Ambulatory Care and Management

Veteran/Purple Heart Recipient

CAREER Profile

Highly qualified and well-rounded healthcare administrator that has a strong and diverse background in healthcare, operations, facility management, strategic planning, Lean, healthcare development and redesign background. This includes sixteen years of hands-on patient care experience as well as over ten years' experience successfully providing executive level leadership in clinical, administrative, facility planning and overall hospital disciplines. Highly skilled with implementing and managing complex issues at all levels in order to plan, develop, organize, decipher and perfect policy. Able to evaluate hospital-wide operational management programs and needs. Sixteen years of in-depth management experience with healthcare-related development projects for both ambulatory and non-ambulatory settings throughout all disciplines of healthcare. Active security clearance.

PROFESSIONAL STRENGTHs & CERTIFICATIONS

• BLS certified

• HIPAA-Trained & Certified

• Certified in Food Protection and Safety

• Advanced skills with Microsoft Office, Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support Automated Information System, Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application, VistA, IPPS, eCMS, Vet-Link, CPRS, and Spectacle Request Transmission System.

• Strategy, Vision & Mission Planning

• Streamlining Operations / Process Improvement, Lean

• Organizational Analyses & Systemic Internal Review

• Sharing Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding

• Business Process Redesign/BPR/PM

• Contract Negotiations & Strategic Alliances

• Financial Management, Budgeting & Cost Management

• Public Relations & Media Affairs

• Policy & Procedure Development

• Government Regulations

• Facility Planning and Development

• Team Building, Performance Improvement and Personnel Management

• Healthcare Delivery System Program Knowledge

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

5

• Used BPR expertise as was a SME for the Walter Reed's Facility Planning and Development team through the largest military hospital merger

• Successfully transitioned, coordinated, and managed the Master Sharing Agreement between the DoD and the VA for the new, William H. Gourley VA-DoD Health Care Center.

• Appointed the SME from the WRAMC's Department of Medicine to work with Facility Planning to create and design the new Health Care Planning Model for both the clinical and administrative space and overall operations management. Consulted on the designed and was the SME for the implementation of the new Medical Home Model of care for the new Walter Reed Military Medical Center's.

• Appointed by the assistant Chief of Ambulatory Care to analysis, consult, implement and lead the VA Palo Alto Health Care System with the integration and implementation of the Veterans Point-of-Service (VPS) (Vecna Kiosk system and software) Since the system was launched in May of 2014 the Kiosk system has surpassed the rest of the VA National system measures with an average monthly score of 98% utilization out of 100% and has set the standard for all new innovation within the system. Was selected by CBO to be one of the lead VetLink champions for future national roll outs and implantations.

• Presented a number of medical (battlefield and non-battlefield) lean model design presentations and proposals to Congress, Cabinet members and Flag officers of the US armed services to help support a new age of healthcare operations for the 21st century. This helped pave the way for the new MHM and PACT designs for the DoD and VA.

• Successfully passed 7 JC inspections.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Office of Facility Planning & Development (OFPD)

Palo Alto Division of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System

Facility Planner/ Management and Program Analyst for South Bay Out-Patient Clinics (OPC's)

VAPAHCS, Vet-Link Director

November 2015-Present

• Appointed by Chief of OFPD to direct, implement and lead the overall south bay OPC's operations

• Charged with overseeing successful transition, coordination, and management of the Master Sharing Agreement

• Jurisdiction was the South Bay area and included the Monterey, San Jose, Capitola and the new Santa Cruz OPC's

• These fall in the Monterey, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz Counties that consist of an overall population of 1.9 million

• Leads and mentors an interdisciplinary team of facility planners, architects, engineers, clinic SME's, contractors, and other project managers through the South bay OPC's area.

• Evaluates all demographic, actuarial and workload projections as well as coordinates and advises all healthcare planning and strategic capital implementation planning (SCIP) activities.

• Advises the VAPAHCS executives on all south bay facility master plan activities and operations.

