Audra Torres
Conroe,US
Summary
Results-driven Healthcare Leader focused on operational efficiency and patient satisfaction. Motivated teams to achieve 99th percentile in patient satisfaction scores. Directed financial reconciliation efforts, securing top collection performance and generating over $1 million in monthly revenue. Developed policies and conducted staff training to promote compliance and enhance organizational performance.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
Work History
Manager of Patient Access Services
Houston Methodist Hospital - The Woodlands
Houston, TX
01.2022 - 12.2025
- Managed daily operations and staff in patient access services, enhancing patient flow.
- Oversaw scheduling, pre-registration, insurance verification, and emergency department registration.
- Guided staffing decisions, including hiring, terminations, and employee coaching.
- Ensured compliance with staffing budgets and developed policies for a safe work environment.
- Implemented training and monitoring initiatives to uphold ethical and regulatory standards.
- Utilized analytical skills to resolve operational issues effectively.
- Identified and implemented improvements in admissions process through assessment of existing systems, enhancing overall patient experience.
- Compiled and presented comprehensive reports from multiple data sources, highlighting key achievements and actionable recommendations.
- Prioritized maintaining superior patient satisfaction scores, top collections rates within the system, and team performance that exceeded the KPI metrics set for the department in both the outpatient registration and ED registration areas
Sr. Practice Manager
Houston Methodist Hospital -Primary Care Group
Houston, TX
01.2021 - 12.2021
- Oversaw day-to-day operations of a multi-physician Houston Methodist Primary Care Group location.
- Managed all HR functions of the clinic, including hiring and performance management of staff.
- Manages, monitors, and documents the performance management/appraisal process for staff establishing work standards and expectations by providing feedback regularly.
- Mentors, coaches, and develops staff to accomplish goals; takes responsibility for identifying developmental needs and creating action plans to enhance the growth and development of the team.
- Manages daily operations of the practice for staff, physicians, and associated physician extenders.
- Establishes clear communications and builds positive relationships with patients, physicians, management, peers and staff.
- Served as a role model for customer/patient satisfaction, fostering a positive experience for all stakeholders.
- Supports the team with the resolution of escalated patient issues.
- Coordinated staff and physician schedules to ensure optimal coverage and meet patient needs.
- The first point of contact for staff and providers needing information or guidance regarding clinic processes, procedures, and workflows.
- Held all staff and providers accountable to organizational and departmental policies and procedures.
- Ensure timekeeping, inventory, credentialing, licensing, and certifications for the providers and staff are up to date.
- Ensure expiration deadlines are met or that staff and provider licenses and certification are current.
- Consistent audits to ensure compliance and minimize risk.
- Ensure staff and providers are clear regarding privacy laws (i.e., HIPAA) and policies regarding PHI.
- Responsible for the daily monitoring of charge capture patient encounters and collections.
- Manages petty cash batches and deposits.
- Ensure encounters are reviewed, claims created, and manage workflow dashboards (EF).
- Fiscal administration of the practice to include purchasing, inventory management, monthly account reporting, and operation reports.
- Oversees the daily/monthly expenditures, staffing, overtime hours, and the annual clinic budget.
- Achieved promotion from Manager I to Senior Practice Manager role at Memorial.
- Proposed actionable ideas that enhanced operational efficiencies while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
- Analyzed customer feedback to identify areas where process improvement was required.
- Maintained accurate records of all processes and procedures.
- Organized meetings between departments to discuss changes or improvements in current systems.
Sr. Practice Manager
Memorial Hermann
Houston, Texas
10.2016 - 01.2021
- Oversaw business operations for six clinics in the Employer Solutions and Executive Health service line of the Memorial Hermann Medical Group.
- Ensured optimal care to patients by holding the teams accountable to adhere to all policies and procedures set at both the clinic and organizational level.
- Oversaw financial performance of clinic by delivering detailed MORs (Monthly Operating Reports) covering operating revenues, net income loss, staff expenses, supply purchases, TOS (time of service) collections, provider wRVUs, zero pay reports for claims, and customer service initiatives; included MTD and YTD variances with explanations for unfavorable budget variances.
- Collaborated with CBO to ensure timely claims filing, corrected claim issues, and educated providers and clinical staff on proper documentation, minimizing claims holds; utilized Care4/Cerner EMR.
