Margaret Kirkegaard, MD, provides client consulting focused on physician engagement in healthcare reform, rural healthcare, medical education, community health and medical care integration, primary care development and transformation, population-based healthcare delivery, and underserved and vulnerable populations. Key projects with HMA include development of Medicaid policy and state innovation models in both Iowa and Illinois, development of a rural telehealth network in rural Illinois, and accountable care design for safety net providers. Dr. Kirkegaard worked with special needs populations, including consumers who require long-term services and supports (LTSS) at the policy, health plan, and provider levels. She served as the interim medical director for a health plan with integrated LTSS services including home and community-based waiver services and advised provider organizations on the development of integrated medical and LTSS services.

Dr. Kirkegaard’s expertise is in the implementation of the patient-centered medical home model and the adoption of quality improvement tools for improved population health. For over six years, she served as the medical director of a state-wide, start-up primary care case management program for 1.8 million Medicaid clients. She was responsible for network development, practice engagement, and practice transformation to the medical home model for 5,700 primary care providers and 2,300 specialist providers. During her tenure, the program developed multiple clinical quality improvement tools, a pay-for-performance program, and achieved provider approval and client satisfaction ratings over 90 percent.

Dr. Kirkegaard earned her medical degree from the University of Minnesota, and her master’s degree in public health with a concentration in health policy and focus on quality improvement. She completed her family medicine residency at Hinsdale Family Practice Residency. She is a board-certified family physician. Dr. Kirkegaard teaches medical students and residents and provides clinical care to patients at the Hinsdale Family Medicine Residency.