44 Health IT & Revenue Cycle Up-and-Comers of 2024

EZDERM Founder, Dr. Srdjan Prodanovich, Featured in Becker's Hospital Review's 2024 List of 44 Health IT & Revenue Cycle Up-and-Comers

Originally written by Anna Falvey and posted on Becker's Hospital Review 

Up-and-comers in the health IT and revenue cycle spheres are taking on critical leadership positions and shaping organizational development, financial operations and care delivery.

These trailblazers are unafraid to think outside the box, and their innovative ideas are influencing hospitals, health systems and healthcare companies across the U.S. With a solid grasp on healthcare's current state, they are guiding their organizations' future growth.

Note: Becker's Healthcare developed this list based on nominations and editorial research. This list is not exhaustive, nor is it an endorsement of included leaders, organizations or associated healthcare providers. Leaders cannot pay for inclusion on this list. Leaders are presented in alphabetical order. We extend a special thanks to Rhoda Weiss for her contributions to this list. 

Contact Anna Falvey at afalvey@beckershealthcare.com with questions or comments.

Srdjan Prodanovich, MD. Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer for EZDERM (Naples, Fla.). Dr. Prodanovich, a practicing dermatologist, is the founder and chief medical officer of EZDERM, a dermatology-specific EHR system. His mission is to improve the experiences of dermatologists by creating user-friendly EHR and practice management systems that enhance healthcare delivery for patients. Central to the company is the development of 3D anatomical maps of the skin, integrated into the treatment workflow, which allow for more precise diagnoses and better patient outcomes. Recognizing the importance of financial health in dermatology, Dr. Prodanovich also led the development of a robust practice management and revenue cycle management system. His contributions have significantly transformed the EHR landscape, making it more intuitive for dermatologists. This year, he was honored with the American Academy of Dermatology’s presidential citation for his work with EZDERM.

Amy Amick. CEO of Aspirion (Atlanta). In less than a year serving as CEO of Aspirion, Ms. Amick has driven over 30% organic growth while advancing an aggressive mergers and acquisitions strategy. Her focus on innovation, particularly in AI and machine learning, has enabled Aspirion to help hospitals recover more than $3.5 billion in revenue, supporting their financial recovery after Covid-19. Under her leadership, Aspirion has expanded through acquisitions and appointed key leaders, including its first chief AI officer. Ms. Amick also acts as director and mentor for Experity and director for Pendrick Healthcare. 

David Angelone. Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer for MacroHealth (Kirkland, Wash.). Mr. Angelone, co-founder and chief commercial officer of MacroHealth, has over 25 years of experience in the health insurance and technology industries. He co-founded MacroHealth in 2017 with a mission to streamline healthcare by helping payers navigate a complex network of 2.4 million care sites and 11,000 provider networks. Under his leadership, the company’s platform has served over 3 million commercial members and facilitated $2.5 billion in healthcare transactions, achieving a 16% average reduction in healthcare spending for payers. Mr. Angelone has also ensured compliance with key regulations like the No Surprises Act and Transparency in Coverage rules, promoting greater transparency in healthcare pricing. Additionally, he has spearheaded efforts to modernize outdated DEI technology, enhancing efficiency and improving patient outcomes.

Mandi Benefield. Director of Central Billing Office Management Support for BayCare Health System (Clearwater, Fla.). Ms. Benefield, a key leader at BayCare Health System, oversees systems, training and data integrity for the patient financial solutions division and various clinical departments. She ensures the efficient execution of policy and procedure, system standardization and automation across hospitals, medical groups and ambulatory services. Under her leadership, BayCare has implemented several revenue cycle systems, streamlined training and improved patient billing processes, enhancing both financial operations and patient experience. Ms. Benefield's efforts in automation have optimized workflows, reducing manual tasks and redeploying 52 team members to new roles. Her team of 80 has successfully trained over 2,400 employees, contributing to strong financial performance, including a 101.5% net revenue collection rate and maintaining an average of 38 days in accounts receivable. Ms. Benefield brings over 20 years of experience to the role. 