• Served as Group Practice Manager (GPM), which included overseeing the efficient functioning of multiple clinics within the Primary Care departments at Walter Reed as well as the VA in Palo Alto

• Direct all aspects of clinical practice management as well as the analysis and evaluation of healthcare delivery services so as to ensure that the mission of the people and the system are all met

• Analyze the effectiveness and efficiency of clinical departments as well as ensure that access standards are met. Developed procedures to monitor the utilization of healthcare so as to ensure that both the patient and government are enjoying mutual benefit

• Provide first-line supervision of staff as well as oversight of high-level functions such as business plans and budgets

• Serving as VAPAHCS technical and clinical advisor to the Medical Center Director and subject matter expert for all south bay facility planning and programming initiatives

• Oversees and manages all contracts, leases, service providers, vendors and is the contract officer's representatives (COR) for all the South bay operations.

• Coordinates and manages ten facility planning and programming activities including, but not limited to, VAPAHCS healthcare planning model (HCPM), VAPAHCS strategic capital implementation planning (SCIP) action plans and business case analysis (BCA's).

• Reviews and submits all major construction, minor construction, non-recurring maintenance (NRM) project applications and reviews for approval all for high-tech/high-cost equipment applications.

• Coordinates all healthcare system master planning activities ensuring to comply with all environmental and cultural resource (NEPA and section 106) requirements.

• Coordinates the development of all SEPS space programs for all new construction and renovation projects to include major construction, minor construction and NRM/station level projects.

• Formulates transition and activation budgets, create phasing and transition plans, and facilitate ongoing communication and coordination with the project development section project managers and VAPAHCS COR on all building activation "fit up."

• Serves as the office of facility planning and developments' clinical consultant subject matter expert for all facility planning and programming initiatives

• Currently the COR for the Anderson Brule Architects contract which oversees the transition of the new William H. Gourley VA-DoD Health Care Center-$997,705.00

• Currently the COR for the Booz Allen Hamilton VA/DoD Master Sharing Agreement contract. $2,732,619.27

• Successfully orchestrated one of the most well-received VA groundbreaking events in VAPAHCS history.

• Successfully created a new Patient Concierge Services (15+ FTEE) for the new William H. Gourley VA-DoD Health Care Center. This new service provides real time one on one help for all patients and guest with check in, guest/patient transport, and guest/patient way-finding assistance.

• Reports daily to the Medical Center Director and is the South Bay Facility Operations SME for the weekly VISN calls as well as the weekly report calls with Central Business Office (CBO) and CFM.

• Leads the daily DMS calls with all six CBOC's, the Livermore, Menlo Park and Palo Alto Divisions. Collaborates on a day-to-day basis in partnership with the Medical Center Director, Associate Medical Center Director, Chief of Staff, and Chief Nurse Executive.

• Oversees and collaborates on all policy-making, management decisions, strategic planning, and executive oversight of all South Bay Operations.

• Creates, coordinates and collaborates with the executive staff with the HCS's management briefing process, the development of the Annual Report, Strategic Planning, Sharing Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), which outline both short and long-term goals for the South Bay Operations.

• Responsible for making and implementing executive decisions that directly impact patient care and staff.

• Serves as the Director of the VAPAHCS Vet-link VPS initiate department: oversees and manages all aspects of the entire HCS Vet-Link use, including directing and overseeing Vet-Link staff training, pilot testing and implementing new long distance care models, and multi-site coordination and problem resolution.

• Provides oversight and guidance to assure that all technologies selected for use within the Vet-Link programs comply with the requirements of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other relevant VHA Directives and guidance e.g. VHA Directive 2002-042.

• Ensures the planning and implementation of the Vet-Link installation procedures involving a variety of equipment, services, and operating techniques are coordinated by working closely with the facility Vet-Link staff, facility CIO, Bio-Medical, and facility OI&T personnel.

