Experience

University of Kentucky

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Director, Behavioral Health

  • Feb 2021 - Present



Allina Health

• United States
• Hospitals and Health Care
• 700 & Above Employee

• Director of Patient Care, United Hospital

  • Nov 2017 - Dec 2020

  The primary focus of this role is oversight of the four inpatient mental health units, (Adult, Geriatric, and Adolescent populations) and four outpatient programs. The work here is centered on safety, excellent evidence based practice, process improvement, and regulatory compliance all within the framework of interdisciplinary partnerships with site based and system wide teams. Additional duties include oversite of the Nursing Supervisor team and hospital capacity management. Duties in this role include budgetary planning, implementation, and assessment; Value stream improvement work with ownership of multiple A3 projects; building and sustaining a talented leadership team. Integration of mental health knowledge and practices within the mental health department, the ED Mental Health Suites, and throughout the hospital where patients with mental illness receive their care.



University of Minnesota Medical Center

• United States
• Hospitals and Health Care
• 700 & Above Employee

• Administrative nursing Supervisor, on-call

  • Nov 2017 - Jan 2020

• Director of Clinical Development and Regulatory for Behavioral Health

  • May 2016 - Nov 2017

  January of 2017 add responsibility for regulatory and compliance within Behavioral Health Services. Together this pairs well with my role with Clinical Development as described below.Plans, directs, controls, coordinates and evaluates activities focused on the orientation training and continuous development activities across Fairview Behavioral Services. This includes resource management, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, educational opportunities, and financial management. Serves as a leader and role model to all staff. Incorporates new research findings and technological advances into educational design and content that promote staff development along a continuum.

• Director, Behavioral Programs

  • Jun 2015 - Nov 2017

  Accountable for the operations, fiscal management, and strategic planning of behavioral patients including general adult patients, those with thought disorders including early intervention for first episode psychosis, a 55+ inpatient program, and the ECT procedural department.--Responsible for the overall operations of programs.--Recommend and formulate policies which govern the management of the programs.--Responsible for developing, implementing, and advancing professional practices to improve the quality of patient care and/or services.--Develops strategic plans consistent with the Fairview system long rage plans--Responsible for human resource management of staff--Responsible for compliance with external regulatory agencies--Create and maintain an environment that advances evidence based practice, encourages staff development, and creates the best possible experience for patients.MAY 2016--Assumed Director role over Clinical development and education for Fairview Behavioral ServicesJANUARY 2016 --Assumed director role for Behavioral Health regulatory and compliance. Relinquished leadership over general psych unit and thought disorder unit. Accepted responsibility for the 55+ inpatient program and ECT procedural department.



Independant

• various locations

• Business Consultant

  • Feb 2015 - Jun 2015

  1.Focussed review of current status of a program within the behavioral health/chemical health division to look at all aspects from admission to discharge making recommendations for any changes to serve current population in addition to recommendations for future growth to serve a changing population. 2.Review of two departments for efficiency and growth potential for a company looking at significant expansion during the year. 1.Focussed review of current status of a program within the behavioral health/chemical health division to look at all aspects from admission to discharge making recommendations for any changes to serve current population in addition to recommendations for future growth to serve a changing population. 2.Review of two departments for efficiency and growth potential for a company looking at significant expansion during the year.



University of Minnesota Medical Center

• United States
• Hospitals and Health Care
• 700 & Above Employee

• Director of Patient Experience

  • 2012 - 2015

  The director of Patient Experience leads the efforts of establishing culture, programs, methodology, and initiatives that drive service excellence and continually enhance the patient and family experience. Implements and continually evolves the patient experience strategic and tactical plans. Serves as a leader in the operations and culture who will drive results. Works directly with key medical directors and with UMPhysicians to move this work in an active and positive direction. Provides leadership and accountability for the management of people, finances, and business operations. Interacts with all levels of the organization: Physician groups, administrative and management teams, and all employees to create, implement, monitor, and report outcomes of patient and family experience initiatives. Training and development including cirriculum development, training, coaching, measuring, and determining plans to sustain improvements and move into next steps. Responsible for the oversight of the patient relations department including service recovery, meeting regulatory requirements for responding to complaints and grievances, patient representation during complex care conferences and/or conflicting situations, driving the appeals process and the strategic and tactical plans for the department. Interfaces with patient relations leaders across the system to help drive system changes that lead to standardization of the FV processes. This role is also responsible for the oversight of the patient rights regulatory items including consents, advanced directives, restraints, bill of rights, etc. Collaboratively working with all onsight surveyors to complete scheduled and unscheduled visits and if needed to create any action plans associated with identified areas for improvement.



Fairview Health Services

• United States
• Hospitals and Health Care
• 700 & Above Employee

• EXCEL program

  • 2013 - 2014

  A year long leadership development program within Fairview Health System aimed at furthering the development of high potential leaders. Focus is on improving leadership skills, project management, personal and professional development, etc. The project assigned and completed focused on developing an action plan to improve employee engagement scores as they pertained to senior leadership. This included significant focus on what is trust, how do leaders earn trust, and specific actions to drive this improvement.



University of MN Medical Center, Fairview

• Director of Patient Placement

  • 2007 - 2012

  Oversight of Patient Placement, Patient Relations, and Administrative Nursing Supervisors for adult and children's hospitals at the University of MN. Hospital is a large (888 bed) academic medical center situated on two campuses divided by the Mississippi river.

• Patient Care Unit Supervisor

  • 2004 - 2007

  Clinical and business oversight of three inpatient psychiatric units: Adult Crisis, Adolescent Crisis & intensive treatment center (ITC), and thought disorder (Schizophrenic) units.



University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview

• Utilization Review Specialist

  • 2001 - 2004

  Responsible for all utilizationr review of behavioral and chemical health. Worked collaboratively with physicians and insurance providers to negotiate medically neccesary care and receive authorization for this care. Included case conferences with ancillary staff and patients. Requesting appeals and challenging denials to assure optimal coverage of expenses for the facility and the patient. Responsible for all utilizationr review of behavioral and chemical health. Worked collaboratively with physicians and insurance providers to negotiate medically neccesary care and receive authorization for this care. Included case conferences with ancillary staff and patients. Requesting appeals and challenging denials to assure optimal coverage of expenses for the facility and the patient.



Health Partners

• Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

• Psychiatric Nurse Specialist

  • 1991 - 2001

  Initial role in this position was working in an MD/RN dyad and following a case load of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health and chemical health patients. Proposed, created, and implemented an intensive outpatient program designed to create a bridge for hospitalized patients from discharge until a point of demonstrated connection and stability in the outpatient setting. Other elements of this position included working the crisis line, training in the call center, helping to develop processes and flow for patients and staff, doing case reviews, and other elements of inpatient and outpatient services.



Metropolitan Medical Center

• Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

• Several RN roles over 10 years.

  • 1980 - 1990



St Mary's Hospital

• Minneapolis

• Staff Registered Nurse

  • 1978 - 1980



Benesh Clinic

• Minneapolis

• Billing Specialist

  • 1973 - 1978

  Initial position was as medical receptionist and evolved into secretarial role and later to billing specialist. Three physician general practice with very large, well established clinic. Initial position was as medical receptionist and evolved into secretarial role and later to billing specialist. Three physician general practice with very large, well established clinic.