July 2014 The Edge€¦ · ★ Region 11 Certification Webinar Series The Helen M. Yerger Award recognizes outstanding chapter performance in the categories of Collaboration, Education,

The Edge - Northern California Chapter’s Newsletter 1

President’s MessageMary Ackley, FHFMAChapter President2014-2015

After 14 years as an active HFMA member in Northern California chapter, I am delighted to serve as your 2014-2015 Chapter President. My HFMA membership has provided me with innumerable benefits including

professional and personal education, and growth; the development of leadership skills; the opportunity to network with professionals facing similar challenges, to name but a few. But it is the relationships I have nurtured and developed within HFMA that I value the most and your faith in me as your 2014-2015 president is an honor and responsibility that I take very seriously, and for which I am very grateful.

Our chapter is very fortunate to have an actively engaged and dedicated Executive Committee and Board, as well as many active members that have served in these roles in the past. We have seen many changes and challenges over the years, but not since the advent of Medicare has healthcare seen the depth and breadth of changes that we have seen with the roll-out of the ACA. In this time of unprecedented change and complexity in healthcare, the financial well-being of your organizations is uppermost on my mind. It is during these times that belonging to an organization such as the Healthcare Financial Management Association, where educational offerings and networking opportunities are provided, can really make a difference in your performance at work and help protect your bottom line.

One of my main focus areas as your new President is to bring a heightened focus to improving industry margin and cost performance. One way to do this is to broaden membership engagement opportunities, aligning ourselves with our healthcare counterparts such as payers and physician groups. With current changes in reimbursement our survival is dependent upon collaboration, whether through ACOs, Medical Homes or any one of the many strategic alliances we see popping up every day. Expanding our membership to include other factions of the

healthcare continuum will promote the communication, education and connection that we need to ensure our mutual success.

It is this continued diversification and growth of membership that will help our organization improve healthcare business and finance. In addition to broadening our membership through collaboration with other sectors, your Northern California Chapter is developing an Early Careerist program. This program is focused on students, faculty and healthcare professionals – our millennium members. The engagement of this demographic represents its own unique opportunities and we are committed to meeting them where they live to provide opportunities for career growth and mentorship. I envision the Early Careerist program invigorating our member base and changing the trend towards increasing the median age of members by reaching out to those still early in their healthcare finance careers and cultivating relationships with future leaders, locally and nationally. Stay tuned for more information on this new and exciting program.

In this era of rapid consolidation, our chapter will need to broaden its competencies to reflect the continuum of care. Our

hospital centric focus must make way with a widening of the tent to include all of the constituents of the continuum. We can only do this with your help. Join with us to show that “Leadership Matters,” we will do “Whatever it Takes” and that we are “Leading the Change.”

We invite all non-members to join with us, and for current members to move towards volunteerism. Our organization has shown steady improvement in our total membership, membership satisfaction as determined through an annual survey facilitated by the National HFMA organization, and increasing

education hours per member. We are a volunteer organization and happily embrace any contribution of time and talent that you feel compelled to give.

In closing, I thank you again for the opportunity to serve as your President. The year ahead is challenging, but based on 14 years of experience I know that it will also be filled with laughter, fun and friendship. Take out and dust off your toga and join me for some fun and education at the Fall Conference in September; and please take a moment to introduce yourself. I am eager to hear from you, our member, regarding how you would like your HFMA chapter to better serve you in the coming year. To that end, there is a Social Media survey embedded in this edition of the newsletter. Please take a minute to fill it out so that we can gain a better understanding of how you would like information delivered.

The EdgeJuly 2014First Issue - FY2014-15


ANI 2014 - The BIG EventTerry PaffImmediate Past [email protected]

ANI 2014 was a “REALLY BIG EVENT.” Who doesn’t enjoy going to Las Vegas, seeing friends, making new ones, learning something new with the timely educational sessions and listening to interesting keynote speakers? ANI as usual was another successful event and the highlight for me was picking up all of the chapter awards Monday night at the President’s Award dinner.

Our chapter received these awards:

• Five Helen M. Yerger Special Recognition Awards for the following chapter education events:

★ The Women’s Luncheon★ The Vince Acquisto Memorial Golf Tournament★ Meet The Mac Seminar★ Region 11 Conference and ★ Region 11 Certification Webinar Series

The Helen M. Yerger Award recognizes outstanding chapter performance in the categories of Collaboration, Education, Improvement, Innovation, Member Communications, Member Service, and Membership Recruitment and Retention. This year, we received awards for two single chapter entries and three joint entries for our collaborative work with other HFMA chapters in Region 11.