• Facilitates development of creative and innovative approaches and practices; serves as the SME in assessing current operation and develops recommendations for executive leadership relative to new policies, procedures, resources, and programs, etc.

Office of the Associate Chief of Staff for Ambulatory Care (ACOS/AC)

Palo Alto Division of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System

May 2014 thru October 2015

Management and Program Analyst

• Handpicked by the Associate Chief of Staff to analyze, implement and lead the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) by improving and resolving operational deficiencies, to promote acceptable VAPAHCS conduct and performance for all, and to reduce the overall confusion caused by the old-fashioned management/clinical practices and technologies that are used within the entire Health Care System.

• The VAPAHCS is one of the largest and most complex medical facilities in the nation, providing care to more than 60,000 enrolled veterans resulting in over 630,000 patients visits per year, operating 875 beds, and providing a variety of specialty care clinics and regional treatment centers.

• VAPAHCS consist of three inpatient facilities located at Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Livermore, plus seven outpatient clinics in San Jose, Fremont, Capitola, Monterey, Stockton, Modesto, and Sonora.

• Responsible for the coordination, integration and implementation of the Veterans Point-of-Service (VPS) Program T21 Initiative -- Self-service devices (Vecna Kiosk system and software) that was passed in 2009.

• Consults with National and Cabinet Member level leadership as well as local leadership as the SME on the Vecna Kiosk System throughout the VAPAHCS.

• Since the system was launched in May of 2014 my team at the VAPAHCS has surpassed the rest of the VA National system measures with that average monthly score of 98% utilization out of 100%.

• Responsible for mentoring and consulting with the VAPAHCS Healthcare System Specialist, Supervisor in order to help redesign and implement a new modern and more effective and efficient lean model for reorganizing the VAPAHCS administration staff of 90+ FTEE.

• Since May 2014, the medical support staff has gone from an undesirable staff of 35(40 which were vacant for some time) to a desirable staff of 120 well trained and very efficient admin staff, which has increased patient flow and satisfaction, reduced the number of open consults by more than 90%, reduced patients wait times, reduced scheduling errors by more than 90%, and has decreased the high turnover rate at every VAPAHCS front desk location expediently.

• Appointed by leadership to ensure all medical record encounters are completed correctly and closed out within 7 working days.

• Since May 2014, the VAPAHCS went from having over 2000 open encounters down to fewer than 500 in just 2 months. Worked with leadership to create and implement a new lean and user friendly regulation to ensure timely event capture and close out of all medical records by the providers within the VAPAHCS region.

• Advises Ambulatory Care leadership with independently developed data and objectively based information for making decisions on the administrative and programmatic aspects of Ambulatory Care/Hospital operations and management and advises on potential benefits/uses on process improvement strategies to improve efficiency of programs.

• Consults and guides VAPAHCS leadership with interpreting national directives, policies, developing implementing of local policies, defining administrative requirements, and/or providing advice to top management on related issues.

• Responsible for developing and training all levels of staff with ways to improve overall support for and understanding all VA policies and directives, both old and new.

• Consults with leadership and advises how to distribute and balance workload among employees in accordance with employee and labor relations current SOP's. SME on implementing, instructing, and advising all levels of employees with specific tasks and job techniques, making written instructions and reference materials and supplies available when needed.

• Shares with top leadership extensive knowledge of clinic access issues, performance measures, VHA Systems Redesign and Advanced Clinic Access methodologies, national directives related to scheduling and outpatient workload, and Joint Commission accreditation requirements applicable to the administration of a VA Ambulatory Care health program.

• Advises, and submits executive level assessments, to the VAPAHCS senior leadership regarding Ambulatory Care Services throughout the VAPAHCS on the evaluation and the effectiveness of Ambulatory Care Service programs and operations, including those related to Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT), Telehealth, My HealtheVet, eConsult, Health Promotion Disease Prevention, Clinic access, HR issues, Scheduling and Consult management.

