eCubed - Winter 2013

engage. educate. empower.

Published by PHX

2013 WINTER Edition

bringing an

entrepreneurial

spirit

to your company

PLUS: Partnership Intelligence | Building a Culture of Success | PHX News

CONTENTS

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8 12

18

20 Industry News The Impending Consumerization of Healthcare

Cover Story

4

Bringing an Entrepreneurial Spirit to your Company

Features

8 12 18 2

3 More Ways Gamification in Healthcare is Making a Difference Changing Healthcare Through Mobile Technology

26 PHX News Power in Partnership Industry Conferences Ensuring Privacy and Security Through HIPAA

Using Partnership Intelligence to Help a Partnership Flourish

PHX Gives Back to the Community

Got What it Takes?

32 PPS News

The Importance of Building a Culture of Success

RedPlus‌ from Ink to e

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PHX Employee Spotlight

PPS Employee Spotlight

A Message from the CEO

eCubed Editorial Editor in Chief • Leo J. Garneau, III Managing Editor • Rita Ferrari Senior Editors • Valerie Bauer & Erin Alden

O

Editorial Assistant • Gina Cerniglia

n behalf of the entire PHX Team, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the latest edition of eCubed. This new edition will introduce a stimulating new approach to customer communications for PHX.

I am happy to inform you that eCubed is expanding! This transition has become

Art & Production Creative Director • Scott Dotter

Contributors Steven Dent, Bill Boggs, Kevin Shane

necessary for a number of significant and exciting reasons. The first is that PHX is evolving. That evolution requires that we provide and utilize the most effective com-

Premier Healthcare Exchange®

munication tools available. These resources will enable the dissemination of subject

PHX Mission Statement

matter that is pertinent to both our evolution as well as the growth and development of your business. Simultaneously, your communication preferences and subject matter

Our Mission is to gain trust, to deliver value, and to make sure our clients know we care.

needs are advancing. Therefore, we have converted eCubed from a newsletter into

PHX Leadership

a magazine format. This conversion will enable us to focus on your information needs

Todd Roberti • Founder & CEO

by implementing both internal and external subject matter.

Robert M. Hemmer • CFO

The new eCubed will deliver feature articles written by experts in our industry that

Lori Sempervive • COO

CONTACT PHX

will cover strategic, tactical and market level topics. We will also provide sections on

2 Crossroads Drive, Bedminster, NJ 07921 PHX-online.com • 888.311.3505

business building opportunities that may be independent from PHX or as an augmen-

Follow us:

tation of our Partnership approach to our business relationship. Additionally, we will expand upon the sharing of our market research initiatives, as well as the outcomes associated with the sessions we conduct with our Customer Advisory Council and Council for Operational Excellence. Specifically, this edition has feature articles from our 2013 Forum Master of Ceremonies, Bill Boggs on “Success” and keynote speaker Stephen Dent on “Partnering”. You will also find an interview with Pay-Plus® COO, Ronnie Brown and much, much more!

We are excited to introduce the new and improved face of eCubed! Because eCubed

Pay-Plus ® Solutions PPS Mission Statement At Pay-Plus, our Mission Statement is simple: • Be recognized as a leading provider of innovative payment and information solutions.

• Deliver significant value to Payors and Providers alike.

• Continue to expand our Provider base.

is produced specifically for you and your operational growth and needs, we sincerely

PPS Leadership

hope you find our new format both refreshing and informative. We welcome and

Ronnie Brown • COO

appreciate your comments; please email them to ecubed@phx-online.com.

Regards,

Jay Ver Hulst • President

Contact PPS 18167 US Highway 19 N, Suite 515, Clearwater, FL 33764 PPSonline.com • 877.828.8770 Follow us:

Todd “Maestro” Roberti, PHX Founder & CEO © 2013 by Premier Healthcare Exchange, Inc. All rights reserved.

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FEATURE

bringing an

entrepreneurial

spirit

to your company

And create an innovative, thriving and passionate work environment. By Rita Ferrari

Business Administration (SBA) statistics show that during the past 15 years, firms with less than 500 employees accounted for 64 percent of net new hires in the U.S. and pay 44 percent

M

any think that entrepreneurship in established companies is an

of the U.S. private payroll. Moreover,

oxymoron. However, not only is that false, but one of the ways to

most technology innovation is driven

become successful at work is to embrace your inner entrepreneurial

by R&D within smaller corporations.

spirit. So how can you become an entrepreneur at your company?

Smaller, entrepreneurial firms provide the rocket fuel driving our technology

Well, let’s first explore who these people are. Entrepreneurs are forward thinkers

innovation engine. SBA statistics show

who are not risk averse. They cultivate new ideas and they inspire or are inspired

small firms produce 13 times more

by innovation. They are problem solvers who flourish on the search for solutions

patents per employee than large firms

and they don’t just love what they do, they thrive on what they do. For companies,

and patents of small firms are twice as

having employees with this spirit enables growth and development of teams, culture

likely to be among the top one percent

and business which ultimately have broad implications across the enterprise and

most cited.1

directly with the employees themselves.

PHX was founded on this very same

4

Traditionally defined entrepreneurship is even more recognizable in small to medium

philosophy of encouraging a corpo-

size companies who foster innovation as part of their business model and have

rate culture that nurtures the entrepre-

horizontal organizations with no barriers to key decision makers. This in turn leads

neurial spirit of the employees and

to many advantages for the economy. In fact, it’s been noted that most new jobs are

subsequently produces high quality

created by entrepreneurial companies that have less than 500 employees. Small

results. In fact, at PHX, we believe

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1 Paul Silverman, “So What is Entrepreneurship and Why is it So Critically Important”, November 2011, http://ezinearticles.com/?So-What-Is-Entrepreneurship-and-Why-Is-It-So-Critically-Important?&id=6677082

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FEATURE

our organization’s performance is enhanced when our employees think like owners of the company. In order to align our individual employee goals with our corporate goals, we promote a culture of trust, innovation and open communications. Because of this foundation, PHX has grown significantly over the past few years. However, it’s not just about a company becoming larger, but that the growth was based on harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit and innovation of the employees and consequently producing new technologies and services that support our customers.

So, how can you foster the entrepreneurial spirit and apply it to your organization? Here are some tips on developing this energy:

Love what you do

Be curious

Years of hard work (which generally precedes success) don’t seem so hard if you are doing what you love. Finding what you love to do may take some effort, but it is worth it.

One of the most important traits that entrepreneurs possess is constant curiosity. One top executive commented that he travels through life, constantly observing. He makes notes on all kinds of potential opportunities, which most people might not even notice. He doesn’t just observe—he asks questions, re-evaluates and acts.

Find your own market niche In the same way that successful entrepreneurs provide innovative solutions to market opportunities, you can work to develop a special competency that differentiates you from everyone else. Be creative.

Look for market needs that everyone else may not have considered. Great entrepreneurs provide products and services that are better or different than what everyone else is doing. You can also do this at your present job: What should be done that isn’t?