• Gold Award of Excellence for membership Growth and Retention - Our chapter received this award for achieving membership growth 3.5% beyond our goal. We ended the FY2013-14 chapter year with 1,102 members!

• Bronze Award of Excellence for Education - We received this award for providing chapter members more than 17,000 hours of education or the equivalent of 16.3 hours of education per member.

These awards are more than what most chapters received and is a testament to what a great chapter we have because of our members and their over the top contributions.

What happened in Vegas .... comes home to Northern California. Thanks to all who helped make this event very special for me.



Compliance and CMS News CornerGloryanne Bryant, RHIA, CCS, CDIP, CCDSAHIMA Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS TrainerCompliance Team!

On May 28, 2014, the Office of the Inspector General released a report that outlined the ongoing issues with E&M

services paid by Medicare. The report is titled: Improper Payments for Evaluation and Management Services Cost Medicare Billions in 2010.

The Evaluation and Management (E/M) services are visits performed by physicians and non-physician practitioners to assess and manage a beneficiary's health. Medicare paid $32.3 billion for E/M services in 2010, representing nearly 30 percent of Part B payments that year. In 2012, OIG reported that physicians increased their billing of higher level codes, which yield higher payment amounts, for E/M services in all visit types from 2001 to 2010. CMS found that E/M services are 50 percent more likely to be paid for in error than other Part B services; most improper payments result from errors in coding and from insufficient documentation.

The OIG conducted a medical record review of a random sample of Part B claims for E/M services from 2010, stratifying claims from physicians who consistently billed higher level codes for E/M services (i.e., “high-coding” physicians) and claims from other physicians. Certified professional coders determined whether the E/M service documented in the medical record for each sampled claim was correctly coded and/or sufficiently documented. The OIG aggressively pursues individuals and entities that engage in fraud, waste or abuse of Medicare program resources.

With this particular OIG work, they found:

1. In total, Medicare inappropriately paid $6.7 billion for claims for E/M services in 2010 that were incorrectly coded and/or lacking documentation.

2. The incorrect payments represented one out of five Medicare payments for E/M services that year.

3. 42 percent of claims for E/M services were incorrectly coded, which included both upcoding and downcoding (i.e., billing at levels higher and lower than warranted, respectively), and 19 percent were lacking documentation. All together, 26 percent of the claims were up-coded in favor of the provider, while 15 percent were down-coded.

4. Claims from high-coding physicians were more likely to be incorrectly coded or insufficiently documented than claims from other physicians.

Also to be noted, is that on April 30, 2014, Gloria Jarmon, HHS’ deputy inspector general, testified before the House Way and Means Subcommittee on Health that improper payments account for $50 billion dollars a year in waste, of which $36 billion was in the fee-for-service program; and nearly $12 billion for the managed care programs of Parts C and D. This represents a little more than 10 percent of Medicare spending, which was $554.3 billion total in 2011.

It’s obvious that auditing and monitoring of your E&M encounter documentation and coding needs to be a priority and ongoing. Bring this OIG report to the attention of your Compliance Committee and also your Revenue Cycle leadership. Engagement of your physician and coding professionals is also going to be key. Ongoing education will also be important to initiate. Being proactive rather than reactive is a best practice in order to maintain compliance.

References: http://health.wolterskluwerlb.com/2014/06/kusserows-corner-oig-found-6-7-billion-in-improper-medicare-em-payments/


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The following link(s) will direct you to

CMS memorandums and MedLearn Matters guidance which help to provide clarification and information regarding regulatory directives, changes and revisions. This is not all inclusive, thus the healthcare professional is encouraged to seek out the CMS website also at: http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNProducts/Catalog.html or via email: [email protected]

MLN Matters® Number: MM8739 RevisedThis article is based on Change Request (CR) 8739, which advises MACs, effective for dates of service on or after June 11, 2013, to cover three FDG PET scans when used to guide subsequent management of anti-tumor treatment strategy after completion of initial anti-cancer therapy for the same cancer diagnosis. Coverage of any additional FDG PET scans (that is, beyond three) used to guide subsequent management of anti-tumor treatment strategy after completion of initial anti-cancer therapy for the same diagnosis will be determined by your MAC. Make sure your billing staffs are aware of these changes.