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center -- Washington DC

Department of Medicine - Optometry Services (post Base Realignment and Closure, BRAC)

November 2007-August 2013

Health System Manager, White House Ophthalmic Consultant

• Appointed by Command as the subject matter expert post-merger to improve and resolve operational deficiencies, and reduce confusion caused by the merger.

• Included Departments of Medicine Operations, Clinical Support, Strategic Communications and Planning, and Patient Advocacy. Advised Command and Department Chiefs on all pending and new issues related to employee conduct and performance, and other related issues such as employee standards of conduct and suitability.

• Served as WRNMMC's technical advisor and subject matter expert for all facility planning and programming initiatives for the Dept. of Medicine.

• Responsible for the development, coordination, and integration of the Base Realignment and Closure process from 2007-2011.

• Managed the merger of the two largest eye clinics in the military healthcare system.

• Consulted with other facilities on new clinical operations and planning.

• Implemented and monitored programs and business model changes established by management or Joint Task Force CAPMED.

• Coordinated all Dept. of Medicine system master planning activities ensuring they complied with all environmental and cultural resource (NEPA and Section 106) requirements.

• Provided full line responsibility and administrative oversight of the services and departments for the White House Chief Optometrist / Consultant (WHO).

• Was appointed as the SME for the WRNMMC's interdisciplinary team of facility planners, architects, engineers, clinicians, administrators and other project managers. Evaluated all demographic, actuarial and workload projections as well as coordinate all Health Care Planning Model and Strategic Capital Implementation Planning (SCIP) activities, and oversaw the Department of Medicine's facility master plan activities.

• Led strategic planning and conducted Business Case Analyses for streamlining operations for five new centers.

• Directed an internal review program post merge to develop and implement standardized job descriptions, policies, regulations and guidelines for specialized medical and non-medical positions.

• Designed and trained staff on patient procedures and flow for TBI, low vision and Wounded Warrior rehabilitation.

• Improved patient flow processes and department access and administrative services by utilizing process improvement principles. Increased productivity exceeding administration's expectations.

• Implemented use of PC tablet on in and out patient units by physicians used in daily visits, etc., which allowed access to updated medical info.

• Increased number of patients seen due to time saved, cost savings as a result of reducing redundancies in labs, meds and medical consults.

• Under my leadership the Dept. of Medicine and the eye care services were the first and only departments to merger on time and under budget without patient interruption.

• Planned, organized, and guided the departments' significant activities and actions across the directorates.

• Developed and recommended administrative policy affecting more than 100 DoD employees, as a consultant to the WHO and principal deputy on executive and administrative matters.

• Directed quality management activities for the chief, including survey readiness for The Joint Commission, HIPAA compliance, safety & risk management, credentialing, and patient relations.

• Developed new ways to resolve major administrative or clinical problems and planned the most significant administrative management aspects of professional or scientific programs.

• Using process improvement techniques, developed administrative all new regulations and guidelines for the conduct for the new operations and criteria for measuring program accomplishments.

• Provided expert advice and guidance on future projects by changing physical environment(s) or other similar variables and unknowns affecting planning and design criteria and critical problems with respect to costs and infrastructure impacts.

• Planned weekly check and balance rosters to prioritize efforts ensuring quality care was rendered.

• Supervised department planning, budgeting (~$3M a FY), equipment management ($2M), and administrative department activities.

• Managed support programs i.e. financial management, HR and procurements.

• Interviewed candidates for supervisory positions, and made recommendations for appointment, promotion, or reassignments.

• Responsible for resolving difficult and controversial employee relations cases within the facility.

• Submitted all major construction, minor construction, non-recurring maintenance (NRM) project applications and completed all high tech/high cost equipment applications on time for the duration of the project.

Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Department of Medicine -- Ambulatory Services

October 2004-November 2007

Non-Commissioned Officer, (NCO), U.S. Army / Dept. Manager • Accountable for 500 + staff, managed through 14 direct reports.

• Oversaw 300 providers and staff for the clinic and ancillary departments serving 3000 patients.