Melanie Cox. Assistant Director of RCM Operations for Advantum Health (Louisville, Ky.). As assistant director of RCM operations, Ms. Cox plays a crucial role in supporting her teams and ensuring the smooth operation of Advantum’s services. She manages three teams of 27 people, regularly holding client and team meetings, reviewing data to resolve revenue cycle issues, and monitoring processes to enhance efficiency. Additionally, she assists the vice president of operations in preparing for executive meetings and presentations. She also leads special projects, including Advantum's Go Green committee, and helps develop future leaders within the company. Her leadership has driven significant improvements, including reducing one client’s accounts receivable by $3 million and resolving process issues for another, boosting their collections within two months. 

Jill Cuckler. Director, Chargemaster and Managed Care Decision Support for BayCare Health System (Clearwater, Fla.). Ms. Cuckler has played a pivotal role in BayCare Health System's financial and operational success since 2006. Her team of 30 handles chargemaster functions, revenue integrity, pricing transparency and contract modeling. She ensures revenue optimization through appropriate charge capture and works closely with leadership and IT teams during system implementations. She has been instrumental in leading projects such as the RevElate system implementation and systemwide registration upgrades. 

Patrick R. Curtin. System Vice President of Revenue Cycle for North Country Healthcare (Whitefield, N.H.). Mr. Curtin is system vice president of revenue cycle, charged with optimizing revenue cycle operations across healthcare sites, including critical access hospitals and a Federally Qualified Health Center. He manages billing, collections and payment processes, while negotiating favorable contracts and Medicaid plans to maximize reimbursement. Overseeing teams in health information management, patient access and patient financial services, Mr. Curtin fosters a culture of teamwork and growth. His leadership was crucial during a cyberattack on North Country Healthcare, where he quickly established a new clearinghouse, enabling claims processing to resume within 16 days. 

Christopher Dahl. Executive Director of Clinical and Revenue Cycle Applications for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (Buffalo, N.Y.). Mr. Dahl’s vision, collaboration, technical expertise and leadership are instrumental for efficient operations, positive patient experiences and research innovation at the pioneering Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. His work to implement numerous patient access, scheduling, revenue cycle and full-suite clinical applications supports high-quality patient care and translational oncology research. Having first joined Roswell Park in 2014, his recent focuses include reimagining clinic standardization and helping to pilot enterprise AI-based speech recognition. Mr. Dahl has led the team that delivered integrations for an algorithm-based scheduling solution for infusion therapy clinics, and is currently collaborating with physician-researchers to deploy innovative medical technologies enabling non-excision dermatologic biopsies.

Kaitlin DeVries. Product Manager of Revenue Applications for Trinity Health (Livonia, Mich.). Ms. DeVries, product manager for revenue applications at Trinity Health, plays a crucial role in developing and managing technology strategies that align with business goals. She leads the creation of product strategies and roadmaps, ensuring the technology supports revenue business initiatives. Ms. DeVries is instrumental in identifying technology solutions that meet Trinity's IT standards while optimizing financial outcomes and translating business needs into technical solutions. Her innovative approaches reduce costs and drive product success.

Joe Farr, BSN, RN. Director of Information Systems at King’s Daughters Medical Center (Brookhaven, Miss.). Mr. Farr, recently promoted to director of information systems at King’s Daughters Medical Center in 2023, has over 20 years of experience in healthcare technology and clinical leadership. Previously, he served as physician systems coordinator, where he played a key role in EHR implementation. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr. Farr led the adoption of a mobile nursing solution, streamlining workflows and improving communication between nurses and physicians. His leadership resulted in significant time savings, with the nursing solution saving over 100 clinician hours in six months and increasing user satisfaction scores. A registered nurse by training, Mr. Farr’s deep clinical knowledge has been instrumental in advancing the medical center's use of technology, enhancing both patient care and staff efficiency.

Carel Fernandez. Account Manager at Advantum Health (Louisville, Ky.). Ms. Fernandez leads one of the largest accounts at Advantum Health, a large orthopedic practice in the southeastern U.S., focusing on driving revenue growth, ensuring provider satisfaction and meeting key performance indicators. She oversees a team of 30 associates, ensuring they deliver on client objectives while collaborating with various departments to meet client needs. Notably, she implemented metrics that boosted second quarter 2024 collections, directly improving Advantum's revenue. Her efforts in addressing provider concerns and reducing accounts receivable have significantly reduced complaints and enhanced overall client satisfaction.