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Learn from the best As you ponder your career options, ask yourself: “Who do I want to be like in 10 years?” or “Who are the world’s experts in fields that are related to my desired area of expertise?” Try to learn from these people’s lives. You may be surprised. Some may even go out of their way to help you.

bringing an

entrepreneurial

spirit Become a world expert As intimidating as this sounds, achieving serious “world-class” expertise may not be as daunting as you might believe. If you pick a reasonably narrow area of specialization, focus on it, and learn as much as you can, you will start to accumulate serious knowledge within a few years. While you can never become the world authority on everything, you can definitely become a world authority on one thing.

Do your homework While the role models you look up to may be willing to help you, respect the fact that they are very busy people. Their time is valuable. For example, if they have written books on a topic, read the books before you ask them questions. If they are executives in your

own company, study their history—read their bios— and learn from their co-workers before you ask them to invest their very limited time in helping you.

Pay the price It is possible that you may just get lucky and become incredibly successful without having to work very hard. Don’t count on it. The successful entrepreneurs and the successful people work very hard. The “luck ” that they experience is often impacted by the years of effort that have prepared them to take advantage of fortuitous opportunities.2

2 Marshall Goldsmith, “Demonstrating the Entrepreneurial Spirit”, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, August 2008.

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FEATURE

using partnership

INTELLIGENCE to help a partnership flourish W

Your guide to effective partnering techniques.

By Stephen M. Dent, Founding Principal, Partnership Continuum, LLC

hat business leader isn’t looking for ways to grow the business,

All three strategies can work, but only

expand its reach, and create new and exciting products for custom-

partnerships offer an opportunity to

ers? Partnering is a highly effective strategy to achieve these goals,

increase information and knowledge

especially when confronted with limited resources, time and talent. What enables

exponentially, which leads to creativity

some partnerships to succeed when many fail?

and innovation.

For more than thirty years, my colleagues and I have helped businesses build, sustain

Why? The answer is corporate culture. It

and benefit from partnerships. The most successful have something I coined “partner-

is deeply embedded in an organization’s

ing intelligence.” People with high partnering intelligence design their partnership for

psychology. When organizations build in

success, as follows:

house or buy what they need, they uncon-

• They begin with a documented process to follow as the partnership develops.

sciously craft the outcome to reflect their

• They designate leaders with focused interpersonal skills that result in trust for

business culture’s biases. Organizational

mutually beneficial outcomes.

culture often and unknowingly demands conformity to existing norms, which results

Businesses typically engage in three strategies for business growth:

in either “group think” or assimilation.

1. Developing what they need in house

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2. Buying or acquiring what they need outside their business

In contrast, when partnering, we allow an

3. Forming partnerships to get what they need.

outside force into the mix, disturbing the

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simply because each partner tends to operate from a mindset of their own needs and cultural biases. To overcome differences from this “human factor,” it is important to use an agreed-upon partnering process.

4 Stages of Partnership Development: 1. Assess

2. Explore

3. Initiate

4. Commit

4 Stages of Relationship Development:1 1. Form

2. Storm

3. Norm

4. Perform

Stages of Partnership Development Assess: Know Thyself First status quo and often forcing us to see something differently. Organizations that cannot adapt to change and instead live with a past orientation are not good partners.

Forming a partnership correctly with another business results in a culture that is different from the parent organizations. For example, one partner may have a hierarchal management structure with layers of approvals needed for a business case, but the other partner may have a flat management structure with approvals given by those closest to the work or customer. Unless they address their differences in a positive way, cultural variations can lead to frustration, delays, anger and mistrust.

In the Assess Stage you examine your reasons for partnering. Form a partnering team and determine if partnering is the best strategy to achieve a particular business goal. Identify your business’ strengths and weaknesses, the reason or mission for the partnership and how you will measure the partnership’s achievements.

Two things must happen simultaneously to work through these types of differences.

Explore: Engaging Your Partner– The Most Critical Stage

First, they must design the partnership to achieve its optimal potential by using

Moving to the Explore Stage, look

an agreed-upon rigorous partnering process that leaves the least chance of any

for and engage a partner that can

unforeseen difficulty to happenchance. Second, people creating and maintaining the

help you satisfy your needs and, as

partnership must use a high degree of partnering intelligence to ensure they build

importantly, a partner whose needs

the relationship on a foundation of trust and mutual benefit.

you can satisfy. This stage is critical because you must determine if the part-

Most partnerships have a high fatality rate when not properly planned and executed

Based on Dr. Bruce Tuckman’s theory on group development

1

nership will help both partners achieve

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FEATURE

objectives — the reason you form the partnership. Your objective might be to

• Provide an opportunity to build

increase distribution, manufacture a product or any hundreds of reasons. Each

ownership and commitment by

partner may have different objectives, but they must compliment each other.

building the strategic framework as a team

Because you must work closely and productively with your partner, you must deter-

• Agree early on strategies and

mine whether or not they are trustworthy and if their cultural values and ethics are

tactics to achieve task objectives

compatible with yours. As you explore the value proposition of the partnership it is

• Determine how to jointly measure

important to determine cultural fit — whether or not working styles and norms are

outcomes.

complementary and if you will be able to work well together.

Many partnerships fail to directly

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In the Explore Stage, we recommend several actions to help determine future

address their relational expectations.

viability of the partnership:

People often confuse socializing with

• Document the mutual value propositions

setting relational expectations. While

• Construct a strategic framework for the alliance to clarify the vision and mission

having a drink or playing golf helps

• Define relational expectations to open communication

partners get to know each other

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personally, they often fail to address real issues central to working together as

1. Self-Disclosure and Feedback

partners. The following are a few of the relational questions that must be asked

2. Win/Win Orientation

and answered if the partnership is to flourish:

3. Ability to Trust

• How will we resolve differences?

4. Future Orientation

• What will be our decision making style?

5. Comfort with Change

• How will we communicate with each other?

6. Comfort with Interdependence

• How will we manage escalating issues?

• What does trust look like in our partnership?

Success in achieving the task objectives is closely linked to the quality of the relationship. If a healthy relationship develops, information, knowledge and ideas flow freely between partners. Mistrust closes the door to all of them.

These behaviors are learned behaviors. They form the backbone of a partnering culture designed to create mutual benefits and trust between people and businesses.

Partnering is one of the most difficult

Initiate & Commit: Working Together & Committing to the Future — or Separation Once the partnership agreements are signed, in the Initiate Stage you begin to work together. Start with a small step to create an opportunity to build on a success, determine if the value proposition is genuine and build trust. By starting with a small project, if the relationship seems difficult or the value proposition fails, little is invested and you can kiss good-bye.

In the Commit Stage, you determine the viability of maintaining a long-term relationship that eventually leads to a joint strategic plan for the partnership.

Stages of Relationship Development All human relationships evolve through Dr. Tuckman’s model of Form, Storm, Norm and Perform. The model helps us understand the process we use to build trust and establish working norms. Because partnerships are teams of people working together to accomplish an objective, they go through these stages.

Six Partnering Attributes Smart partners know that with the correct behavior-based skills they can accelerate through these stages of development. The key to prevent being stuck in a cycle of storming — endless and unresolved conflict — is using our Six Partnering Attributes. These attributes are based on fundamental psychological principles and create a system of behavior enabling the development of a partnering culture:

business strategies to implement because of the human element.