Revised: MM8739 - Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) Positron Emission Tomography (PET) for Solid Tumors (This Change Request (CR) rescinds and fully replaces MM 8468, dated February 6, 2014)http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/Downloads/MM8739.pdf

MLN Matters® Number: SE1418 Revised

This special edition article is being provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to clarify the proper use of Modifier 59. The article only clarifies existing policy. Make sure that your billing staffs are aware of the proper use of Modifier 59. The Medicare National Correct Coding Initiative

(NCCI) includes Procedure-to-Procedure (PTP) edits that define when two Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS)/ Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes should not be reported together either in all situations or in most situations.

SE1418 - Proper Use of Modifier 59http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/Downloads/SE1418.pdf

MLN Matters® Number: MM8776 This article is based on Change Request (CR) 8776 which describes changes to and billing instructions for various payment policies implemented in the July 2014 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) update. Make sure your billing staffs are aware of these changes.

New: MM8776 - July 2014 Update of the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS)http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/Downloads/MM8776.pdf

MLN Matters® Number: SE1039This article is for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) submitting claims to Medicare contractors (Fiscal Intermediaries (FIs) and/or A/B Medicare Administrative Contractors (A/B MACs)) for services provided to Medicare beneficiaries.

Revised: SE1039 - Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) Billing Guidehttp://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/Downloads/SE1039.pdf

MLN Matters® Number: MM8773 This article is based on Change Request (CR) 8773 which amends the payment files that were issued to MACs based upon the CY 2014

MPFS, Final Rule as modified by the "Pathway for SGR Reform Act of 2013" (Section 101) passed on December 18, 2013, and further modified by section 101 of the “Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014” on April 1, 2014.

New: MM8773 - July Update to the Calendar Year (CY) 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Database (MPFSDB)http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/Downloads/MM8773.pdf

MLN Matters® Number: MM8401 Revised This article was revised on June 9, 2014, to emphasize that coding "CT" in front of the clinical trial number applies ONLY to paper claims. The "CT" is not to be coded on electronic claims. All other information remains the same.

This article is based on CR 8401, which informs you that, effective January 1, 2014, it will be mandatory to report a clinical trial number on claims for items and services provided in clinical trials that are qualified for coverage as specified in the "Medicare National Coverage Determination (NCD) Manual," Section 310.1.

The clinical trial number to be reported is the same number that has been reported voluntarily since the implementation of CR 5790, dated January 18, 2008. That is the number assigned by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) http://clinicaltrials.gov/ website when a new study appears in the NLM Clinical Trials data base.

Revised: MM8401 - Mandatory Reporting of an 8-Digit Clinical Trial Number on Claimshttp://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/Downloads/MM8401.pdf


CMS News CornerCompiled by Gloryanne Bryant, RHIA, CCS, CDIP, CCDS


How Will Quality Metrics Impact a Hospital’s Credit Rating?Quintin Harris, Vice PresidentLancaster [email protected]

Which ratings matter most to hospitals?

The number of groups evaluating and awarding top grades to healthcare organizations is growing. Consumers can pick from the government’s web site Medicare Hospital Compare or a handful of assessments from private and nonprofit organizations, such as U.S. News and World Report, Consumer Reports, Truven Health Analytics, and the Joint Commission, among others. Hospital ratings vary widely as each rater uses a different methodology that can provide vastly different results.

As the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) provisions are implemented, quality metrics will become a bigger agenda item in a hospital’s board room. Medicare’s quality incentive program has sent a large signal to other insurers and the healthcare industry at large with its risk-based contracts to achieve quality and cost targets via incentives, or in some cases, financial penalties. Additionally, both payors and purchasers have stepped up their demand for high-value healthcare with the start of mandated insurance changes this year. Those agencies and organizations that rate hospital performance are paying particular attention to the sea change and currently are determining how to incorporate quality measurements into their methodologies.

Evolving Credit RatingsIn the near future, quality measures could impact a hospital’s

cost of capital as healthcare reform focuses on transitioning from a fee-for-service to a fee-for-value model, with hospitals expected to take on risk and deliver measurable quality of care. From a capital markets perspective, the ability to access capital at low rates and competitive terms often depends on the evaluation that matters most to investors—the investment grade rating assigned to the bond issue by one of three credit rating agencies (CRAs). The group, often dubbed the Big Three, consists of Moody’s Investors Service, Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor’s.

Traditionally, each CRA has its own criteria and methodology, with varying degrees of transparency, to determine a hospital’s credit rating. Key quantitative categories include credit profile ratios for liquidity, profitability and capital structure. Qualitative (nonquantifiable information) factors, such as the economy, local market demographics, competition and the strength of a hospital’s

management and board, also impact an organization’s credit assessment. (Suggested Read: “Making the Grade: Choosing the Right Rating Agency.”)

