REBECCA KILEN-CARTER
Onalaska,WI
Summary
Seasoned health care privacy professional with 24 years of experience leading privacy and compliance initiatives within complex health care environments. Expertise in developing and implementing privacy policies, driving process improvements, and managing organizational change to ensure regulatory compliance and protect patient information. Adept at building and leading high-performing teams, fostering collaboration, and enhancing operational efficiency. Strong interpersonal and organizational skills with a commitment to advancing privacy standards and supporting business objectives.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Manager, Privacy | Gundersen Region Privacy Officer
Gundersen Health System
La Crosse, WI
11.2018 - Current
- Serve as the Gundersen Region Privacy Officer overseeing Release of Information and all privacy-related issues across the health system.
- Lead a strategic, comprehensive privacy program, including the Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).
- Develop, maintain, and implement privacy policies and procedures to ensure consistent, effective practices that minimize risk and protect the confidentiality of protected health information (PHI) across all media types.
- Oversee and deliver initial and ongoing privacy training and orientation for employees, volunteers, medical and associate staff, contractors, business associates, and other third parties.
- Collaborate with the Information Security Officer to align security and privacy compliance programs, including policies, investigations, and practices.
- Direct management of breach determinations and notification processes in compliance with HIPAA and applicable state laws.
Manager, Health Information Management
Gundersen Health System
La Crosse, WI
02.2012 - 11.2018
- Directed and managed personnel and workflows related to the storage, retrieval, retention, security, and completion of both electronic and paper medical records.
- Provided expert guidance to the organization on regulatory and accreditation standards for patient record documentation.
- Developed, implemented, and maintained organizational policies and procedures governing medical record content and management.
- Collaborated with department leaders to establish standards and conduct audits, ensuring compliance with policies for accurate filing and timely record retrieval.
- Partnered with the Director of Health Information Management/Clinical Systems to design and implement processes that meet federal, state, and Joint Commission requirements.
- Monitored and interpreted legislative and accreditation changes affecting health information management practices.
- Oversaw human resource functions within the Health Information Management department, including hiring, terminations, promotions, and personnel management to optimize departmental efficiency and cost control.
- Assisted the Director in budget preparation, cost control, planning, scheduling, and procedural improvements to enhance departmental operations.
- Delivered education and training programs to staff on health information management policies, procedures, and best practices.
Supervisor, Release of Information
Gundersen Health System
La Crosse, WI
01.2010 - 01.2012
- Collaborated with the Director of Health Information Management and Clinical Systems to manage personnel issues including employment, termination, performance and salary reviews, disciplinary actions, and scheduling to maintain a productive, cost-effective department.
- Developed, implemented, and oversaw organizational policies and procedures for the disclosure of protected health information (PHI), ensuring alignment with accreditation standards and applicable state and federal laws and regulations.
- Participated on the Privacy Committee alongside Legal, Human Resources, Patient Business Services, and Health Plan representatives to address complaints and breaches of patient confidentiality.
- Fostered high levels of customer service by coordinating timely, accurate paper and electronic information delivery to patients, families, and caregivers.
- Served as an internal consultant and educator on PHI disclosure, particularly for regional clinics.
Patient Information Coordinator
Gundersen Health System
La Crosse, WI
09.2002 - 01.2010
- Conducted comprehensive organizational privacy and security assessments to evaluate HIPAA compliance, identifying gaps and performing detailed department walk-throughs.
- Developed, implemented, and maintained over 35 policies and procedures to ensure adherence to state and federal privacy and security regulations.
- Designed and delivered training programs, including computer-based modules, videos, and toolkits, to educate staff on confidentiality, privacy, and protection of health information.
- Performed weekly audits and monitoring of electronic medical record access; collaborated with the Legal Department to investigate and address patient confidentiality breaches.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of evolving state laws and federal regulations concerning patient privacy, rights, and information security.
- Contributed to the development and evaluation of new functionalities within the electronic medical record system (Epic) to enhance compliance and usability.
- Assisted patients with requests for amendments or restrictions to their health care records, ensuring compliance with privacy regulations.
- Supported the development and promotion of MyCare, the patient portal; delivered presentations at industry conferences and provided education to staff and patients on its features and benefits.
Release of Information Specialist
Gundersen Health System
La Crosse, WI
12.1999 - 08.2002
- Collaborated effectively with internal and external stakeholders, including physicians, nurses, legal teams, law firms, insurance providers, and patients to facilitate information exchange.
- Processed and reviewed over 150 daily medical records requests, ensuring strict compliance with federal and state privacy regulations.
- Developed, revised, and maintained Release of Information policies and procedures to align with current legal and organizational standards.
- Accurately reviewed and documented advanced care planning documents within patient medical records to support patient care and compliance.
Education
Master of Science - Health Information Management
College of St. Scholastica
Duluth, MN01-2012
Certificate - Healthcare Informatics
College of St. Scholastica
Duluth, MN01-2011
Bachelor of Science - Therapeutic Recreation
University of Wisconsin La Crosse
La Crosse, WI01-1996
Skills
- Staffing Management and Leadership
- Relationship Building and Team Collaboration
- Sound Decision Making and Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking and Research Proficiency
- Staff Training, Development, and Mentorship
Affiliations
- HIPAA COW (Collaborative of Wisconsin), Vice President of Programming, Privacy Networking Group Co-Chair
- American Health Information Management Association Member
- Wisconsin Health Information Management Association Member
- Western Technical College, Health Information Technology & Medical Coding Advisory Committee Member/Chairperson (2015 – 2018)
Certification
- Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)
- Certified Healthcare Privacy & Security (CHPS)
Timeline
Manager, Privacy | Gundersen Region Privacy Officer
Gundersen Health System
11.2018 - Current
Manager, Health Information Management
Gundersen Health System
02.2012 - 11.2018
Supervisor, Release of Information
Gundersen Health System
01.2010 - 01.2012
Patient Information Coordinator
Gundersen Health System
09.2002 - 01.2010
Release of Information Specialist
Gundersen Health System
12.1999 - 08.2002
Certificate - Healthcare Informatics
College of St. Scholastica
Bachelor of Science - Therapeutic Recreation
University of Wisconsin La Crosse
Master of Science - Health Information Management
College of St. Scholastica