Mea Ford. System Vice President of Revenue Cycle at Renown Health (Reno, Nev.). Bringing an extensive background in public administration and public policy to her role as system vice president of revenue cycle, Ms. Ford and her team work to improve the patient customer journey, from registration and billing to claims management and collections. Partnering to educate physicians on coding and records changes, her team has enhanced clinical documentation and accuracy, streamlined billing processes and reduced claim denials to recover millions in denied revenue. By improving charge capture and ensuring timely payments through strategic payer partnerships, she has helped improve organizational financial performance. An early adopter of health IT, AI and data analytics for charge capture, she has driven operational improvements and boosted Renown’s solid balance sheet metrics. Thanks in part to Ms. Ford's work, the system's overall business performance has rebounded significantly over the past year, with approximately two-thirds of all patients in the northern Nevada community seeking care at Renown.

Donna Fortson. Vice President of Revenue Cycle at WellSpan Health (York, Pa.). Ms. Fortson, vice president of revenue cycle at WellSpan Health, oversees the financial management of patient care services, encompassing the entire revenue cycle process. Her role includes coding, revenue integrity, customer service, analytics, and managing billing and collections. By collaborating closely with physician advisors and case management, Ms. Fortson ensures that financial operations align with the organization’s mission of high-quality patient care while adhering to regulatory standards. Prior to her current position, she led revenue cycle efforts at several notable organizations, including Ellicott City, Md.-based Lorein Health Services and Roseville, Calif.-based Adventist Health Care.

Ashley Foster. Executive Director of Revenue Cycle Applications at MemorialCare (Fountain Valley, Calif.). Leading 43 team members, Ms. Foster is responsible for implementing strategic and operational programs to optimize and advance revenue integrity, patient access, and managed care applications and workflows. Initially hired to help implement managed care workflows onto the EHR, she is now working to increase automation, reduce waste, and align system workflows with long-term, maintainable and scalable goals. She oversees the Epic Gold Stars program, resulting in MemorialCare’s score moving from a three to a seven in three years. As a key implementation leader, she worked closely with information systems health system teams, vendors and users to facilitate an enterprisewide transition to an advanced platform. With a goal of increasing revenue opportunities, she has helped establish several revenue cycle-specific savings programs with significant results. She leads budget and operational engagement for the Community Connect program, which links community physicians and clinics to MemorialCare for a shared EHR, support and infrastructure experience. Throughout her 11 years at MemorialCare, she has continued to advance revenue cycle applications, has been recognized internally for five consecutive years, and presents her work at national conferences.

Keith Fulmer. Chief Technology Information Officer for Brundage Group (St. Petersburg, Fla.). Mr. Fulmer, chief technology information officer of Brundage Group, leverages over two decades of healthcare and technology expertise to enhance patient outcomes and support hospital clients. His role focuses on developing innovative strategies that streamline service delivery, allowing hospitals to thrive in their communities. In an era of rapid technological advancement, particularly with AI, he emphasizes "skill stacking" to foster creativity and innovation among his teams. His key objectives include providing world-class technology to clients, continuously innovating through client feedback and nurturing talent within the organization. Under his leadership, Brundage Group has experienced significant growth, named the No. 1 "Best Place to Work in Tampa Bay" for the second time in 2024. By integrating cutting-edge tools like AI into healthcare operations, Mr. Fulmer is committed to helping hospitals navigate challenges while maintaining high-quality service delivery.

Michael Gao, MD. CEO and Co-Founder for SmarterDx (New York City). Dr. Gao, CEO and co-founder of SmarterDx, leads the development of advanced clinical AI designed to enhance hospital clinical documentation integrity teams' efficiency. Alongside the other co-founders, he created a system that reviews 100% of patient charts, ensuring accuracy and helping hospitals recover millions in revenue while improving quality of care scores. Leveraging his background as a hospitalist, he has trained AI algorithms to replicate clinical reasoning, addressing the challenges of dense data and complex care that overwhelm traditional chart reviews. Since its inception in 2020, SmarterDx has expanded its services to over 20 health systems, with clients reporting an average of $2 million in net new revenue per 10,000 patient discharges. Recognized in Forbes’ "Cloud 100 Rising Stars of 2023" and lauded by KLAS Research, SmarterDx has achieved a notable 5:1 return on investment. In addition to his role at SmarterDx, Dr. Gao continues to practice as a hospitalist, dedicating weekends to patient care.

