Alma R. Lozano
Fort Worth,TX
Summary
Professional with background in healthcare management, bringing valuable experience in streamlining operations and boosting clinic performance. Known for fostering collaborative team environment and driving quality improvements. Dependable and adaptable, excelling in dynamic settings with focus on patient care and staff development.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Practice Manager II
Cook Children’s Ear Nose & Throat Center
01.2016 - Current
- Customers are defined as patients, families, visitors, physicians, co-workers, and our community and business partners
- Leads by example, motivates, coaches, and empowers staff to create and maintain a customer friendly environment
- Fosters positive working relationships, across departments and campuses to represent Cook Children's as a unified, supportive system
- Organizes department staff meetings for the purpose of facilitating communications, problem solving, and addressing operational issues
- Models Cook Children's mission, vision, and values
- Engages in the full spectrum of communication excellence: models integrity, personal accountability, engagement, communication bridges, active listening, open dialogue, empathy, understanding and interest
- Acknowledges and respects individual cultures, values, beliefs, and preferences
- Practices self-care and renewal
- Works with management team to address and resolve customer complaints
- Exhibits professional character, attitude and appearance for self and staff
- Maintains confidentiality
- Commits to and embraces diversity
- Accepts feedback and learns from experiences
- Identifies staffing needs
- Works directly with the management team to recruit, interview and retain qualified staff to meet departmental needs
- Works closely with management team within the practice to assess orientation and ongoing professional development of staff
- Provides opportunities for professional development through cross training within department
- Composes and conducts effective performance appraisals and development plans within a timely fashion
- Responsible for the oversight of daily financial processes including cash control, claim denials/edits, charge entry, daily/monthly balancing, and A/R monitoring
- Assists with management of clinic schedules to ensure optimal patient scheduling
- Ensures that adequate staffing levels are maintained in the clinic and identifies and implements opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs
- Performs daily office functions as needed during staff shortages and high census in order to achieve efficient patient flow, quality and safety
- Provides support to staff to improve the cost efficiency and productivity of the department
- Facilitates scheduling of work in order to effectively complete the work and provide safe patient services in a timely manner
- Coordinates activities for reimbursement of underinsured patients
- Collaborates with the billing office and other billing entities to resolve inquiries related to patient billing and improve reimbursement from third party payors
- Facilitates timely documentation by clinicians to ensure that services are billed within 72 business hours
- Maintains appropriate cash control
- Works independently with the physicians and nursing leadership to support oversight of care provided and support staff needs in respective areas of responsibility
- Able to assess patient/family and staff needs and develop appropriate response
- Demonstrates decision making and problem solving which include data collection and analysis
- Assists with the implementation of processes to support patient care
- Demonstrates critical thinking and delegates appropriately
- Considers patient/family and employee impact when making decisions
- Recognizes departmental need for change and is seen as a change agent for the benefit of the department and healthcare system
- Understands and adheres to Cook Children's HealthCare System policies/procedures and regulatory standards
- Provides guidance to staff to assist in their compliance of such policies
- Monitors the performance of staff by performing routine audits of quality service indicators, participating and ensuring staff participation in department based quality improvement initiatives and ensures that staff is held accountable
- Performs or delegates concurrent medical record reviews to validate that appropriate documentation is present to support physician billing and intervenes as appropriate
Executive Secretary
CCMC Specialty Admin/Gastroenterology
01.2012 - 01.2016
- Support Specialty Directors Deborah Sapp, DeWan Perry, and GI Medical Director/ Physicians, management and staff as needed with varying daily tasks
- Manage Dodson Float Pool Staff schedules
- Prioritize clinic needs and assign float staff accordingly in collaboration with clinic managers/clinical coordinators
- Manage float staff PTO request and float staff coaching as needed
- Back up for preparing EOM reports, charges, appeals for GI Clinic as needed
- Record meeting minutes for Provider monthly meetings, NEST Executive Committee Meeting and others as they arise
- Provide Notary services to CCHCS employees
- Manage Director direct report payroll Kronos manager approving time, applying attendance rules and service staff as a resource for questions/issues
- Manage ULearn activities of Director reports and approve/assign learning as needed
- Serve as clinic Administrative member of GI Family Advisory Council and assist families with projects and create quarterly GI FAC newsletter
