Interview
Question: What is your job description?
Response: My job title is Quest Resource Consultant- Promotions and Communications. My job consists of elements of project management and event planning. Within the Department of Operational Excellence, employees have a variety of skill sets and backgrounds from various industries. All of which add value to our culture of continuous improvement that fosters growth and change in improving patient care.
Reflection: I think event planning sounds like a very fun and exciting profession that can go outside of the hospital as well.
Question: What is your degree called?
Response: I have an undergraduate in Business Administration(majored in Marketing) . My masters degree in Business Administration as well. I have a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification as well as a PMP Certification(Project Management Professional)
Reflection: I think this is very interesting considering this the exact degrees I intend on having in my future.
Question: Does your job have anything to do with hospital administration?
Response: Yes. We always say "everything touches everything" so my job either directly or indirectly touches multiple areas with the primary focus always being on improving patient care. In terms of hospital implementation, I have been a part of DMS implementation(Daily Management System) as well as other implementations, such as Merger and Acquisition planning and implementations.
Reflection: It's very neat that I got to work directly with the DMS planners September through December and more of the merger and acquisition planning g the last half of the year so I was fortunate enough to see both.
Question: Do you work with money in the hospital?
Response: I do not work with money in the hospital. I work in a system support capacity that doesn't directly interact with patients and visitors on a daily basis. Revenue Cycle, Billing and other functions would work directly with the patients throughout the organizations in terms of money?
Reflection: I think what I was meant by this question was do you help the hospital save money, which would be a yes, because of the two bin system.
Question: Who are Northeast Georgia's biggest competitors?
Response: We don't really view other hospitals as direct competition as they are all focusing on providing patient care to the region. We work closely with other hospitals to ensure patients are transported appropriately or are referred in ways to get the best care for the patients situation. Whether its a situation regarding a pediatric patients or a burn victim, we are always focusing on what is best for the patient and where they should receive care.
Reflection: I think hospitals should compete for the best care for all patients.
Question: How many hospitals does Northeast Georgia own?
Response: Northeast Georgia Health System consists of 3 hospitals (NGMC Braselton, NGMC Gainesville and NGMC Barrow)
Reflection: It takes a lot of people to run these 3 locations smoothly and efficiently, of course with the help of the DMS workers.
Question: Why do hospitals compete?
Response: When referring to hospital competition, I would say that hospitals truly only "compete" to provide the best in patient care that they reasonably can offer. Hospitals will work to add physician clinic sites or regional care sites to address the healthcare needs of patients in the area. There is a lot of demographic information and strategic planning work that goes into deciding where to build a hospital or clinic site in order to best meet the needs of a community/region. CON(Certificates of Need) also come into play when planning. Again, a lot of information is available regarding the planning piece, but not really from a "competition" standpoint as many are not-for-profit organizations and have missions/visions that are focusing on the patient vs. the profit.
Reflection: I agree, hospitals should compete to provide the best care for patients, and they should want their hospital to be the best in the process.
Question: How does the hospital deal with money?
Response: NGHS is responsible for the care of patients in 13 counties, and in doing so requires employing over 8000 people. Most of our expenses go to paying our staff and for the supplies and facilities required to care for patients. to ensure that we have enough, we work with insurance companies, government payers, and patients themselves to collect appropriate payment for services.
Reflection: I think the process of dealing with money for 8000 people must be extremely complicated and very difficult to handle.
Question: What are ways the hospital saves its money?
Response: Hospitals are continually working to save money and reduce costs. Hospitals have supply chain departments that focus on purchasing and distribution functions. They are always looking for ways to streamline orders, focus on economics of scale and reduce costs by being more efficient in daily operations. A great example is around our two bin system that allows the supply of products on nursing units and surgical departments to be readily available in appropriate quantities.
Reflection: The two bin system is a very important way to save money, only supplies needed will be ordered insuring that nothing goes to waste and that is extremely important because medical supplies is very expensive.
Questions: Who is the CEO of NGMC?
Response: Carol Burrell is the CEO of NGMC.
Reflection: I was very shocked to find of the CEO of such a large company was a o=women, but I think it is very cool.
