Savannah Okoronkwo

Systems Review/Development:

• Review all application processes and make recommendations for changes/improvements to the Executive and Assistant Executive Director, the Board's Licensure Committee, and the Board
• Work with the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) to implement enhancements to the uniform application for physicians
• Work with the FSMB to implement and maintain a uniform application for physician assistants
• Explain the Board's applicable statutes and rules to applicants for licensure
• Create memos for review by the Executive and Assistant Executive Director, the Licensure Committee and the Board regarding applicants for licensure and/or re-licensure
• Attend Board meetings, provide oral presentations, and respond to questions regarding applications for licensure or re-licensure and licensure processes
• Communicate with the Executive and Assistant Executive Director and the Board Secretary regarding applications for licensure/re-licensure, including independently analyzing and identifying issues that might affect an applicant's suitability
• Conduct tests of changes to the Agency License Management System (ALMS) and recommend acceptance or modification

Licensing

• Responsible for review and process of all initial, reinstatement, and renewal applications for licensure filed by physicians and physician assistants with last names beginning with the letters M-Z, and provide coverage when needed for last names beginning with the letters A - L
• Perform initial ALMS data entry typically within two business days
• Create license application files typically within two business days of receipt and maintaining those files
• Request credentialing, education, and work verification typically within two days of receipt
• Monitor licensees with re-entry programs
• Forward questionable applications to the Executive and Assistant Executive Director
• Recommend an applicant for licensure/non-licensure
• Process license fee payments the day of receipt
• Process and deposit all monetary payments remitted to the Board, including licensure application fees, disciplinary fines imposed by the Board, and non-disciplinary citations issued by the Board
• Create and maintain records for receipt, process, and deposit of all monetary payments received by the Board
• Create and mailing/emailing license suspension/lapse notifications on the first business day of the month
• Set up random audits of Continuing Medical Education each month
• Educate licenses and the public about the Compact/IMLC
• Explain Board statutes, rules, and policies
• Interacts and provides information and assistance regarding licensure issues to a variety of individuals and entities including applicants; provider placement services (e.g. locum tenens companies); healthcare facilities and their credentialing departments; other state licensing Boards and their staff; FSMB; FCVS; and the public
• Processed hundreds of applications forth both initial licensure and renewals during first year as a Licensing Specialist

Miscellaneous

• Prepare and archive application files
• Request licensing files from Archives in response to Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) requests
• Research archived files on microfilm and retrieving information
• Create and use mail merge documents
• Provide back-up for phone, mail, and front door coverage
• Attend ALMS meetings and provide feedback
• Prepare materials for and attend meetings of the Licensure Committee and the Board – perform follow-up as needed
• Attend/lead/participate in weekly staff meetings and team building exercises
• Develop and recommend new work methods and create, update, and maintain numerous standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the licensing department
• Assist in the training of new staff, including the assistant executive director and clubhouse personnel
• Facilitate the remote and streaming portions of Board meetings, allowing the public access to meetings without having to appear in person
• Attended the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) annual meeting and successfully moderated a licensing forum session with other licensing specialists across the country

Communication

• Primary point of contact for the public regarding the Board complaint and investigative process
• Contacted complainants when necessary to facilitate investigation
• Responded to questions/inquiries of complaints regarding their specific complaints, the Board’s process, and issues related to medicine such as medical record fees, confidentiality of medical information, medical malpractice vs Board complaint and discipline, referrals, etc
• Explained Board statutes, rules, and policies
• Drafted and sent correspondence including complaint closure/dismissal letters, requests for additional information
• Primary point of contact for the lay public regarding issues related to medicine, including but not limited to medical records, fees related to obtaining medical records, confidentiality of medical information, amendment of medical records, termination of the physician-patient relationship, medical malpractice versus Board complaint and discipline, and referral to other state or federal agencies