However, CRAs are in the process of determining what quality indicators matter going forward, particularly in regards to Medicare’s evolving incentive programs, and how to apply those metrics in their evaluations.

Adding Quality to the MixMedicare’s inpatient quality incentive program, known

as Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP), is part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) three-prong effort to use Medicare’s payment system to improve clinical outcomes, patient safety and experience. HVBP uses the hospital quality data reporting system, previously developed for the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting program, to assess quality based on peer comparison and year-over-year improvement through value-based quality incentives. Additionally, Medicare’s Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program and Hospital Acquired Conditions Penalties work alongside HVBP to further drive clinical outcomes, patient safety and patient experience.

For about half of those hospitals participating in the HVBP program the financial impact is negligible, according to Kaiser Health News and NPR. These organizations are gaining or losing less than a fifth of one percent of what Medicare otherwise would have paid. Others are experiencing greater spreads. Overall, more hospitals were penalized. Last October, CMS raised payment rates for 1,231 hospitals while reducing payments for 1,451 hospitals, with the average penalty greater than the previous year. It is important to note that critical access and certain specialty hospitals are exempt from the HVBP program.

As mentioned, the amount of reimbursement at risk currently is small; however, the combined penalties of all three Medicare quality programs could add up to as much as 5.5% for providers that do not toe the line. It’s very apparent that CMS is indicating to the marketplace that quality is important and other payers will follow Medicare’s lead. Therefore, it should be expected that investors will begin incorporating quality indicators into their evaluation processes.

Erik Carlson, a healthcare management expert based near Omaha, Nebraska, believes a value-based system will be adopted in due course. “Quality will increasingly drive decision-making in the healthcare industry and have a financial impact,” Carlson said. “This will be further magnified as Medicare patients are likely to increase as a percentage of hospitals’ payer mix due to the aging population.”

Considering Quality MeasuresRating agencies will be collecting supplemental

information from hospitals for specific data points measuring quality for some time before giving value-


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2 The Edge - Northern California Chapter’s Newsletter

based measures explicit weighting in their rating process. For now, they recognize that hospitals providing a high quality level of care are likely to be more profitable, have stronger balance sheets than their average peers, invest more in technology and take a long-term view for results.

To get an impression of how CRAs are dealing with the evolving environment of quality metrics, let’s look at two—Moody’s and Fitch:

Moody’s Investors Service—Moody’s introduced six new indicators in a 2013 report to more accurately capture the changing payment and care models. It will use the following to measure demand:

• Unique patients: the number of people who received care at the hospital in a 12-month period, both inpatient or outpatient.

• Covered lives: the number of people within the community for which the hospital is responsible along the continuum of care—either through exclusive contract, the hospital-owned health insurance plan, an ACO contract or through an ACO-like structure provided by Medicare, Medicaid or other commercial payors.

• Employed physicians: this figure serves as a predictor of referrals. (Incidentally, hospital doctors better utilize electronic medical records and coordinate care, which the rating agency recognizes as a credit positive.)

For reimbursement risk, Moody’s will initially focus on the following indicators initially:

• Medicare reimbursement rate: Since Oct. 1, 2012, CMS started penalizing hospitals with high Medicare readmission rates for congestive heart failure, heart attack and pneumonia.

• “All-payer” readmission rate: This measurement of patients covered by other insurers will include readmissions within 30 days of discharge, no matter the diagnosis, unless it is a part of the plan of care.

• Risk-based revenues: hospitals currently with or in the process of obtaining a Moody’s credit rating will need to annually provide data on the type of reimbursement methodology used in its contracts. Risk-based revenues will include new reimbursement models, such as bundled payment and pay-for-performance. Moody’s will use this metric along with traditional forms of payment, such as DRGs, per diems and capitation in its evaluation.

Fitch Ratings—Although the rating agency already considers quality metrics in its criteria and credit analysis, it’s assessing if hospital boards and senior staff are giving quality sufficient attention in the transition to a fee-for-value model. As part of its credit evaluation, Fitch reviews scores from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS), the first national standardized survey of patients' perspectives of hospital care. The scores, which are posted on the CMS website, are used to determine value-based reimbursement and readmissions bonuses and penalties. Additionally, Fitch asks hospitals to estimate potential future Medicare rate penalties related to HCAHPS or readmissions as well as provide data on the level of patient revenues that are “at risk” for quality performance under their payor contracts.