Response: My job title is Quest Resource Consultant- Promotions and Communications. My job consists of elements of project management and event planning. Within the Department of Operational Excellence, employees have a variety of skill sets and backgrounds from various industries. All of which add value to our culture of continuous improvement that fosters growth and change in improving patient care.
Reflection: I think event planning sounds like a very fun and exciting profession that can go outside of the hospital as well.
Question: What is your degree called?
Response: I have an undergraduate in Business Administration(majored in Marketing) . My masters degree in Business Administration as well. I have a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification as well as a PMP Certification(Project Management Professional)
Reflection: I think this is very interesting considering this the exact degrees I intend on having in my future.
Question: Does your job have anything to do with hospital administration?
Response: Yes. We always say "everything touches everything" so my job either directly or indirectly touches multiple areas with the primary focus always being on improving patient care. In terms of hospital implementation, I have been a part of DMS implementation(Daily Management System) as well as other implementations, such as Merger and Acquisition planning and implementations.
Reflection: It's very neat that I got to work directly with the DMS planners September through December and more of the merger and acquisition planning g the last half of the year so I was fortunate enough to see both.
Question: Do you work with money in the hospital?
Response: I do not work with money in the hospital. I work in a system support capacity that doesn't directly interact with patients and visitors on a daily basis. Revenue Cycle, Billing and other functions would work directly with the patients throughout the organizations in terms of money?
Reflection: I think what I was meant by this question was do you help the hospital save money, which would be a yes, because of the two bin system.
Question: Who are Northeast Georgia's biggest competitors?
Response: We don't really view other hospitals as direct competition as they are all focusing on providing patient care to the region. We work closely with other hospitals to ensure patients are transported appropriately or are referred in ways to get the best care for the patients situation. Whether its a situation regarding a pediatric patients or a burn victim, we are always focusing on what is best for the patient and where they should receive care.
Reflection: I think hospitals should compete for the best care for all patients.
Question: How many hospitals does Northeast Georgia own?
Response: Northeast Georgia Health System consists of 3 hospitals (NGMC Braselton, NGMC Gainesville and NGMC Barrow)
Reflection: It takes a lot of people to run these 3 locations smoothly and efficiently, of course with the help of the DMS workers.
Question: Why do hospitals compete?
Response: When referring to hospital competition, I would say that hospitals truly only "compete" to provide the best in patient care that they reasonably can offer. Hospitals will work to add physician clinic sites or regional care sites to address the healthcare needs of patients in the area. There is a lot of demographic information and strategic planning work that goes into deciding where to build a hospital or clinic site in order to best meet the needs of a community/region. CON(Certificates of Need) also come into play when planning. Again, a lot of information is available regarding the planning piece, but not really from a "competition" standpoint as many are not-for-profit organizations and have missions/visions that are focusing on the patient vs. the profit.
Reflection: I agree, hospitals should compete to provide the best care for patients, and they should want their hospital to be the best in the process.
Question: How does the hospital deal with money?
Response: NGHS is responsible for the care of patients in 13 counties, and in doing so requires employing over 8000 people. Most of our expenses go to paying our staff and for the supplies and facilities required to care for patients. to ensure that we have enough, we work with insurance companies, government payers, and patients themselves to collect appropriate payment for services.
Reflection: I think the process of dealing with money for 8000 people must be extremely complicated and very difficult to handle.
Question: What are ways the hospital saves its money?
Response: Hospitals are continually working to save money and reduce costs. Hospitals have supply chain departments that focus on purchasing and distribution functions. They are always looking for ways to streamline orders, focus on economics of scale and reduce costs by being more efficient in daily operations. A great example is around our two bin system that allows the supply of products on nursing units and surgical departments to be readily available in appropriate quantities.
Reflection: The two bin system is a very important way to save money, only supplies needed will be ordered insuring that nothing goes to waste and that is extremely important because medical supplies is very expensive.
Questions: Who is the CEO of NGMC?
Response: Carol Burrell is the CEO of NGMC.
Reflection: I was very shocked to find of the CEO of such a large company was a o=women, but I think it is very cool.