Complaint Management

• Reviewed all complaints received by Board and identified and summarized primary issues of concern to the complainant by creating a memorandum
• Worked with the complaint investigative team to include providing input, suggestions, and recommendations for investigations of complaints and response to complaints
• Identified and advised supervisor of existing and potential problem areas regarding complaint investigations and consumer issues, rules and regulations and other policies and procedures to recommend areas which should be clarified or changed
• Complied and prepared records, presented and communicated information to ensure clear understanding, and provided consumer feedback

Miscellaneous

• Participated as an interview panelist when hiring for an Investigative Secretary, Medical Director, and Licensing Specialist and assisted in creating and updating numerous standard operating procedures for the complaints division
• Uploaded materials to be reviewed by the Board members to an application called MOVEit
• Ability to prioritize and change direction of workload urgently as emergent matters take precedence
• Attended monthly Board meeting for both BOLIM and Osteo, noted the Board’s decisions for each complaint matter the Board votes on and communicated this via letter to consumers.
• Attended a monthly public speaking forum titled Toastmasters, participated in the varies roles during the meeting and prepared and presented speeches.
• Completed writing classes at the University of Southern Maine and attended communication trainings
• Worked on updated to the Consumer's Guide Brochure and assisted the Executive Director with updating the online Disciplinary FAQs
• Received four Records of Employee Performance Commendations in this role for providing exemplary assistance, displaying kindness, poise, and patience to a complainant during an emotionally-charged and difficult and challenging informal conference.
• Shared the role of the Complaint Coordinator with the Executive Director during a staff transition from July to September, which included the monitoring of disciplined licensees

• Work consists of complex secretarial support services requiring a solid knowledge of office processes and administrative functions
• Responsibilities require the use of independent judgement, initiative, and discretion to make a determination on varied matters
• Successfully opened and closed complaint/Assessment and Direction matters to include matters that resulted in disciplinary action
• Submitted reports regarding licensees to the Federal State of Medical Boards (FSMB) and National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB)
• Maintained electronic files and communicated and coordinated frequently with licensees and/or their attorneys to provide Board materials and/or complaint statuses
• Frequently communicated and coordinated with the Board’s legal counsel to provide Board materials and/or to receive legal guidance
• Drafted subpoenas and notices of complaints to licensees/attorneys and healthcare facilities while maintaining an accessible contact list for health care facilities and attorneys
• Maintained the use of a case tracker for the complaint investigations team and communicated to the complaint team once the case tracker was updated
• Led staff meetings on a rotating schedule with other members of the tram, and attends monthly Board meetings while hosting or co-hosting the meeting for the Board of Licensure in Medicine
• Noted the Board’s decisions for each agenda matter concerning complaints and communicated the decisions to the licensees/attorneys
• Ability to develop and recommend new work methods and administrative policies/procedures and developed and recommended new work methods and administrative policies/procedures to improve existing work practices
• Researched, compiled, and analyzed complex information to reach a conclusion and/or to make recommendations, and advised superiors regarding work/operations and act as “troubleshooter.”
• Reported actions to the NPDB and PDC

Provided full administrative and secretarial support at a senior level to the Director to ensure the smooth management of their day-to-day affairs and most effective use of the Director’s time, which included managing the Director’s outlook calendar

• Handled sensitive and complex issues in a professional and objective manner and took initiative as appropriate
• Supervised four staff members that made up the administrative team to ensure workflow was well-prepared and ran smoothly
• Researched and introduced clerical phone software that provided a means to work remote and access to monitor to main line phone calls to included crisis calls
• Oversaw and approved orders of office equipment in addition to being the keeper and arranger of the office’s floorplan
• Developed and recommended new work methods and administrative policies/procedures to improve existing work practices
• Liaised between the Director and internal and external sources on key matters
• Represented the Director or the Office of Behavioral Health’s program at public meetings to include explaining organizational, program, and/or project goals
• Attended Board, committee, townhall, across departments, and internal meetings to provide administrative assistance/secretarial services such as minutes.
• Hosted the office's internal meetings via ZOOM for a staff of over seventy employees
• Complied with the requirements of State policies, including those concerning human resource components of security protocols of agency information security and confidentiality policies for state business purposes
• Independently composed, reviewed, edited, and/or approved correspondence