But when both parties use a designed partnering process to develop the partnership and engage in the behaviors that build trust and mutual benefits, the outcome is breakaway results, creativity and innovation that competitors cannot duplicate.

Stephen M. Dent is a pioneer in partnering intelligence theory, research and application. He has more than 30 years’ experience helping companies improve performance and operating margins through leadership, strategic and employee development, along with quality, process and partnering improvement methodologies. Stephen puts forth a compelling case for adopting the principles and practices of partnering intelligence. He demonstrates why, in today’s information and knowledge driven economy, effective partnerships are critical for success. He provides a roadmap for companies that wish to develop the partnering acumen of their executives, managers and employees.

For more information on Stephen Dent visit www.partneringintelligence.com

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got what it Secrets of success. How you too can rise to the top.

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By Bill Boggs, TV Personality

takes? A

FEATURE

t this year’s 5th Annual PHX Forum, we had the honor of welcoming, four-time Emmy

Award-winning TV host, executive producer and dynamic speaker, Bill Boggs, as our emcee. Bill has been an important figure in the business, travel, sports, news, and celebrity reporting world for years. He has interviewed some of the most notable achievers of our time and his best-selling book, “Got What it Takes? Successful People Reveal How They Made it to the Top,” has been hailed by Forbes as “a lessons in life career guide.” In addition to his current work on PBS, Bill travels the country with leadership seminars and keynote addresses designed to fit the needs of his clients. With Bill’s veteran experience and involvement with successful organizations we were interested in what he would define as being the key factors that contribute to entrepreneurial success.

“I’ve been spending much of my life having conversations with successful people as part of my career as a talk show host, professional speaker and emcee. I’ve interviewed countless high-level achievers specifically about the personal tactics they employed to actualize their dreams. I’ve observed that hope and optimism are a crucial part of the emotional life of successful people. I’ve found these winners seem

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FEATURE

to possess a will to prevail by believing in themselves and their talents. That they have a force within them because they know how powerful that faith in themselves can be, whether times for them are good or bad. What are some of the other specific inner resources and disciplines practiced by successful people that help them to excel in their careers and their lives? How can their secrets help us on a daily basis?” Here are some basics:

HARD WORK... many top executives interviewed about the new generation coming into the workforce relate a disappointment with first time employees exhibiting a sense of entitlement. If you’re going to be successful you’re likely to have to work very hard to get where you want to go. The “Today Show’s” Matt Lauer, who approaches each show, each day with the challenge of making the news program the best one he can possibly do, puts it this way. “You have to be prepared to do the work necessary to achieve the level of success you want and you have to continue to work hard to maintain that success. And if you’re not prepared to work that hard, then you have to admit that to yourself and settle for something else.” Music mogul Clive Davis agrees adding, “There is no sense of entitlement, and everything must be worked for and earned every day.”

SET SPECIFIC GOALS... without them you are drifting. The TV star of “The View” and comedian Joy Behar, who began on the path to make her childhood dream come true and become a standup comedian only after lurching through several disappointing jobs says, “Once you set a goal for yourself you will find that the obstacles on the path to that goal start to clear away.” The lyrics of “Happy Talk” from “South Pacific” say, “If you don’t have a dream, how you gonna’ make that dream come true?” There is a law in psychology that if you form a picture in your mind of what you would like to be, and you keep and hold that picture long enough, you will soon become exactly as you have been thinking. Try it.

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DEAL WITH FEAR AND INSECURITY... whether you are a CEO leading fifty

make a huge difference in what you

thousand employees, a guy on the street selling pretzels, or you’re somewhere in

accomplish. Iconic fashion designer

between, it’s quite likely that on a daily basis you’re haunted by doubts, fears and

Diane von Furstenberg, whose mother

insecurities. Dealing constructively with those inner demons must be part of your

was a holocaust survivor, was taught

personal success strategy. Pulitzer Prize winning writer and author Anna Quindlen

by her mother that she could do any-

offers the following advice, “So often the things we do out of fearlessness, saying,

thing she wanted in life as long as she

‘you know what, I don’t care! I’m going to take that leap,’ these are the great suc-

was unafraid. “It serves you every day

cesses.” I think that if you can get rid of your fear, if you can acknowledge it, con-

of your life not to be afraid,” Diane

front it, fold it up, put it in your pocket and get on with what you are doing, it can

says, ”fear is a handicap.” Your hope,

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“Whether you are a CEO leading fifty thousand employees, a guy on the street selling pretzels, or you’re somewhere in between, it’s quite likely that on a daily basis you’re haunted by doubts, fears and insecurities.”

optimism and self-belief will help you face fears and put them out of your way.

about yourself might be conditioning your view of yourself in a negative way.

CULTIVATE SELF CONFIDENCE... how? Practice! You can improve a golf or

How can self-confidence grow from a

tennis swing with repetition of correct motions. And you can increase your self

place where you are beating yourself

confidence in a similar way, by repeating positive thoughts about yourself, and by

up? Pause right now and think of what

keeping a daily journal to feed a positive point of view and to talk to yourself in a re-

you’ve done in your life, what you’ve

assuring tone. Baseball’s Joe Torre believes that “confidence comes with accomplish-

achieved–the times of triumphs large

ment,” and that you need to continually remind yourself of your accomplishments,

and small, and as that list grows you’ll

and not concentrate on flaws and failures. It is easily possible that your daily thinking

feel the swell of a wave of confidence

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15

FEATURE

that you can ride every day. Cable television giant Bill O’Reilly assesses the value of

Governor Mario Cuomo simply states,

self-confidence on his road to stardom this way, “I never said, Gee, maybe I can do

“Some people experience a defeat and

this, I said I’m gonna do a great job. I always had that kind of attitude which a lot of

learn nothing, that’s a real tragedy.” It

people think is an ego thing. I think it’s self-confidence based on past performance.

is important to realize that there is a set

I brought that to every job–I was cocky, I had swagger and it helped me.”

of coping skills that you will acquire by learning how to fail.

“As the acclaimed actor Brian Dennehy says, ‘If you’re leading a passionate life you are leading a successful life as far as I am concerned.’ ”

PASSION... was the one common trait that was shared by all who were interviewed here about success. They seemed to be following a path of their passion, even if that was something that came along a little later in life. And that by following that path they armed themselves to deal with life and achieved enormous satisfaction, and that will work

TAKE RISKS... Sir Richard Branson told me, “If you never risk going too far, you’ll never know how far you could go.” Don’t be afraid of risk. Eric Clapton says that any long career is necessarily going to have ebbs and flows, and frequently toughness will be defined by your ability to have faith in yourself and take a leap when you need to get back in gear. Bob Pittman, an original founder of MTV, and former CEO of MTV Networks, Six Flags, Century 21 Real Estate and AOL likes to quote his mentor Steve Ross of Warner Communications who said, “At this company you won’t be fired for making a mistake, you’ll be fired for not making a mistake, because mistakes require risks, and risks are the byproduct of innovation.” Psychologist and former President of The University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Judith Rodin offers concrete advice about the value of risks in our careers. “If you are risk adverse,” Rodin says, “you may be safe, but you probably won’t be brilliantly successful.”