Clara Guixa. Vice President of Applications and Deputy CIO at Boston Children’s Hospital. With more than two decades of progressive experience in leading healthcare IT transformation at academic health systems, Ms. Guixa champions digital transformation journeys through collaboration, digital innovation and sustainable business modernization. During her tenure at Boston Children’s, she implemented a unified EHR platform that positions Boston Children’s among the 2% of all children's hospitals following the pediatric community model in the Epic platform. Ms. Guixa is reimagining technology architecture with an emphasis on its positive impact across pediatric care, the evolving patient experience and the unification of clinical communication, including the medical device integration blueprint. Outside of her executive role, she is involved with healthcare organizations that serve marginalized communities, helping to improve patient access to care and building partnerships across the healthcare industry.

Joseph Hafner. Vice President of Risk Adjustment for Upperline Health (Nashville, Tenn.). Mr. Hafner is the vice president of risk adjustment at Upperline Health, where he oversees the Medicare risk adjustment program to ensure accurate and efficient coding practices. His responsibilities include managing the coding team, optimizing processes and ensuring compliance with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regulations. Mr. Hafner collaborates with various departments to integrate innovative solutions like AI, which has significantly enhanced accuracy and efficiency in risk adjustment workflows. With over a decade of experience in healthcare and eight years focused on risk adjustment, he has developed comprehensive training programs to facilitate the transition to the CMS hierarchical condition category version 28 model. His leadership has led to a 40% increase in identified conditions, improving risk scores and reducing administrative burdens. Prior to joining Upperline Health, he served as director of risk adjustment at Fort Myers, Fla.-based Millennium Physician Group, where he implemented strategies that enhanced coding efficiency and accuracy.

Tammy Hawes. Founder and CEO of Virsys12 (Brentwood, Tenn.). Ms. Hawes, CEO and founder of Virsys12, has successfully led the company since its inception in 2011, driving significant growth and innovation in healthcare technology. In 2023, Virsys12 was recognized as one of the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies. The company's flagship applications, V12 Network and V12 Provider Data Engine, streamline provider lifecycle and network management, addressing inefficiencies in onboarding, credentialing and contracting processes. Under Ms. Hawes’ leadership, the company has adeptly navigated complex initiatives like the No Surprises act and pricing transparency, while ensuring strong returns on investment for clients. With strategic partnerships and innovative solutions, he has led Virsys12 in transforming provider data management. 

Vijay Jayaraman. Vice President of Strategy for symplr (Houston). Mr. Jayaraman serves as the vice president of strategy at symplr, a private equity-backed portfolio company. He is responsible for shaping the company's long-term vision and market strategies, orchestrating annual planning discussions, developing product pricing and packaging, and executing value-creation initiatives for company sponsors. Over the past five years, he has led efforts to integrate more than 15 acquisitions, deploying over $300 million in research and development investments. His pricing initiatives have generated over $30 million in organic growth, contributing to more than 50% of the company's top-line growth. Additionally, Mr. Jayaraman is spearheading new market entries in non-acute care sectors, such as dental and revenue cycle management. 

Eric Jones, BSN, RN. Director of Clinical Informatics at Hackensack Meridian Health (Edison, N.J.). Mr. Jones plays a pivotal role in optimizing clinical processes at Hackensack Meridian Health, utilizing Epic EHR and other clinical systems to enhance patient care outcomes. His responsibilities include ensuring compliance with clinical processes, collaborating with nursing education teams and developing strategies to improve clinical documentation. As a project leader for the HMH Epic Refuel Project, he works closely with executive leaders and operational stakeholders to implement industry best practices. Additionally, he oversees the informatics team, helping colleagues understand data and streamline workflows to reduce administrative burdens on clinicians. His recent achievements include supporting the implementation of an e-consent system for anesthesia, developing a mobile app for patient transport in the cath lab, and enhancing the interoperability of Alaris IV pumps. 