In evaluating creditworthiness, Fitch recognizes that tracking and reporting quality and safety indicators will impact a provider’s reimbursement and competitive positioning, which are key credit factors. The rating agency will review a hospital’s publicly available quality scores, which may include readmission rates and value-based purchasing metrics, as well as its overall commitment to establishing a culture centered on delivering safe, high-quality care.

According to Fitch, it focuses on IT investments in its assessments and asks hospitals to report on meaningful use, ICD-10 readiness and their Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) level. Overall, the rating agency focuses on consistent improvement across industry standards and results compared with competing hospitals as part of a broader analysis on clinical strategy and competitive positioning.

In assessing quality measures for hospitals, credit rating agencies will be gauging whether a hospital has the clout (scale) to deliver the metrics when needed along with each’s own mix of quantitative and qualitative indicators. Not all hospitals will be at the forefront of innovation and new healthcare strategies because of their size and scope; however, all providers should focus their efforts in developing an informed leadership, expanding access and, especially, improving quality and the patient experience. To remain competitive, hospitals should implement best practices on a large scale and manage costs to keep pace with reimbursement cuts. Finally, when looking to access the capital markets, hospitals need to be familiar with the credit evaluation process, how ratings are evolving in the new normal and be prepared to benchmark themselves to investment-grade medians.

“Reprinted with permission from The Capital Issue at www.lancasterpollard.com”


Thought Leaders WantedTammy TrovattenChairperson, Fall Conference Team

Are you ready to be a thought leader?

Within their fields, thought leaders are sources of inspiration and innovation. They have the gift of harnessing their expertise and their networks to make their innovative thoughts real and easy to replicate, sparking sustainable change and even creating movements around their ideas.

Why become a thought leader? No matter where you are in your career, thought leadership is the key that unlocks a whole new level of professional accomplishment and achievement, as well as career and personal satisfaction.

If you are ready to increase your influence, expand your impact, and become a trusted change agent and thought leader in your niche, then we have a program for you. This is a highlight of the keynote session being given by Denise Brosseau at the HFMA

Northern California Fall Conference at the Concord Hilton on September 17-19, 2014.

Besides learning how to become a thought leader, the education session lineup includes the following:• Keynote address “Our Fragmented, Fragile Physician Workforce - Trends in 2014 and Beyond” – This session will provide an outlook on

physician recruitment, retention, models and compensation trends• General Session “Post Affordable Care Act – Trends, Tips, and Best Practices” – This panel discussion will highlight experiences and

issues encountered from ACA implementation from various points of view (Revenue Cycle, Patient Access, Patient Advocacy, Care Coordination, Payment and Reimbursement)

• 24 breakout sessions in Finance, Compliance, Reimbursement and Contracting, Patient Access, and Revenue Cycle covering topics from legislative and regulatory updates to ICD-10

Besides the keynotes, panel discussions and 24 breakout sessions, there will be fun…fun…fun in Concord with a Roman Toga party on Thursday, September 18. So race your chariot to Concord for an opportunity to learn how to build the pillars of healthcare reform.

Brochure coming soon to a coliseum near you!


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How did you end up in Healthcare? Did you choose it or did it choose you?During my first job out of college, I then realized my passion for healthcare and shortly after, I found a job solely in healthcare sales. I love helping both patients and hospitals.

Tell us about yourself:I am very conscientious and am very driven to be the best person I can be, both personally and professionally.

There’s no right or wrong answer, but if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?I would have to say on a beach.

What do you like to do for fun in your spare time?I enjoy some outdoor activities, such as hiking and bike riding. I love decorating my home and I LOVE to cook! I also love to be on the water in the summer time!

What’s the last book you read?“The Challenger Sale”

What would you do if you won the lottery?I would start with paying off my student loans, take a vacation, treat my mom to a mother-daughter vacation, donate to Ronald McDonald House and American Cancer Association charities, and then put all the rest into my savings account for a house and for my children someday.

If you could be a superhero, who would you be and why?I would be Wonder Woman fighting for justice, love, peace and sexual equality.

What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the last three years?The Great Gatsby

Who are your heroes?My Mom

The best advice I ever had wasIf you are not happy with yourself, you cannot make anyone else happy.

The best part of my job is...helping hospitals acquire medical equipment needed to provide better patient care. My passion lies in healthcare.

My favorite food isHhhmmm...this is a hard question. I love food! I love Thai food, sushi and seafood!