- Pull reports from Athena to track clinic productivity; utilize the systems for data needed for my MOR; also use the EPSI system to pull detailed P&L reports.
- Yearly strategic planning and budgeting for the upcoming fiscal year.
- Work with my teams to improve and maintain Press Ganey scores using various techniques to include the AIDET model; also utilize the Press Ganey portal to review patient comments monthly with the teams to ensure focus on areas of opportunity; my one acquired clinic started in the 1st percentile, and is now consistently in the 99th percentile.
- Payroll management to include timecard approvals, PTO requests, and attendance tracking via the My Activestaffer/My Time and Schedule system.
- Oversaw HR functions that included creating new positions and requisitions, hiring, firing, performance improvement plans, tracking certifications, and yearly evaluations, and utilized Workday to manage employee files.
- Addressed patient complaints and concerns to enhance the quality of service provided.
- Worked with my teams at each location to facilitate employee engagement; assisted employees with setting personal goals, and equipped them with the tools needed to achieve said goals; in addition to monthly staff meetings, Implemented monthly 1:1's with all frontline staff, clinical staff, and providers to further motivate the team.
- Collaboration with the Marketing team on the development of initiatives to promote my clinics, representing the clinics at events.
- Mentor to fellow managers, and support to new managers as they acclimate to the organization.
- Designated by the Regional Director of Operations to assist the team in her absence.
- Created comprehensive reports on patient satisfaction surveys to identify areas for improvement in services offered.
- Participated in strategic planning sessions with senior management team members.
- Utilized data analysis techniques to optimize workflow processes and maximize productivity levels.
Facility Resource Manager
First Choice Emergency Room
Houston, TX
06.2014 - 03.2017
- Management of the Facility Resource/Patient Access department of a zone consisting of 4 freestanding emergency rooms.
- Resource for the entire team within the zone to ensure all team members are providing the highest quality of customer service and respect to patients.
- Facilitated consistent communication with team to ensure comprehension of policies and procedures through email, meetings, and monthly one-on-one shadowing.
- Provide conflict resolution for staff, in addition to resolution of issues that may arise from patients regarding services rendered, billing concerns, etc.
- Hire and train facility resource specialist.
- Assigning a minimum 40-hour training schedule to all newly hired facility resource specialists.
- Conducted annual reviews of facility resource specialists and provided corporate with the necessary documentation for determining yearly salary increases for staff.
- Conducted counseling sessions and developed performance plans to enhance staff development and accountability.
- Maintained HR documentation to ensure employee compliance with necessary courses, licensure, and certifications.
- Prepare monthly schedules for the team, which includes approval of PTO requests.
- Coordinate maintenance of the facility and office machines.
- Collaboration with fellow managers to ensure consistency of policies and procedures.
- Participate in quarterly manager trainings.
- Payroll and time reconciliation done in Exponent.
- Teaching of onboarding class that all new hires of the 20+ facilities in Houston and surrounding areas must attend prior to the individual training at their respective facilities.
- Resource for fellow Zone Managers in the Houston area.
- Ensured immediate response to facility emergencies around the clock.
- Function as a Facility Resource Specialist when working clinical shifts.
- Home support scheduler promoted to staffing coordinator Eagles Trace.
- Home support scheduler promoted to staffing coordinator Eagles Trace.
Staffing Coordinator
Eagles Trace Assisted Living/Bayou Vista Continuing Care
Houston, TX
01.2012 - 01.2017
- Daily duties as the staffer include, but are not limited to the following: ownership of all payroll and staffing for all Continuing Care non-exempt direct care staff (currently 95 employees); handling day-to-day issues that may arise with staffing or payroll; gather and check payroll information in Kronos; send all pay end reports in Kronos within set deadline.
- Tracked productivity and budgetary reports; monitored staff attendance, vacation, and sick time; approved schedule changes and PTO requests.
- Assist with interviewing potential candidates; present company policies and procedures to new hires during orientation; organize and implement new policies and/or procedures for staff.
- Assist with maintenance of open position reports; effectively communicate with current staff and applicants via telephone, written correspondence, email, and/or oral communication when addressing staffing or payroll issues; counsel staff and assist with resolving issues, and contributed to staff performance evaluation.