Trish Jones. System Director of Information Technology Revenue Cycle Applications for Saint Francis Health System (Tulsa, Okla.). Ms. Jones oversees critical support and applications for business and registration functions at Saint Francis Health System, managing 21 Epic analysts in the process. She is responsible for several key systems, including Epic for billing, Cadence for scheduling, and Prelude for registration. Notably, she played a crucial role in the successful integration of multiple facilities into the Epic system, including Oklahoma State University Medical Center in 2018 and Tulsa Bone and Joint in 2024. She has also been instrumental in launching new initiatives such as the Lifestyle Medicine Clinic and the VA Health Exchange, improving patient medication management in collaboration with Laureate Psychiatric Clinic. Under her leadership, the health system recently implemented digital registration via MyChart and expanded open scheduling, significantly enhancing patient experience. Ms. Jones has been with Saint Francis since 1996, steadily advancing in roles of increasing responsibility.

Steve Kos. Senior Director of Revenue Cycle Application Support and EHR Access for Baptist Health (Jacksonville, Fla.). Mr. Kos serves as the senior director of revenue cycle application support and EHR access for Baptist Health, leading a technical team that manages critical functions such as patient flow, scheduling and revenue integrity across six hospitals and numerous patient access points. Since joining in May 2022, he has been instrumental in the successful enterprisewide implementation of the EHR system and has overseen multiple upgrades, stabilizing front-end and back-end revenue cycle operations within months. Mr. Kos has enhanced charge capture by 115% above baselines and improved payment variance from $6 million to $117 million, while also reducing staffing needs through the implementation of prior authorization optimization. His leadership has resulted in nine project implementations aimed at improving patient experience and operational efficiency, earning Baptist Health recognition as a top quartile performing revenue cycle support team within the Epic community. He has earned accolades for automation initiatives that save over 846 hours weekly.

Howard Kung. Senior Director of Revenue Integrity for Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.). Mr. Kung serves as the senior director of revenue integrity at Mayo Clinic, where he oversees revenue integrity operations across multiple campuses. He is responsible for setting the strategic direction of his team, focusing on mid-cycle revenue cycle management to enhance financial stability through accurate and compliant revenue capture. By utilizing data-driven analytics, his team identifies revenue leakage and potential risks, implementing solutions that have streamlined charge capture and delivered significant financial results. Mr. Kung also contributes to the academic field as an instructor of healthcare administration at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Sciences. He is an active member of the leadership council for the National Association for Healthcare Revenue Integrity and holds fellow status in both the Healthcare Financial Management Association and the American College of Healthcare Executives. Before joining Mayo Clinic, he served as the director of revenue capture for Los Angeles-based UCLA Health.

Roxana Lupu, MD. Chief Medical Information Officer at Sanford Health (Sioux Falls, S.D). Dr. Lupu, a hospitalist and executive in clinical informatics at the nation’s largest rural health system, is board certified in internal medicine. She leads a team of five physician informaticists from multiple different specialties, whose work enhances the clinician experience through decision support tools, team-based care, clinician education and the optimization of workflows. She has overseen the successful integration of several AI tools, which serve to improve efficiencies in the EHR and standardize procedures that reduce extraneous work for clinical staff. Under her leadership, Sanford Health recently launched an AI pilot to categorize patient-initiated messages that may be related to prescription refills, scheduling or form completion. The new tool will help reduce inbox workload for clinicians and allow them to better focus on clinical and urgent messages that require their expertise and immediate attention.

Robynn Market. Revenue Cycle Analytics Manager for Ochsner Health (New Orleans). Ms. Market oversees denial analytics at Ochsner, focusing on underpayment recovery, commercial recovery audit contractor facilitation, and payer policy review. Her role involves not just reporting denials, but also collaborating with payers to resolve system issues in the claims process. By leading process improvement initiatives and connecting payer policies with denials, she works closely with hospital administrators and department managers to enhance financial outcomes and minimize future denials. With expertise in data mining and business intelligence tools, Ms. Market transforms raw data into actionable insights, promoting a data-driven culture throughout the organization. She emphasizes predictive analytics to anticipate payer trends and operational challenges, ensuring Ochsner remains proactive in its strategies. Under her leadership, the analytics team focuses on storytelling with data, all while maintaining an employee engagement score in the 80th percentile.