KNOW THE VALUE IN FAILURE... it’s likely than when you’ve had a crushing defeat that you may have felt like fleeing the country or at least crawling in bed with

for you. As the acclaimed actor Brian Dennehy says, “If you’re leading a passionate life you are leading a successful life as far as I am concerned.”

YOUR MISSION... identify your passion, set clear goals, maintain hope and optimism, vanquish your fears, grow your self-confidence, take risks, learn from mistakes, and, oh yes, work hard, and of course, have as much fun as possible, and you are on your way. Application is the key–Good luck. Remember my motto: “You are very powerful, provided you know how powerful you are.”

the covers over your head for a day. That’s an understandable reaction, but successful people interviewed specifically about the role of failure in their lives point again and again to its value not only in shaping our character, but in helping us to learn and grow. Former Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison from Texas reminds us, “You have to be willing to lose if you are ever going to achieve very much, or you won’t strive for anything bigger.” Diane von Furstenberg says, “Sometimes the worst thing that happens to you can be the best thing, if you turn it around.” And former New York

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For more information on Bill Boggs, please visit: www.billboggsspeaks.com , www.billboggs.com , or contact Ben Carrizzo at bcarrizzo@gmail.com or (631) 544-0333 For hundreds of Bill’s historic interviews, please visit the BillBoggsTV channel on YouTube.

Walk. Give. To help them live.

PHX’s team Bridge for Hope supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by participating in the 2013 St. Jude Give thanks. Walk.

Together we can raise the much needed funds to continue to change the ways the world treats childhood cancer.

PHX-online.com

FEATURE

the

Importance of

Building a Culture of

Success

Creating a corporate culture that is nurtured and cultivated through PRISM . By Julia Nüesch, SPHR, PHX VP, Human Resources

which creates a sense of familiarity and ultimately delivers the best service and performance to clients.

Respect is a critical element in de-

A

corporate culture of success is built, nurtured and cultivated at the core of an organization and creates the foundation for a positive work environment as well as long-term collective success. A corporate culture with a

foundation centered on the following five characteristics, Pride, Respect, Innovation,

veloping trust between employees and managers and establishing relationships between employees and clients.

Achieving respect in an organization

Satisfaction and Meaning (PRISM) sets a company apart, creates a unique and spe-

opens lines of communication which

cial work place and fosters growth and development. Additionally, there is a direct

can produce both process and product

correlation between companies with a strong culture and high-employee satisfaction

enhancements. Creating this open line

to the ability to generate high customer satisfaction rates. At PHX, we strive to main-

of communication ultimately refines

tain a healthy, people-centric environment which supports a successful, collaborative

processes and fosters the development

and highly-engaged culture. This culture ensures that PHX is delivering the value we

of new ideas.

promise and cultivates that unique partnership we strive to create with every client.

Innovation is essential for

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Pride is a fundamental building block for a successful culture. Taking pride in the

companies to remain competitive and

company you work for as well as in the work you perform generates customer satis-

position themselves as a leader in the

faction and client retention. Employees who are proud of the work they do reflect it

market place. In an intensely com-

in their interactions with each and every client. Company and industry knowledge

petitive environment like healthcare,

is also essential in creating a successful culture, which is why organizations like PHX

innovative solutions are the key to

host Cross Functional training programs geared towards recently hired employees.

success. Companies need to have a

This training teaches the employees about the industry, and the company work flow

“willingness to pivot” when faced with

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business challenges and having a PRISM focused corporate culture enables creative

roadmap which enables the employ-

thinking and innovation.

ees and organization to work together to achieve the corporate mission.

Satisfaction in the workplace starts with leadership and combines with a clear corporate mission, effective work-life balance, competitive compensation and benefits and last but certainly not least, fun! Additionally, companies like PHX invest in top talent and intentionally build a culture of helpfulness and cooperation between departments. PHX also believes that great ideas are developed in non-traditional situations, and with that philosophy in mind, we are dedicated to hosting employee events and monthly lunches that help strike up conversation in a not so traditional setting.

Visibility of the corporate Strategic Imperatives and Mission statement within the corporate space serve as visual reminders of the foundation of its culture. At PHX, employees place value on the company mission and strive to always go above and beyond ensuring that client satisfaction is

The

Meaning associated with corporate values is an essential component of the

intrinsic in our culture.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

The Impending Consumerization of Healthcare

By Rita Ferrari

Buying behaviors in healthcare will change in the

choices. In the years ahead, healthcare will evolve into a

future as a result of trends shifting from group to individual

B2C industry, in which consumers will take a much more

preferences. Large groups are shifting coverage decisions and

active role in their healthcare decisions and expenditures.

management to their members, thus a new surge of individual

And, as a result, every healthcare company and organiza-

insurance buyers will entice payors to develop new business

tion will need to become more consumer-centric. The

models which are focused on consumer choices. Consumers are

deck is being reshuffled, and there will be new winners

taking a more active role in planning for their healthcare needs

and new losers, depending on how companies play

by taking the management of healthcare into their own hands

their hand.1

and making decisions based on personal choices. This shift is a direct consequence of an unsatisfactory healthcare system

In order to adapt to a future consumer-driven healthcare

which is characterized by high costs, lack of access, and

system, healthcare organizations will need to adapt in

unsatisfying patient experiences. Medical insurers, hospitals,

three main areas:

and providers are trying to answer the demands of consumers

1. Offer products and service portfolios based on con-

who want more timely care, greater education about treatment

sumer insights and personalize according to preferences,

options, and lower costs by consumerizing healthcare.

health status, care utilization patterns and likelihood to purchase. Healthcare organizations will need to research

In the years ahead, healthcare will evolve into a B2C industry, in which consumers will take a much more active role in their healthcare decisions and expenditures.

and segment consumers by performing complex compilations of consumer data and integrating with demographic and behavioral information to create customized offerings.

2. Engage consumers in the care delivery process with tools and programs that give them incentives to practice healthy behaviors and participate dynamically in their treatments. For example, employers can provide healthy incentive programs which encourage employees to

What exactly is the consumerization of healthcare? The word

become healthier based on pre-established criteria and

consumerization is used to describe the transformation of an

thus receive discounts or bonuses based on levels. This

industry from a primarily business-to-business (B2B) enterprise

not only reduces healthcare for employers, but also incites

to one that focuses on business-to-consumer (B2C) activities.

consumer engagement in healthcare decisions.

In today’s B2B healthcare marketplace, business is transacted among large employers, payors, providers, and pharmaceuti-

3. Provide compelling end-to-end consumer experiences

cal companies. The people being insured and treated have

that increase satisfaction, trust, and brand loyalty.

little involvement in or responsibility for their own care and cost

Currently, consumer involvement in healthcare decisions

Gil Irwin, Jack Topdjian, and Ashish Kaura, “Putting the I in Healthcare”, Strategy+Business –booz&co.

