urology leaders.

Day 1: CME and Collaboration

LUGPA 2025 kicked off Thursday with working groups for practice administrators, researchers, and lab directors, and an afternoon CME program led by Drs. Gordon Brown and Jason Hafron. The program, “Operationalizing the Science – Translating New Concepts into Clinical Practice,” explored the latest advancements in bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer care, with a focus on integrating new technologies into daily practice.

A lively networking reception sponsored by Ferring Pharmaceuticals closed the evening, setting the tone for a weekend of collaboration and was buzzing with energy among attendees.

Day 2: Advocacy, Autonomy, Engagement

Friday opened with a warm welcome from conference Program Chair Dr. Benjamin Lowentritt, setting the tone for a day focused on advocacy and leadership. In her opening remarks,  LUGPA CEO Celeste Kirschner issued a challenge that resonated throughout the weekend: “Make a new friend, a new contact. Share your information, share your knowledge, learn something from them. That, my friends, is the power of a LUGPA meeting.”

In his Presidential Address, Dr. Scott Sellinger reflected on the values that define LUGPA, reminding attendees that “every single patient is someone’s son or daughter.” He underscored the organization’s pillars, advocacy, autonomy, and engagement, and celebrated a major policy win: securing a Medicare reimbursement fix for 2026.

The morning’s keynote from Congressman Gregory F. Murphy, MD, urged physicians to think boldly about the future of healthcare, protecting independent practice, from streamlining medical education to amplifying their voices in Washington. Drs. Mara Holton and Josh Langston presented the "Political Affairs and Health Policy Update – What We Accomplished This Year," which included a sobering look at consolidation trends, noting that nearly 70% of physicians now work for hospitals or corporate entities, a shift that threatens independence and affordability.

Dr. Sellinger presented a series of awards recognizing outstanding contributions to independent urology.

     
        
     
        
     
        
     
        

Afternoon breakout sessions explored leadership, practice development, and physician wellbeing. Highlights included Dr. Tom Jayram’s call for multidisciplinary collaboration in bladder cancer care and Dr. Jeffrey Spier’s insight that “burnout comes from a lack of autonomy.” The day concluded with a lively reception sponsored by Protara Therapeutics, appreciating shared progress and partnership.

Day 3: Leadership, Learning, and Legacy

Saturday began with Dr. Benjamin Lowentritt’s recap, followed by Dr. David Albala’s remarks on the Executive Leadership Program and LUGPA’s ongoing investment in developing future urology leaders. Dr. Albala introduced the 2025 program graduates, who successfully completed the comprehensive, year-long leadership course culminating in individual capstone projects. Each graduate had the opportunity to share insights from their project, highlighting the knowledge and skills gained throughout the program.

Attendees then explored breakout sessions spotlighting LUGPA practice innovations, Radiation Oncology, and APP-led approaches to precision care, each focused on advancing outcomes and strengthening practice sustainability. In Advancing Patient Care and Expanding Access: The APP Advantage, Joy Maulik, CRNP, emphasized teamwork between APPs and physicians to deliver better care together. In Best Practices for Hospital Partnerships and Call Coverage, Erika Ferrozzo, MHA, Dr. Neal Patel, and Jason Bandermann, MBA, shared real-world insights on navigating hospital relationships and avoiding common pitfalls: “Make sure you add PAs to your trauma contracts,” Ferrozzo noted. Meanwhile, Transforming Your ASC, led by Drs. Brooke Edwards and Brad Lerner, tackled anesthesia shortages and strategies for managing higher-acuity cases. “We need to strategize and be more efficient with our schedules,” Edwards urged. The meeting closed on a high note with a Path to Passion keynote from Chef Rick Bayless, who shared how purpose, creativity, and collaboration drive excellence, whether in the kitchen or the clinic.

A Meeting Defined by Connection

From packed CME sessions to policy conversations and networking receptions, #LUGPA2025 embodied the power of connection—demonstrating that when independent urologists unite, their collective voice, vision, and advocacy can shape the future of patient care.