• Provided front line contact with all Driver Education and Evaluation (DEEP) customers by answering all phone calls, collects, distributes, reads, and informs clients of rules and regulations pertaining to DEEP related information for clients via telephone, walk-ins, faxes, emails, or by mail.
• Interviewed, investigated, and evaluated client facts and proceeded to register client information to determine eligibility based on program policies all the while complying client documentation such as bureau of motor vehicle records, client demographics screens, clinical documentation received by substance abuse providers, and maintaining a case record and documenting in each individual client's case file.
• Annotated contacts and correspondence in client case files, accesses driving records through Bureau of Motor Vehicles. (BMV)
• Received cash, checks and credit payments for administration fees and records payment within Oracle database.
• Monitored rosters for the DEEP office’s program courses, sending full roster information to Adcare in a timely manner, and closing registrations when those classes are full.
• Complied and prepared clinical documentation from Substance Abuse Providers for case management review to ensure procedure compliance.
• Used profound judgement when a satisfactory outcome cannot be concluded when in dealing with a difficult call, and presents the issues involved to a case manager and/or direct supervisor.
• Developed and maintained the procedural manual to ensure clear understanding of the information provided for new employees as a training tool regarding processes and for the oracle database Records and transcribes DEEP meeting minutes and distributes to all staff in a timely manner.
• Responsible for authorizing orders for the DEEP office's supplies within budgetary restrictions and maintains inventory.

• Lead the work of sales associates serving as cashiers including six to eight active registers and scheduled the staff's breaks and lunches.
• Offered hands-on assistance to customers, assessing needs, and maintaining current knowledge of consumer preferences.
• Oversaw employee performance, corrected problems, and increased efficiency to maintain productivity targets.
• Coached employees and trained on methods for handling various aspects of sales, complicated issues, and difficult customers.
• Greeted visitors and customers upon arrival, offered assistance, and answered questions to build rapport and retention.
• Authorized voids and overrides and count registers
• Assisted in maintaining strict cash accountability, key control, and adherence to company security practices and cash control procedures.
• Monitored cash levels and make appropriate drawer pulls as directed by the Store Manager, and supplied cashiers with change when needed.
• Responsible for the sanitation and execution of the front- end cleaning schedule.
• Completed all required computer-based learning (CBLs)courses as directed by Operations Manager

• Prepared and edited documents to produce precise, accurate and professional communication.
• Answered and managed incoming and outgoing calls while recording accurate messages for distribution to office staff.
• Promptly received and forwarded incoming communications, such as phone calls, emails, and letters, to appropriate staff.
• Assisted the public by referring them to sources of information, giving out standard forms and explaining how to complete them, and answering requests for information by consulting various available sources.
• Researched information for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Medicaid referrals using the data system ACES in case initiation.
• Navigated within the internal data system (NECES) to process incoming support referrals, such as requesting postal verification, employer inquiry, credit checks, assigning member ID numbers, setting up, and transferring cases to the field. Maintained awareness and adherence to the rules of confidentiality.
• Cross trained, provided instructions, and deemed to be instrumental in assisting other office staff in doing various duties such as maintain their own caseload as well as distribution of incoming mail and on the processes of outgoing mail.
• Adapted and provided flexibility within the department to adjust job duties when there was not enough staff available to perform the necessary tasks.
• Ability to multitask and work within multiple systems such as ACES, Credit Bureau, DMV, NECSES, and Oracle to maintain case management.
• When allowed for, worked ten hour days and overtime to meet the needs of the Department. This included working an extra day during the week and Saturdays in addition to a part-time job at Sam's Club in Augusta, Maine.