- Manage and plan marketing strategies related to GI’s annual participation with the Crohn’s and Colitis Take Steps Walk
- Recruit volunteers, work with marketing for tents, attend and ensure the event is successful
- Manage and post on the GI Clinic Facebook page
- Manage Dodson Conference Room requests, inquiries and issues
SC Insurance Specialist
Gastroenterology Clinic
01.2010 - 01.2012
- Manage edits, appeals, denials and ensure accurate claims are submitted
- Ensure correct coding on physician cards/claims prior to dropping claim
- Enter all inpatient charges for multiple physicians in Athena
- Enter Meditech various ITS charges
- Prepare/Assist with month end duties
- Float into various administrative positions when needed
- Translate for Spanish speaking population as needed
- Practice Manager backup during extended Manager FMLA
SC Medical Receptionist II
Gastroenterology Clinic
01.2007 - 01.2010
- Surgery scheduling and obtaining authorization when required for multiple providers
- Working collaboratively with Outpatient surgery, radiology and/or lab to schedule services
- Providing excellent customer service to families on the phone and in person at all times
- Scheduling appointments, proper phone etiquette, insurance verification, obtaining referrals if required
- Balance cash/check/cc drawer daily and collect past due balance from parents
- Provide Spanish translation between the provider and Spanish speaking families
Administrative Assistant
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas
01.2004 - 01.2007
- Primary clerical support to patients and employees in the EEG and Epilepsy Monitoring Unit Depts
- Scheduling inpatient and outpatient testing, precertification and eligibility verification and input charges in SMS
- Timekeeper for both EEG and EMU departments
- Answer heavy call volume, created spreadsheet to track inpatients
- Schedule inpatient intraoperative monitoring with contract service and Neurologist
- Prepare and mail admit and discharge letters for admitting physicians
- Assist the department supervisor, physicians and department staff as needed
Worker’s Compensation Assistant
Mid-Cities Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Clinic
01.2001 - 01.2004
- Assist claim adjusters with patient updates relating to return to work dates and restrictions
- Obtaining preauthorization and verifying eligibility before the date of service
- Heavy call volume, inbound and outbound calls
- Providing excellent customer service and assisting customers with appointment scheduling and calendaring
- Creating new patient charts, verifying workers compensation information and serve as a resource for all callers with workers compensation questions
- Assist Spanish speaking callers and providers when needed to translate care
- Faxing, copying and assisting Insurance companies with information required to update the workers compensation claim
Corporate Switchboard Operator
Resource Temp Agency/Radio Shack Corporation
01.2001 - 04.2001
- Assist high call inbound callers and transfer to appropriate department
- Assist callers and other departments with Spanish interpretation
Specimen Processor
Paladin Teams Temp Agency/Quest Diagnostics
01.1999 - 01.2000
- Data entry of patient demographics and specimen processing
- Verifying patient information on each specimen and requisition
- Verification of test codes and requisition and sending the specimen to the appropriate department for test completion
Education
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration - Healthcare Management
Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, UT12-2023
Skills
- Schedule Management
- Staff Management
- Practice Management
- Workflow Management
- Strategic Planning
- Critical Thinking
- Staff Development
- Budget Oversight
- Continuous Improvement
- Process Implementation
- Employee Performance Evaluations
- HIPAA Guidelines
Certification
- Basic Life Support Certification (BLS)
- Six Sigma Certification - Yellow Belt
Languages
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
ASL
Limited Working
Timeline
Practice Manager II
Cook Children’s Ear Nose & Throat Center
01.2016 - Current
Executive Secretary
CCMC Specialty Admin/Gastroenterology
01.2012 - 01.2016
SC Insurance Specialist
Gastroenterology Clinic
01.2010 - 01.2012
SC Medical Receptionist II
Gastroenterology Clinic
01.2007 - 01.2010
Administrative Assistant
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas
01.2004 - 01.2007
Worker’s Compensation Assistant
Mid-Cities Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Clinic
01.2001 - 01.2004
Corporate Switchboard Operator
Resource Temp Agency/Radio Shack Corporation
01.2001 - 04.2001
Specimen Processor
Paladin Teams Temp Agency/Quest Diagnostics
01.1999 - 01.2000
- Basic Life Support Certification (BLS)
- Six Sigma Certification - Yellow Belt
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration - Healthcare Management
Western Governors University
Similar Profiles
Brittany GonzalesBrittany Gonzales
Medical Receptionist II at Cook Children's Ear, Nose, and Throat CenterMedical Receptionist II at Cook Children's Ear, Nose, and Throat Center
Edith SanchezEdith Sanchez
Medical Assistant at Los Angeles Center For Ear, Nose, Throat And AllergyMedical Assistant at Los Angeles Center For Ear, Nose, Throat And Allergy
Corey HawkinsCorey Hawkins
Patient Care Technician, Scrub Technician at Ear, Nose And Throat Surgery CenterPatient Care Technician, Scrub Technician at Ear, Nose And Throat Surgery Center