Jeff Mincher. Senior Vice President of Revenue Cycle for Texas Health Resources (Arlington). Mr. Mincher oversees revenue cycle operations for Texas Health Resources' 26 hospitals and over 350 access points, focusing on health information management, revenue integrity and patient access intake. He is dedicated to leveraging cutting-edge technology, including Epic EHR and AI, to enhance performance through predictive modeling. In addition, he aims to drive efficiency in critical metrics such as cash collection and accounts receivable management. Committed to the financial wellbeing of patients, Mr. Mincher also advocated for a policy change to prevent medical debt reporting to credit agencies and refrains from pursuing legal action for unpaid balances. 

Meghan Mouser. Vice President of Product Management, Revenue Cycle for Kipu Health (Coral Gables, Fla.). Ms. Mouser is a healthcare policy expert focused on creating technology solutions that help providers comply with state and federal regulations while simultaneously enhancing patient care experiences. In her current role as vice president of product management, revenue cycle for Kipu Health, Ms. Mouser oversees revenue cycle product development and implementation specifically for behavioral health services. She is committed to bridging the gap between regulatory compliance and effective service delivery. Her background as a school counselor lends her unique insight into the needs of behavioral health providers.

Charles R. Novinskie. Assistant Vice President of Technology Infrastructure at Intermountain Health (Salt Lake City). Mr. Novinskie serves as the assistant vice president of infrastructure technology at Intermountain Health. He leads the team responsible for maintaining all critical technologies within the health system. With over 18 years of experience at the health system, he has developed a deep understanding of its technological needs. He stepped into his current role in January 2023, where he focuses on ensuring the reliability and efficiency of technology systems that support healthcare operations. 

Erin Parker. Senior Vice President and CIO for Arkansas Children’s (Little Rock). Ms. Parker leads digital initiatives and systems security at Arkansas Children's, focusing on enhancing accessibility for the workforce, providers and patients. She manages a division of over 200 team members, leveraging her experience in designing compliance initiatives tied to the organization's EHR. Ms. Parker aligns IT strategies with business objectives and actively seeks innovative technologies to give the hospital a competitive edge. Her background in auditing and compliance ensures the highest ethical standards in all IT activities, as she collaborates to meet relevant laws and regulations. Throughout her 14-year tenure at Arkansas Children’s, she has held leadership roles like system compliance officer and HIPAA privacy officer. She first began her journey as a volunteer in 2001.

Adam Priestle. Senior Vice President of Revenue Cycle for BrightView (Cincinnati). Mr. Priestle serves as the senior vice president of revenue cycle management at BrightView, where he leads a team of 70 financial experts to ensure the organization is reimbursed for high-quality patient care. His responsibilities encompass overseeing insurance relations, process improvement, compliance, audits and overall financial management. These functions are vital for the operation of BrightView's 90-plus centers, which provide addiction treatment nationwide. With more than 20 years of revenue cycle experience, Mr. Priestle has been instrumental in streamlining billing and coding processes, managing claims, and fostering sustainable growth. He has been with BrightView for five years.

Heidi Raines. Founder and CEO of Performance Health Partners (New Orleans). Ms. Raines, the founder and CEO of Performance Health Partners, is laser-focused on enhancing healthcare safety technology and driving the company's national growth. Since its inception in 2015, her company has achieved annual growth rates of 50%–75% and a 97% client retention rate. Ms. Raines emphasizes the integration of user feedback and data analytics to continually improve software solutions and address real-world healthcare challenges. She actively engages with industry leaders, policymakers and regulatory bodies to foster partnerships that enhance the company's impact on healthcare safety and efficiency. Ms. Raines recently published her first book, "Shared Voices: A Framework for Patient and Employee Safety," which quickly became a bestseller. Additionally, she champions diversity within her organization, with 89% of its employees being women, and collaborates with community groups to mentor and empower women in healthcare careers.

