Happenings
Division 54 Salutes Q4 Difference Makers
Associate of the Month – October 2024
Zachary Dedonis
Appreciated for his dedication and resourcefulness, Zachary Dedonis has been named the Division 54 Associate of the Month for October. Zachary, an accountant IV in Medicare Finance Reporting, played a crucial role in Palmetto GBA’s efforts to support providers affected by cyber-attacks. Zachary swiftly established payment databases to ensure that these providers received accurate payments and maintained these databases to meet strict deadlines. Additionally, he developed mass email notifications to communicate payment details to all participants. His proactive communication within other members of the accounting team ensured the timely release of daily balancing payments. Zack's ability to quickly implement process improvements further contributed to his recognition.
Associate of the Month – November 2024
Kisha Wilson
Kisha Wilson, an overpayment recovery analyst in Accounts Receivable, is the November Associate of the Month. Kisha stands out for providing exceptional customer service to hospital providers. She is also an excellent team player who encourages her teammates and helps them achieve their goals. Her positive attitude and willingness to assist others make her a valuable team member. Kisha's organizational skills are exceptional, and she often provides administrative support to the team lead. Kisha is also valued for her contributions to process improvements that have made the workflow of hospital audits more efficient.
Associate of the Month – December 2024
Felicia Givens
The December Associate of the Month is Felicia Givens, a contract administration specialist, because of her outstanding organizational work on Palmetto GBA’s three largest contracts. Through daily tracking, she ensured nothing was overlooked. Felicia reviewed all agreements for accuracy, sought missing information and ensured they were completed with precision. She streamlined processes and significantly shortened timelines through effective communication and by adapting quickly to changes. Felicia's dedication and innovative solutions make her an invaluable asset to the team.
Coach of the Quarter
Thomas Sorrells
Accounting supervisor Thomas Sorrells was recognized as Coach of the Quarter for his exceptional leadership and deep knowledge of the appeals process. His approachable and supportive leadership style has earned him high praise from his team and contributed to their success individually and as a team. Under his supervision, Thomas’s team submitted two important process improvements that helped achieve a 100 percent quality score.
“Thomas has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership skills by always providing feedback and answering questions in a concise and detailed manner,” said Shavonne Grant, a business analyst. “His ability to multitask and manage his many different responsibilities while also jumping in to monitor workloads throughout the day is unmatched.”
Team of the Quarter
Debt Management System Collaboration Team
Team members: Vishnu Vardhan Reddy Boochireddy, Melissa Cash, Ray Dailey, Carol Harper, Heather Hastings, Reetu Joshi, Danian Taylor
In the middle of 2024, the Debt Management System (DMS) team had to switch to a new computer system while working under a short deadline. The new and old systems were not compatible and unable to communicate so the team created special programs called Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). These APIs acted like bridges, allowing the two systems to share information, so the team was able to transfer the data to the new system.
After implementing the APIs and meeting their deadline, the team continued to work on system enhancements. One improvement let providers see overpayment balances in real-time. Throughout this process, the team built strong relationships with users and other organizations, which helped them achieve great results, saving time and effort.
Process Improvement of the Quarter
Medicare Summary Notice Frequency Reduction
Team members: Chris Bain, Pamela Bays, Jennifer Covington, Jamey Dillard, April Gillespie, Russell Johnson, Sandy Lancaster, Jon Maness, Robert McNeil, Billy Osborne, Christine Radermacher, Lisa Schackart, Susan Steele, Greg Woodall
After the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) tasked Palmetto GBA with finding cost-saving measures, the team evaluated postage expenses for delivering Medicare Summary Notices (MSNs). They identified three potential strategies: sending MSNs electronically every quarter, mailing them three times a year, or mailing them twice a year. After careful consideration, CMS opted to reduce the mailing frequency to three times a year, balancing cost savings with minimal impact on recipients. The team then adjusted and tested the systems to ensure accuracy. By October 2024, MSNs were successfully sent under the new schedule. This initiative was recognized as the Process Improvement of the Quarter for its significant cost reduction.