- Daily duties as the Home Support Scheduler include, but are not limited to the following: ensured all clients were scheduled for home support aide and other services at the times and frequencies indicated in the plan of care; assigned aides accurately; consistently, and timely to ensure the following factors: a good match between client and aide, consistency of aides on a case, fairness of case across aides, appropriate breaks for full time staff, reasonable clustering of cases from one case to the next, etc., always with consideration for the client's needs, wishes, and specific requirements.
- Minimized downtime and overtime of caregiver staff to help ensure the financial viability of the agency; maintained information accurately in the Vision scheduling system, including client profiles and employee profiles (updating information daily if necessary).
- Maintained 24/7 on-call availability, including holidays, to address urgent client needs.
- Responded to clients' and families' questions regarding services and schedules.
- Regular communication with aides regarding their availability and scheduled work time.
- Kept agency-initiated schedule changes to a minimum (as opposed to client initiation), communicated all changes to the client, and documented all reasons for schedule changes.
- Provide input to aides' performance evaluation.
- Reconciled signed visit receipts post-service to ensure accurate scheduling records and verified visits for billing and payroll exports; exported payroll per department and A/R deadlines; processed approved PTO, ELB, unbilled hours, in-services, and other payroll exceptions; maintained accurate payroll and billing records; investigated and resolved billing inquiries from clients and families, exporting necessary adjustments to A/R.
Patient/Surgery Coordinator
Carlos A. Herrera, M.D. (OBGYN and Gynecological Oncology)
Houston, TX
07.2011 - 12.2011
- Schedule/post surgeries and diagnostic tests with hospitals and diagnostic testing facilities; obtain authorizations for the surgeries and diagnostic tests.
- Verified patients' benefits for in-office services and hospital procedures; calculated patients' responsibility, deductible, and coinsurance; collected payments to ensure accurate billing.
- Communicated regularly with facilities and patients via email; drafted patient letters for employers and completed necessary patient forms, including FMLA; coordinated with physicians' offices and hospitals to facilitate patient care.
- Submit claims electronically using Medisoft software; post insurance company and patient payments into Medisoft; rectify billing issues with patients.
- Maintain physician's contracts with insurance companies.
Administrative Assistant/Receptionist/Patient Coordinator
Houston Neurology and Sleep Center
Houston, TX
05.2010 - 02.2011
- Schedule and confirm all sleep study appointments for the facility; input patients' information into the system (Softaid), and log all studies in Excel.
- Communicated with physicians' offices to ensure optimal patient care; faxed sleep study results to referring physicians to facilitate timely follow-up.
- Work with the verification department to obtain referrals; collect payments from patients both in the office and by telephone; verify insurance.
- Preparation and filing of patient charts; use EMR (Amazing Charts) for patients seen in the office for office visits.
- Assisted COO with staffing technicians and delegated duties to the team.
- Collected and reconciled data on productivity and trends of scheduled sleep studies in Excel; reported findings to COO weekly, resulting in scheduling more studies than other locations and earning bonuses.
- Assisted COO with marketing efforts by collecting, verifying, and organizing referring physicians' information in Excel; sent monthly thank you cards to new referring physicians to strengthen relationships.
- Regularly generate correspondence to patients, fellow employees, and company leaders.
SCHEDULE MANAGER
Surgical Assistants of Texas
Houston, TX
07.2009 - 01.2010
- Posted, confirmed, and assigned 500 to over 650 cases monthly to ensure timely surgical support.
- Managed and assigned all case assignments for all Surgical Assistants employed by KSAT.
- Assigned the case assignments nightly for the following day to each assistant via Outlook calendar.
- Extensive communication via phone calls and emails with physicians' offices, surgery centers, and hospitals to ensure assistance for surgical cases.
- Collected and reconciled data on surgical case productivity and trends for monthly reports and meetings, facilitating informed decision-making.
- Processed payroll for Surgical Assistants, including reimbursement for parking and on-call cases; generated bi-weekly Excel logs to track hours and expenses.
- Generated correspondence to implement policies and procedures for Surgical Assistants and contributed to Employee Handbook updates.
- Assisted Surgical Coordinators with matters regarding the Surgical Assistants (i.e. PTO requests, monthly “on call” schedule, office meetings, etc.).