Robin Sievert. Vice President of Operations for WebPT (Phoenix). Ms. Sievert is the vice president of revenue cycle management operations at WebPT, overseeing a team of 600 as well as five direct reports. Her primary focus is the implementation of efficiencies and proactive strategies, drawn from her extensive experience at Atlanta-based NextGen Healthcare, to optimize revenue collections for WebPT’s members. Her leadership has led to significant improvements in operational processes, including a 7% reduction in claim denials and a 10% improvement in collection times, bolstering client satisfaction and retention rates. A certified coder, she leverages her deep understanding of revenue cycle nuances to enhance workflow and reduce manual tasks through innovative technology. Additionally, she is committed to mentorship, preparing her team for future leadership roles while fostering a culture of growth and collaboration. 

David Singer. CIO for LCMC Health (New Orleans). Mr. Singer serves as CIO for LCMC Health, rejoining the organization to assist in transformative healthcare delivery growth. He previously served as CIO at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville. Before that, he contributed to LCMC significantly during a seven-year tenure marked by achievements in software implementation and system enhancements. His efforts focused on improving safety, quality, service and revenue cycle management, making him a vital asset in navigating change. In his renewed role, Mr. Singer will spearhead the consolidation of technology systems, particularly emphasizing Epic EHR optimization and strategic growth initiatives. He will work closely with hospital leadership to align the organization's mission and values with a commitment to patient experience and operational excellence. 

Lennie Sliwinski. Co-Founder and CEO of Works and Trusted Health (San Francisco). Mr. Sliwinski, co-founder and CEO of Works and Trusted Health, is leader in the field of clinical staffing. Launched in 2021, Works aims to centralize staffing operations for health systems, streamlining processes and reducing reliance on costly contingent labor. Under Sliwinski's leadership, Trusted Health has significantly expanded, creating over half a million nurse profiles and connecting healthcare employers across all 50 states. The platform has seen remarkable growth, with Works increasing its revenue 2.5 times year-over-year by delivering flexible staffing solutions to major U.S. health systems. Mr. Sliwinski has also implemented a comprehensive, data-driven system that integrates various labor pools, improving supply-demand efficiencies in staffing management. He also automated the entire worker lifecycle on the Trusted Health platform, ultimately simplifying staffing operations and enhancing patient care.

Fernando Small. Executive Director of Clinical and Business Solutions for University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston). Mr. Small oversees the enterprise resource planning systems and technical support teams at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He plays a crucial role in supporting MD Anderson’s revenue cycle business office, which has won consecutive Healthcare Financial Management Association MAP awards and requires high-quality software system upgrades twice a year. Notably, MD Anderson is the only member of the Alliance of Dedicated Cancer Centers to achieve this recognition for individual hospitals in consecutive years. Mr. Small was pivotal in the successful Epic EHR implementation in March 2016, elevating the world's largest cancer center from a Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society stage 2/3 facility to a stage 6. 

Patricia Smith. Director of Revenue Cycle Consulting for Synergen Health (Dallas). As director of revenue cycle consulting for Synergen Health, Ms. Smith enhances revenue cycle management for healthcare organizations, particularly ambulatory surgery centers. With over 25 years of experience in healthcare RCM and ASC operations, she provides strategic guidance to help organizations meet their revenue goals by addressing billing and coding complexities that impact denials and collections. Her background as a former CEO of a multi-specialty ASC and executive director at an ASC management company helps her leverage technology for improved operational efficiencies. Her focus on process optimization and collaboration across teams has led to notable achievements, including a 15% increase in net revenue and a 20% reduction in accounts receivable days. Additionally, her efforts have enhanced patient experience scores by 25%. 

Fabian A. Stone. Vice President of Revenue Cycle Operations at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Mr. Stone oversees a team of 436 full-time employees, manages a $54 million operating budget and is responsible for the hospital’s revenue cycle strategy to support $3.8 billion in net revenue. He leads initiatives aimed at optimizing CHOP's revenue cycle, streamlining operations, and enhancing financial outcomes. Under his leadership, CHOP improved billing efficiency by 35% and worked to reduce significant insurance contract payment variances. Mr. Stone implemented 180 work queues saving the hospital 19,500 hours in combined enterprise-wide staff labor productivity. His initiatives also successfully reduced CHOP's overall insurance denial rate by 2.1%, and improved patients' covered hospital stays by 15%. Mr. Stone’s leadership at CHOP has led to substantial improvements in revenue cycle operations and financial outcomes, demonstrating his commitment to automation operational efficiency and financial stewardship.