1

eCUBED > WINTER 2013 > PHX-ONLINE.COM

21

INDUSTRY NEWS

The Impending Consumerization of Healthcare (cont’d.)

tend to be passive and disintegrated since there is little coordination among

3 More Ways Gamification in Healthcare is Making a Difference

By Kevin Shane, Director of GSummit & Community Builder at GamificationCo

touch points and consumers are passed from one area to another. Establishing robust consumer experiences will require accessible and logical plan options with straightforward enrollment processes, simplified claims processes and un-

One of the trends sweeping the healthcare industry is gamification, using game-thinking and game-mechanics to change behavior. In healthcare, it’s primarily useful for behavioral changes–incentivizing people to increase their wellness by performing game like tasks and receiving rewards.

complicated billing methods. However, before the consumer experience can be

Kevin Shane, Director of GSummit & Community Builder at GamificationCo

modified and improved, it first needs

wrote an article this past year on some of the ways that gamification is being

to be understood through consumer

used within the healthcare industry.

research, interviews, and site visits performed by healthcare organizations.

Consumerism in the healthcare industry is an inevitable growing trend. Consumers desire to control their healthcare decisions and therefore are increasingly taking an active role within this realm.

In order to successfully convert from B2B to B2C, payors will need to use business intelligence tools and advanced analytics to derive patterns and consumer trends which will provide personalized

3 More Ways Gamification in Healthcare is Making a Difference Gamification in Healthcare is Growing even more We’ve (GCO) recently shared a comprehensive overview on how games can help healthcare in 2013. We’ve found a few more ways how gamification is affecting the health landscape through simulation learning, inspiring new health insurance programs, disease management and more.

Simulation and Interaction Learning One PharmExec.com piece “Gamification Grows Up” illustrates one current project by Syandus, “a small experiential learning agency” in Pennsylvania. Created for two large pharmaceutical companies, their COPD (short for shronic obstruc-

care and drive loyalty. Factors such as

tive pulmonary disease) simulation software does some remarkable things:

cost of care and quality and ease of

• It allows doctors to create and control a “virtual patient” and even control

service are crucial factors in determining how well consumerism of healthcare will be accepted as the new normal.

Moreover, integration of mobile technology and social media will be essential

variables by inserting actual medical record information.

• It has tweaking tools for environmental variables and shows how a particular patient would respond “on a deep physiological level.”

• It allows introduction of drug therapy or see how the patient’s condition could be affected by smoking fewer cigarettes per day, for example.

for today’s modern healthcare provider

22

seeking to initiate change in an ever-

The unprecedented interactivity allows the doctor to show patients how their

evolving industry.

behavior has a direct effect on their condition.

eCUBED > WINTER 2013 > PHX-ONLINE.COM

Health Insurers Embracing Gamification

diabetics that was based on the popular Trivial Pursuit. The

According to BusinessInsider, one Minnesota-based insurer

response was stunning as over 3,000 patients began play-

launched a gamification app with UnitedHealthcare called

ing the game “regularly, with very little marketing.”

OptimizeMe. This app encourages fitness-related contests among friends. They have another game undergoing test-

What’s the Future of Gamification in Healthcare?

ing and development, Join For Me, that targets overweight

According to Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, gamification in

adolescents at risk for developing diabetes and promotes

health care “isn’t the future – It’s now”. Watch their presenta-

physical activities like dancing for maintaining good health.

tion with a panel of experts, who discuss how gamification has exploded in the healthcare sector (www.saatchiwellness.

Managing Chronic Illness with Fun

com/game-on-gamification-in-healthcare-isnt-the-future-its-

Diabetes is no fun, but there are companies like GameMe-

now/). The state of health in the United States has been less

trix Solutions who are inventing entertaining platforms

than favorable for most people but the advances of gamifi-

based on other classic games – Solitaire and Jeopardy, for

cation in healthcare will make great strides in making our

example – with the goal of managing those illnesses. The

therapeutic experiences significantly better as we improve

idea is to pull the patients into the games using tested and

our healthcare system.

familiar game mechanics with a very low learning curve.

For additional news, insight, research and commentary on Back in 2007 GameMetrix came up with a game for

gamification, you can go to www.gamification.co.

eCUBED > WINTER 2013 > PHX-ONLINE.COM

23

INDUSTRY NEWS

Changing Healthcare Through Mobile Technology

By Valerie Bauer

health data via a medical app is being able to be alerted of a medical issue as it happens and giving it immediate attention as opposed to waiting to be seen at an appointment.

Amongst the most popular medical apps are those that provide needed services to patients, such as diagnostic tools, vital sign monitoring apps, health information tracking,

The healthcare industry is rapidly evolving and

interactive human diagrams, asthma monitoring and even

is at the cutting edge of innovative technological advances,

fitness and relaxations apps. Accordingly, with the growing

specifically in the mobile and digital space. These advances

number of mobile medical applications, comes concern over

in technology are producing new efficiencies and leading to

patient privacy and accuracy of the medical apps ability to

a course of overall improved healthcare, which is beginning

perform or monitor like a medical device. Because of this

to alter the typical physician/patient relationship and trans-

concern, the FDA and the Medical and Healthcare Regula-

forming how care is given and received. The use of technol-

tory Agency have now created a set of stricter medical

ogy in the healthcare field has been growing exponentially

guidelines that medical apps must adhere to, which is

over the last few years, with now over half of all U.S.

helping physicians vet which apps they will use before

physicians using an electronic health record (EHR) system

prescribing them to a patient.

to track patient care, all of which is forecasting the change technology is having on the way healthcare is delivered and

The mobile and digital revolution is also helping providers

managed.

and payors improve overall productivity and deliver new and better services that are strengthening patient care and

One of the most notable advancements in healthcare technol-

relationships, all of which strive to deliver better health

ogy is coming from the improvement in smartphones and

outcomes at a lower cost. And according to the research

tablets. With mobile medical applications (apps) reaching in

company GlobalData, the mobile health technology market

the tens of thousands, their popularity and trust amongst phy-

is expected to exceed $8 billion by 2018, so with the

sicians and patients is rapidly increasing. Some physicians

growth of medical technology and the advancement in

are beginning to suggest medical apps to their patients as a

mobile communications, this is a market on the cusp of a

way to help them better monitor a patient’s health, whether

true healthcare revolution.

it be through an app that tracks a patient’s diabetes by wirelessly monitoring their blood glucose level, or a fitness weight loss goals, mobile technology is making it easier for

Check out some of the latest medical apps for individuals and healthcare professionals!

physicians to communicate and monitor their patients prog-

Fitbit - www.fitbit.com

ress. And as more physicians continue to see the benefits of

Lark - www.lark.com

mobile apps, prescribing apps to their patients along with

Azynui - www.azumio.com/argus

medicine, in order to better capture health data will start to

Drchrono - www.drchrono.com

become a more universal practice. One of the most signifi-

Medscape - www.medscape.com/public/mobileapp

cant advantages of physicians monitoring their patients’

Glooko - www.glooko.com

and exercise app that may better help a patient monitor their

24

eCUBED > WINTER 2013 > PHX-ONLINE.COM

PAYMENT

trANSFOrMED?