My first car wasHonda Civic

My favorite car wasHyundai Genesis Coupe

Favorite Quote“Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live” - Somerset Maugham

Spotlight on a MemberEMILY COLEAVP Healthcare Finance, First American Healthcare FinanceYears in Healthcare: 3 yearsYears in HFMA: 6 months

“I have met great contacts through HFMA. It is great for networking, especially in the field I am in.”


2014 Women’s LuncheonRosanne Wassom, RN, CRCRChairperson, HFMA Northern California Communications [email protected]

“Best dosage of healthcare education” “very relevant and fun”

“This panel questions and responses were excellent - One of the best panels done in a while. Provided answers mentoring and insightful concerns from three very successful women executives. We need more of these panels.”

“I am grateful that I get to attend today's Women's Luncheon and get to know members in person, and listened to their stories. My support is even broader and future looks brighter because one of the participants inspired me today.”

“Looking forward to Wente. Great event, very personal and meaningful. HFMA needs to support this event more.” These are just a few of the survey responses the Outreach Team

had the pleasure to read from our second annual Womens’ Luncheon, held late April at the Stanford Schwab Residential Center. With nearly 100 participants, we enjoyed hearing from a variety of professional women who were generous enough to share their time, experience and strength with us.

Nancy Burghart-Hall, the President of Northern California HIMSS and CIO with over 20 years of healthcare IT experience shared her personal journey as a care giver in the health system in which she worked, and how she found her way to balance great personal loss with professional growth. Nancy’s story touched many, one of whom shared that Nancy’s story had validated a recent and difficult decision that she had made in her own personal life and her career.

We discussed The Power and Influence of Women in Leadership with a panel of three high functioning professional women with very different backgrounds and paths to success. On the panel were Laura Zehm, the CFO of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula; Diana Gernhart, the CFO of Oregon Health & Sciences Hospital and our HFMA Region 11 Executive; and Lisa Wood, Professor at JFK University, Inventor, and Contra Costa Supervisor’s Woman of the Year. They provided us with insights from different perspectives and we roared with laughter at some of their stories.

Members of the audience asked about and received advice on how to address certain situations in the work place. The exchange was genuine and insightful and our 2014-2015 Chapter President, Mary Ackley, has made it a priority to develop other programs along the same lines, including mentoring, personal and career development topics, and leadership.

Carolyn Rovner, contributing fashion writer for Diablo Magazine and Alive Magazine, walked us through a fashion show to address that age-old question, Just What is Business Appropriate Attire? For the past three years Carolyn has been voted “Best Personal Shopper/Stylist” by Diablo Magazine readers. One lucky audience member won a complimentary session with Carolyn and others were eager for some on-on-one advice.

Through humor and laughter, Christy Kaplan, Director of Community Health Improvement at John Muir Health, managed to deliver a deadly serious message regarding women’s health. One participant wrote in the survey that, for her, the presentation was life-saving. Others wrote that it was “the best dosage of healthcare education” and “very relevant and fun.” I have known Christy personally for over 20 years and have always thought that if she ever tired of nursing she could make it on the comedy circuit.

Back by popular demand, we closed again with Harvey Helms, author, web columnist, celebrity stylist and a self-proclaimed beauty junkie. Harvey shared tips we would like hold close to the vest, and kept us all in stitches with his stories and antics.

But it was not all roses and sunshine. While the food and venue were out of this world, the parking was a point of frustration for many. Solution? Another beautiful venue with world class food and plenty of parking! We are pleased to invite you to join us on July 24, 2015 at Wente Vineyards in Livermore for the 3rd Annual Women’s Luncheon. Harvey agreed at the close of this year’s luncheon to close for us again in 2015 and the event will be followed by wine tasting in one of their private tasting rooms.

The Outreach Team would like to thank all of those who helped make this event such a big success. We welcome anyone who is interested in helping us plan for 2015. The time commitment is less than an hour a week on the phone, and the rewards are endless. If interested, please call the HFMA Northern California Chapter at (925) 828-4532 and you will be put in touch with the team members.

One of our members summed up the spirit and intention of this event by writing “I am grateful that I get to attend today's Women's Luncheon and get to know members in person, and listened to their stories. My support is even broader and future looks brighter because one of the participants inspired me today.” That is what it is all about.


Documents

July 2014 The Edge€¦ · ★ Region 11 Certification Webinar Series The Helen M. Yerger Award recognizes outstanding chapter performance in the categories of Collaboration, Education,