Joe Strickland, Finance and Accounting Director, faced a unique situation during the second quarter as Palmetto GBA worked to issuing emergency accelerated payments to healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. His leadership during this unprecedented time is one of the reasons he has been recognized as the Manager of the Quarter.

“Joe and his teams worked late into the night, and on the weekends to meet the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) deadlines for payments and daily reporting,” said Ken Lewis, Palmetto GBA Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

Strickland acknowledged the hard work that went into meeting these new deadlines but emphasized that it was a team effort.

“We've had some extraordinary challenges and our team has come together,” he said. “We had some opportunities to go above and beyond to work with CMS on some of these high-profile issues related to COVID. And our team really stepped up.”

So, what’s the secret to managing a team during a pandemic? According to Strickland it’s trust. He says it is important to trust the people he works with and to allow them to play to their strengths. This was critical to the Finance and Accounting team’s success in meeting CMS deadlines.

“I’m super proud of the team and the whole division,” Strickland said. “Our area really overperformed to make sure these emergency issues were addressed timely and accurately while also making sure their regular duties were completed. This award is really a recognition of how our whole team has come together.”