Corinne Thomas. Head of Growth for WieldyAI (New York City). Ms. Thomas leads a multifaceted team at WieldyAI, overseeing marketing, sales, customer success and partnerships to drive aggressive growth targets. Her strategic approach, combined with data-driven insights, has significantly optimized the company's go-to-market activities, leading to a remarkable fivefold increase in top-line revenue within just six months. She brings over 10 years of experience in business operations and corporate development to her role. In addition to her corporate responsibilities, she serves as a mentor for the Salt & Light Coalition, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering women who have been victims of human trafficking. 

Ryan Thompson. Chief Revenue Cycle Officer at Providence (Renton, Wash.). Mr. Thompson leads people, performance and partnerships for revenue cycle throughout Providence, which spans 51 hospitals in seven states. Mr. Thompson is currently completing the transition of nearly 2,000 caregivers into the care of Providence’s strategic partner for revenue cycle services. Since joining Providence in 2022, his primary focus has been facilitating this strategic partnership, which will deliver efficiencies and state-of-the-art technologies to improve patients' financial journeys. He provides executive leadership for the revenue cycle management team and, by extension, the 2,100 caregivers providing the retained revenue cycle services at Providence. Revenue cycle partnerships of this magnitude are unusual, and Mr. Thompson aims to leverage and maintain this arrangement to serve the Providence mission. 

Brian Urban. Director of Innovation and Emerging Markets at FinThrive (Plano, Texas). Mr. Urban serves as the director of innovation and emerging markets at FinThrive, where he drives the company's growth through strategic collaboration across marketing, product development and sales. His focus on emerging markets includes cultivating new business opportunities and partnerships within life sciences, medical devices and healthcare sectors. Mr. Urban is recognized for his expertise in health promotion, particularly concerning rare diseases and senior populations, and he has made significant contributions to the data humanity lab, which aims to advance health equity through the analysis of social determinants of health data. He has gained visibility in the health tech sector, appearing in interviews with industry leaders and hosting the FinThrive podcast "Healthcare Rethink", which explores innovative solutions in revenue cycle management.

Taylor Webster. Head of Coding Quality for Fathom (San Francisco). As the head of coding quality at Fathom, Ms. Webster oversees a vast coding operations team, ensuring accuracy and compliance across the organization’s 3,000-plus provider sites and 50 million encounters. Her role includes implementing process improvements, training and developing quality assurance protocols in line with industry regulations. Her leadership has led to significant enhancements in operational efficiency and compliance standards, directly benefiting hospitals and health systems within Fathom's network. Her commitment to excellence in coding quality has established her as a thought leader in AI, coding and revenue cycle management. 

Rachel Wilkes. Director of Marketing for Meditech (Canton, Mass.). Ms. Wilkes serves as the director of marketing at Meditech, overseeing corporate communications, branding, digital marketing, events and market research. She is also the executive sponsor of the company’s generative AI initiatives, ensuring these efforts support effective care delivery. With 18 years of experience in the health IT sector, Ms. Wilkes has become a strong advocate for data analytics and population health management, focusing on educating customers and developing relevant software solutions. As Meditech's first product manager, she played a crucial role in transitioning the organization to a product-led mindset, creating strategic roadmaps that align customer needs with future market demands. Her extensive knowledge of the company's portfolio has allowed her to craft a vision for harmonizing software features to enhance user workflows and patient experiences. Throughout her career at the company, she has shaped strategies for analytics, patient engagement, revenue cycle and financial solutions.

Jennifer Worthy. Senior Vice President of Revenue Cycle Management at Therapy Partners Group (Bolingbrook, Ill.). Ms. Worthy currently leads revenue cycle management strategy and oversees the global delivery team at Therapy Partners Group, where she is responsible for developing and implementing an effective revenue cycle management model. With 25 years of experience in the field, she has successfully transformed various billing operations through process improvements and technological advancements. Her efforts have consistently enhanced key performance indicators and fostered the growth of highly skilled teams. Notably, she established a 500-person consolidated operation in Hyderabad, India, to create a cost-effective delivery model, reducing collection costs through automation and lean six sigma principles. Additionally, she actively shares her insights by writing original content on LinkedIn and is committed to ongoing education and mentorship in the field.