How… with Pay-Plus® Solutions

©2013 Pay-Plus™ Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Secure electronic healthcare payment.

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PHX NEWS

Power in Partnership

By Erin Alden

The theme of this year’s 5th Annual PHX Forum, Power in Partnership, was about joining together to demonstrate the collective purpose of partnership. Over the course of the 3 day event at Atlantis, Paradise Island Bahamas, forum attendees were educated on the fundamentals, the necessities for maintaining and how to evolve successful partnerships. Not only did our attendees experience the values essential to partnership but they also experienced some fun in the sun, including sailing the Caribbean, walking with the sharks and swimming with the dolphins.

The forum opened with an amazing performance, “Power of Partnership”, led by professional jugglers, the Passing Zone. Whether juggling chainsaws or exchanging blades over an attendee’s head, Jon and Owen illustrated why innovation, collaboration and execution are all key contributors to building a successful partnership.

Our resident partnership expert, Stephen Dent, Founder of the Partnership Continuum LLC., was also on hand to en-

CEO of Steiner Sports, brought another dynamic view of how

lighten forum attendees on how to build, sustain and ben-

hard work and persistent efforts are necessary in developing

efit from smart and successful partnerships. Stephen also

a successful partnership. For Brandon, winning was a moving

presented the results of a Partnering Quotient Assessment

target. Raised as a young boy in Brooklyn, he knew very

which was completed by the attendees prior to the forum.

early on that if you want to succeed at something you must

This self-assessment shows the individual knowledge and

study it—and be teachable, knowing that people will always

capacity of each attendee in which they engage in collab-

try to move ahead of you. Brandon showed our attendees

orative leadership and as a partner in organizational and

that by adapting to each situation and creating successful

community change activities. I think it is safe to say that the

partnerships, the outcome will result in success. Take it from

majority of individuals could identify with their assessment

Brandon, who continuously adapted his relationship with the

findings and that the findings provided them with a new

NY Yankees. This unprecedented partnership was announced

perspective on how they partner as an individual.

in 2004, as a way to provide Yankees fans with authentic Yankees memorabilia and one-of-a-kind fantasy experiences

Our final featured speaker, Brandon Steiner, Founder and

26

eCUBED > WINTER 2013 > PHX-ONLINE.COM

at Yankee Stadium.

> SIIA Annual National Conference In October, PHX attended the SIIA Annual National Conference at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers in Chicago. This year’s theme “Outsmarting Reform” afforded attendees the ability to learn how to navigate the new changes that are being applied to our health care system, how to succeed in this new marketplace, and how to help self-insured employers and their business partners better prepare themselves for full health care reform implementation in 2014.

In addition to attending the conference, PHX unveiled its new, island exhibit booth. This year’s larger booth enabled conference attendees to fully immerse themselves in learning more about PHX’s full suite of products (Network Management, Claims Integrity & Payment Management), performance (demonstrated through our people), and processes (our dedication to partnership).

Furthermore, PHX and Pay-Plus Solutions hosted their 2nd Annual VIP Hospitality Suite. Kicking off the first night of the conference, PHX and PPS invited guests to enjoy cocktails and networking opportunities while also raffling off prizes. Our top prize winners left excitedly with a Samsung Wi-Fi Digital Camera, Samsung Galaxy Smartwatch and a $2,500 gift certificate towards a vacation of their choice!

> 2014 CONFERENCES With many examples of how and why partnerships are necessary and how they need to be created equally to exist, it only seemed fitting that we showcase the collaborative efforts that both President of Pay-Plus, Jay Ver Hulst and President of RedCard, Eric Schaefer, have put forth to develop the latest payment management solution, RedPlus. RedPlus

PHX will be participating in the following trade shows, conferences and events… don’t forget to visit us!

HCAA 2014 Executive Forum: February 5-7, Wynn, Las Vegas SIIA Self-Insured Health Plan Forum: March 24-26, Charleston, SC 2014 Ebix Health User Group Conference: April 24-26 Hyatt Regency, Dallas

is a flexible, single-source healthcare payment solution that

Trizetto Healthcare Conference: May 18-21, JW Marriott, San Antonio

seamlessly integrates paper-based communication with an

ECI User Group Conference: May 18-21, Hyatt Regency, Savannah

electronic payment process.

As the 5th Annual Forum came to a close, attendees left

SIIA International Conference: June 9-11, Miami AHIP Annual Institute: June 11-13, Seattle

with a sense of how important partnership is to PHX and

HCAA TPA University: July 16-18, Omni Hotel, Nashville

how the Power in Partnership can be harnessed to benefit

SIIA Annual National Conference: October 5-8 JW Marriott Desert Ridge, Phoenix

their company.

eCUBED > WINTER 2013 > PHX-ONLINE.COM

27

PHX NEWS

Ensuring Privacy and Security Through HIPAA

requirements, the Privacy Officer must attend external priva-

By Gina Cerniglia

the National HIPAA Summit in Washington D.C. which helps

cy/security awareness training and conferences on an annual basis. Thus, for the past two years, Suman has been attending her to incorporate different policies and procedures at PHX. Some of the topics discussed at the National HIPAA Summit

The Health Insurance Portability and Account-

include HIPAA Privacy and Security, the future of Healthcare’s

ability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) required the U.S. Department of

security and privacy, and compliance programs.

Health and Human Services (U.S. DHHS) to develop a series of rules governing health information. The purpose of HIPAA

At PHX, current employees are required to take HIPAA Train-

is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the country’s

ing on an annual basis and new employees are required

health care system by protecting the privacy of a patient’s

to take it on their first day of employment. This year all

personal and health information, providing for electronic

employees completed an interactive online HIPAA Training,

and physical security of personal and health information and

which covered privacy and relevant security policies and

simplifying billing and other transactions. These rules govern

procedures, incident response and other topics. Training and

PHX’s policies regarding privacy, security and administration

awareness programs are reviewed and updated to reflect

as they relate to Protected Health Information (PHI).

current legislative, regulatory, industry, and entity policies and procedures. Therefore, all PHX employees abide by their

Here at PHX, we have administrative, physical and technical

policies and procedures to ensure that PHI is kept confidential

safeguards in place to protect our PHI. PHX, will at all times,

at all times.

maintain sufficient technical expertise, as well as systems and policies to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and avail-

“Being the Privacy Officer at PHX, I feel responsible for

ability of all PHI that is received, maintained, or transmitted

making sure our clients’ PHI is protected at all times. HIPAA

by PHX. Suman Raheja, PHX’s Privacy Officer, is responsible

Training is one of the tools that our employees use to help

for overseeing and monitoring the development of privacy

make PHX a privacy compliant organization.”

and security related policies and procedures. Per SOC 2

– Suman Raheja, Privacy Officer at PHX

> PHX Gives Back to the Community As a company, we support many local charitable

money and school supplies to the students dur-

“It was an awesome experience to be able

events and our employees understand that

ing the year, and will continue to do the same in

to share our daily lives with these kids,

giving back to our community is part of our

future years.

and to see the joy on their faces as they shared their talents with us.” –Debbie Wolf,

culture. An example of this is our support for

28

the charter school, Midtown Primary. The

Children ages 5-9 visited the PHX Arizona

PHX Arizona staff has “adopted” the children

location to learn about the work environment

of this school for the holidays and purchased

where they were given a tour of the office and

At PHX we feel it’s important to give back to the

toys, clothes, and bedding for them and their

participated in a talent show produced by the

community and our employees put their hearts

families. The Arizona employees also donated

children.

into these worthwhile organizations.

eCUBED > WINTER 2013 > PHX-ONLINE.COM

Negotiations.