- Worked in conjunction with the Surgical Coordinators and the CEO of KSAT to diffuse any issues that may arise regarding the Surgical Assistants.
- Provided 24/7 on-call support for the company, including holidays, to ensure operational continuity.
RECEPTIONIST/FRONT OFFICE CLERK/ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Orthopaedic Associates
Houston, TX
04.2006 - 06.2009
- Coordinated scheduling for inpatient and outpatient surgeries, tests, and therapy, preparing surgery tickets in Centricity to optimize patient flow.
Receptionist/Administrative Assistant
Houston ENT
Houston, TX
02.2004 - 04.2006
- Welcomed patients as they arrived at the ENT clinic, creating a friendly atmosphere.
- Guided patients in completing intake forms and providing accurate insurance information, ensuring smooth patient registration.
- Scheduled and confirmed appointments using practice management software.
- Managed daily office operations, answered incoming calls, and scheduled appointments using Citrix ehs system.
Receptionist/Administrative Assistant (temp)
The Methodist Hospital Dept. of Neurology
Houston, TX
01.2004 - 02.2004
- Executed daily office tasks, answered and transferred incoming calls, greeted and checked in patients using Citrix RMI system, conducted data entry, created spreadsheets, and supported new hire training to ensure smooth clinic operations.
- Welcomed patients at clinic entrance, ensuring a friendly atmosphere.
- Managed phone inquiries, delivering accurate information about services to enhance patient understanding of available offerings.
- Scheduled appointments using electronic health record systems for optimal patient flow.
Administrative Assistant/Medical Assistant
Dr. C. Jackson
Katy, TX
01.1995 - 01.2004
- Coordinated scheduling for patient appointments and office meetings.
- Assisted in preparing documents and reports for medical consultations, contributing to accurate patient information and effective clinical decision-making.
- Managed daily office operations, maintaining organized filing systems to support workflow and information retrieval.
- Answered incoming calls, took messages for doctor and staff, and transferred calls to appropriate extensions to ensure efficient communication.
Education
Bachelor of Psychology - Biology and Psychology
Houston Christian University
Houston, TX, US01-2027
Skills
- Patient access management
- Patient relations/patient experience enhancement
- Surgery scheduling/Patient registration/Insurance verification
- Coding and billing proficiency
- HIPAA compliance
- JCAHO standards compliance
- CLIA regulations adherence
- Accounts payable and receivable
- Claim analysis and resolution
- Financial reconciliation
- Collections management
- Operational reporting
- Budgeting expertise
- Payroll processing
- Performance improvement
- Process optimization
- Data analysis
- Efficiency management
- Performance evaluations
- Employee recognition
- Training development
- Onboarding strategy
- Team leadership
- Leadership development
- Relationship building
- Staff development
- Policy development
- Microsoft Office proficiency
- Epic system proficiency
- Scheduling expertise
- Complex problem-solving
- Staff development
- Policy development
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Manager of Patient Access Services
Houston Methodist Hospital - The Woodlands
01.2022 - 12.2025
Sr. Practice Manager
Houston Methodist Hospital -Primary Care Group
01.2021 - 12.2021
Sr. Practice Manager
Memorial Hermann
10.2016 - 01.2021
Facility Resource Manager
First Choice Emergency Room
06.2014 - 03.2017
Staffing Coordinator
Eagles Trace Assisted Living/Bayou Vista Continuing Care
01.2012 - 01.2017
Patient/Surgery Coordinator
Carlos A. Herrera, M.D. (OBGYN and Gynecological Oncology)
07.2011 - 12.2011
Administrative Assistant/Receptionist/Patient Coordinator
Houston Neurology and Sleep Center
05.2010 - 02.2011
SCHEDULE MANAGER
Surgical Assistants of Texas
07.2009 - 01.2010
RECEPTIONIST/FRONT OFFICE CLERK/ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Orthopaedic Associates
04.2006 - 06.2009
Receptionist/Administrative Assistant
Houston ENT
02.2004 - 04.2006
Receptionist/Administrative Assistant (temp)
The Methodist Hospital Dept. of Neurology
01.2004 - 02.2004
Administrative Assistant/Medical Assistant
Dr. C. Jackson
01.1995 - 01.2004
Bachelor of Psychology - Biology and Psychology
Houston Christian University