PHX Employee Spotlight

Kelly Petrozelli

PHX Director of Recruiting

“I have the opportunity to speak with many interesting people during the course of a day. It’s also uplifting for me to be part of someone’s hiring process and then watch them grow and develop at PHX.”

Our latest spotlight of an integral member of our PHX family is on Kelly Petrozelli. Kelly joined PHX in 2011 in the role of Director of Recruitment.

With 17 years of staffing experience, Kelly is responsible for recruiting all levels of staff, for all PHX locations (NJ, GA, AZ, field based roles) and Pay-Plus. Her primary responsibilities include developing and executing recruiting strategies for all PHX entities, managing the entire recruiting process, and developing and utilizing innovative recruiting tools to facilitate candidate identification and streamline hiring process.

Recently, eCubed had the opportunity to talk with Kelly at our corporate headquarters in Bedminster, New Jersey about her experiences as a Director of Recruiting at PHX. e Creating a positive culture starts with the people. Do you have a certain process you follow when it comes to hiring employees for PHX?

eCUBED > WINTER 2013 > PHX-ONLINE.COM

29

PHX NEWS

What type (characteristics) of potential employees do you look to recruit?

e I agree, and I’m sure PHX is happy to have you as a part of their team.

kp We have a formal hiring process that we’ve established at PHX.

I also know recruiters have a strong network of other recruiters –basically

As part of that, when we screen applicants, we ask a series of questions

a Rolodex full of contacts whom they can tap to get the company the best

that help us determine if someone will share the same corporate values

candidates available. Is that an important source of leads for you in this

that we promote at PHX. We also seek out whether or not a prospective

industry? kp A strong network is essential but it must be comprised

candidate will embrace putting our clients first.

of a variety of knowledge and talent, not just other recruiters. LinkedIn is the most versatile tool to open doors for conversation with wide pools of

e It seems a large amount of your responsibilities include working with

professionals in various disciplines.

people. Do you enjoy this part of your job? kp Yes, I do. I have the opportunity to speak with many interesting people during the course of

e You’re right, LinkedIn has become an effective communication vehicle in

a day. It’s also uplifting for me to be part of someone’s hiring process and

the job market. What else do you think attracts people to PHX? kp I think

then watch them grow and develop at PHX.

that there are many things that attract people to PHX. Our environment is fast-paced and energetic, staff members can feel the impact that they make

e Recognizing someone’s achievement is very rewarding, especially

to the client and healthcare as a whole on a daily basis. You can walk out at

when some of our employees have been here for years thus you have a

the end of the day and feel pride in what you’ve accomplished. PHX recogniz-

very important position here at the company. Why was it created?

es the importance of what each and every person accomplishes in their roles

Why do you believe it’s important? kp My position was created due

and they find various ways to say ‘thank you’- month end lunches, holiday

to PHX’s tremendous growth. The leadership team knew that in order

events, positive messages from clients shared with everyone. We have a very

to sustain the rate of expansion and attract top talent, they needed a

team-oriented environment; everyone is open and accessible.

dedicated resource focused on staffing. e In the 2 ½ years you’ve worked at PHX as the Director of Recruitment, e How does diversity work into the recruiting equation? kp Diversity

what was your most rewarding moment? kp I think my most reward-

is an important part of our recruiting process. PHX is proud to be an Equal

ing moment was seeing our staff pull together during Super-storm Sandy.

Opportunity Employer; we file an Affirmative Action Plan annually and

Everyone was dealing with various levels of storm damage, yet everyone did

have specific reporting and record-keeping processes that we are required

what they could to lessen the impact to PHX. Since I’ve been part of hiring

to adhere to as part of that commitment.

so many of our current staff, it gave me a sense of pride to see everyone’s commitment to the company.

e What tactics do you use when you recruit an employee? kp I utilize a number of tactics: networking through LinkedIn, job boards, profes-

e It’s amazing how committed the employees were during that time.

sional societies, conferences. I recently attended the CMSA NJ Annual

That shows a lot about the quality of people you hire. What are some of the

Conference to promote our nurse auditor opportunities. This conference

major challenges you face as the Director of Recruitment? kp The biggest

had over 100 nurses in attendance and was a wonderful venue to

challenge that any recruiter faces is finding the best talent in the shortest

showcase PHX to clinical professionals.

amount of time. I am fortunate that I have access to good resources and responsive hiring managers, so this helps minimize some of that challenge.

e Kelly, do you realize the impact the recruitment process has on PHX?

30

I’d say it plays a huge role in why this company is so successful. How

e Let’s take a different spin and get to know you on a personal level.

does that make you feel? kp Yes, recruitment of strong candidates

What do you enjoy most at your job? kp There are 2 things that I would

is an important component to our organizational success. I’m proud to

have to highlight. First, I work with a fabulous HR team. We are cohesive,

represent PHX and serve as the initial face of the company to prospective

believe in the processes that we’ve established and always serve as a

applicants.

resource to each other. Second would be the staff with whom I have the

eCUBED > WINTER 2013 > PHX-ONLINE.COM

PHX Employees, 2013

“I think my most rewarding moment was seeing our staff pull together during Superstorm Sandy. Everyone was dealing with various levels of storm damage, yet everyone did what they could to lessen the impact to PHX. Since I’ve been part of hiring so many of our current staff, it gave me a sense of pride to see everyone’s commitment to the company.”

opportunity to work with. Everyone is down-to-earth, professional and pleasant, which is something that not every corporation is fortunate to enjoy. It helps to build a strong organization when everyone has team spirit and works towards the same goals. e What advice would you give to someone that aspires to be a recruiter? kp Listen, be proactive, follow up and think outside the box when you need to. As a recruiter, you are supposed to be a resource, whether you are employed on the agency or corporate side. You need to gain an understanding of the company’s business model, competitive environment and internal practices. Your hiring managers will partner with you if they feel that you truly understand their needs and will do your best to fulfill them quickly.

They will see and respect the value that you bring to the hiring process.

Never be an impediment. e You may also want to inform them that being a recruiter takes a lot of hard work and dedication. When you do have free time, what is your favorite activity to do outside work? kp I enjoy spending time with family and friends at the beach. e Alright last but not least, if you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? kp Governor Christy. He and I are both alumni from University of Delaware. I think he’s a very complex person that presents a harder exterior than he actually has. I think he’s someone who would be willing to share ideas and I would learn a lot.

eCUBED > WINTER 2013 > PHX-ONLINE.COM

31

PPS NEWS

RedPlus… from Ink to e

“Because each healthcare provider has a unique business operation, payors need flexible payment options. Our alliance with PPS and the creation of the RedPlus solu-

RedPlus is a comprehensive healthcare payment solution that delivers payments “from Ink to e”. Formed from

tion enables us to deliver fast and reliable payments and explanation of payments in either a paper or an electronic

a strategic alliance between Pay-Plus® Solutions (PPS) and

format from one single source, said Eric Schaefer, President

RedCard Systems, LLC (RCS), RedPlus enables a seamless

of RedCard. We are excited about working closely with PPS

interface benefitting customers of both companies by provid-

and how the creation of the RedPlus comprehensive solution

ing access to flexible options. By integrating paper based

will bring value to both the payor and provider markets.”

communications with the electronic payment process, RedPlus has the ability to provide streamlined options from a single source allowing payors to meet the needs of every provider client. This turnkey solution is easy and cost-effective with

“The alliance with RedCard brings together the marketplace experience, customer service performance and innovative technology that both corporate cultures possess and enables

no upfront implementation costs, disruption to workflow, or

the delivery of our unique “Ink to e” solution, stated Jay Ver

operational footprint within the payor process. RedPlus offers

Hulst, President of Pay-Plus® Solutions, Inc. In fact, it’s what

the flexibility payors need with the choices providers want.

payors have been seeking. Reducing the complexity of dealing with multiple vendors, achieving rapid implementation

Moreover, RedPlus provides accountability at every step of

and ensuring outstanding customer service are fundamental

the healthcare payment process, ensuring regulatory compli-

goals that payors say they need, as they look to comply

ance and reduced costs where you can receive consolidated

with the new payment requirements associated with health-

payments from multiple payors, track and reconcile payment

care reform legislation and RedPlus fulfills those needs and

distributions, and ultimately reduce the number of healthcare

more.” To learn how RedPlus delivers the “Ink to e” solution,

payment vendors.

visit us at www.RedPlusOnline.com.

PAYMENT SELECTOR ROUTER

ePayment

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eCUBED > WINTER 2013 > PHX-ONLINE.COM

PPS Employee Spotlight

Ronnie Brown

Chief Operations Officer

“The experience gained from having started a third party administrator from the ground up has prepared me for nearly any challenge that a payor might face and the expertise needed to solve the challenges our clients face.”

One of the newest members of the Pay-Plus® management team is its COO, Ronnie Brown. With over 25 years of experience in employee benefits and an emphasis on self-funding and TPA operations, Ronnie has a unique perspective on how electronic claims payment and presentment will be instrumental in simplifying and expediting the payment process for payors and providers alike. eCubed recently had the opportunity to speak with Ronnie about her views on electronic payments, her role at PPS and how she believes PPS adds value. e You started at PPS earlier this year—I’m sure the readers would like to know in your own words-what is your role at PPS? rb As the Chief Operating Officer, my role is to manage and guide the operations team through the processes relating to daily operations, maximization of our offering, provider & client service. I see my role as a mentor to the supervisory and management team, as well as a fully participating member of the entire PPS team. e Since coming on board, what changes have you initiated for PPS? rb There are always great challenges with any organization experiencing rapid growth.

The most impactful changes I feel I have made relate to the stabilization and expansion of the work force while at the same time, identifying the skill sets

eCUBED > WINTER 2013 > PHX-ONLINE.COM

33

PPS NEWS

needed to maximize productivity and achieve our growth objectives.

Since our business revolves around the TPA market, integrating the “best in class” principal of customer service I learned in the TPA industry is job one. e Surely PPS’s dedication to customer service is just one of the reasons why it’s been so successful-especially for a company that just launched about 17 months ago. Another contributing factor is the breadth of experience both you and Jay Ver Hulst (President of PPS) have brought to the table—can you expand on the importance of heritage, tradition and experience in this industry? rb I think that our President, Jay Ver Hulst, and I both have a “pedigree” when it comes to our history in the self-funded world. The experience gained from having started a third party administrator from the ground up has prepared me for nearly any challenge that a payor might face and the expertise needed to solve the challenges our clients face. Since both Jay and I speak “TPA”, I believe it only enhances our credibility within the self-funded community. e What has been your most rewarding experience been since joining the PPS team? rb I think my most rewarding experience so far has been recognizing our “hidden gems” that now shine in various leadership roles.

The most exciting project, to date, has to do with expansion of our offering to our Provider base to include products that will streamline payments as well as assist with the industry’s current receivables crisis. e It must feel rewarding to assemble a team that not only exemplifies leadership but share in the overall vision of PPS. Now I’m sure there have been challenges too–what has been your biggest challenge at PPS? Basically what keeps you up at night? rb The biggest challenge which is also the greatest blessing has been addressing the operational needs that are being driven by our explosive growth rate. As you can appreciate, the operational aspects of a business like ours are expansive when just applied to daily activities. Factor in the growth and wow! e Compliance with PPACA is a big focus within our industry currently and PPS is right in the middle of it. How have you helped our clients strategize to meet this upcoming epayment deadline? rb As a former TPA, I am keenly aware of the impact government mandates have on payor operations. To minimize the footprint and the disruption, we have created several templates that payors may use to better communicate with their clients and providers, to better educate them on Sec 1104 of PPACA and how to explain what steps that payors are taking to ensure compliance.

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eCUBED > WINTER 2013 > PHX-ONLINE.COM

e What does PPS do that’s so different than other companies in our industry? rb What sets PPS apart is our foundation – built for TPA’s by innovators that cut their teeth in TPA’s. We understand the pain points of payors, as well as providers and our products and services are designed to meet the specific needs of the self funded industry. We are “high touch” and understand the meaning of Customer Service. e Those are all great differentiators –and surely, the corporate culture also plays a huge role. Can you talk about the corporate culture of PPS and how that’s influenced the daily practices as well as interaction with clients? rb The PPS corporate culture is centered on a dedication to delivering a quality product to the payor and provider community that is backed up by superior customer service. It is evolving but we are very proud of what we have built and what we see as the future. e What are you most passionate about? Why? rb I am very passionate about the continued growth and expansion of alternate funding methods which allow self-insured employers to continue providing quality health care coverage to their employees. Through electronic payment processing, PayPlus Solutions has already made a huge impact in the self-funded industry by providing flexibility in the payment process. I am also a passionate team builder and believe that when people are invested in a concept, they will help each other to be successful. e Now some of the “fun” questions so we can get to know you on a personal basis… What is the most memorable vacation you’ve taken and why? rb My most memorable vacation was not actually a vacation but a business trip I took to India a few years ago. It was probably the most moving, educational experience I have ever had. The country is an amazing dichotomy of an old world society juxtaposed against a vibrant modern economy. And the energy of the people is exhilarating. e What do you like to do in your free time? rb I am a beach person and living in the Sunshine State allows me to enjoy the sand and the surf almost year round. I am also an avid Tampa Bay Rays baseball fan and enjoy going to their games. Go Rays! e If you could meet one person—who would that be and why? rb I’d like to meet Oprah Winfrey. She is a self-made billionaire who came from humble beginnings and built a media empire. She seems to have done so by using her own talent and tenacity, qualities I find to be most admirable.

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