Middle Georgia State MVP: Kim Whitley
Author: News Bureau
Posted: Friday, January 24, 2014 1:40 PM
Category:
Finding Greatness
Macon, GA
Full Name: Kim C. Whitley, RN.
Age: 56.
Hometown: Atlanta.
Residence: Macon.
Family: Husband, Ernie; daughter, Lindsey, who is about to graduate from Valdosta State University.
Current Employment: Director of Patient Access and Intake Services, Central Georgia Health System-Medical Center of Central Georgia.
MGSC Degree: Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration, graduated with honors in 2010. She also holds an associate's degree in nursing.
Activities: Central Georgia Regional Credit Union Board (officer), Nazareth Home Board (officer), Mother and Child Ministry Board (officer), Family Advancement Ministries Board (officer), HFMA National Member, HFMA Georgia Member and Committee Chair, NAHAM National Member and Georgia Access Management Association Board Member. After graduating from the former Macon State, she was recognized with an honorary membership as an alumnus to the National Society of Leadership and Success.
Career: "I am currently the Director of Patient Access and Intake Services at the Central Georgia Health System-Medical Center of Central Georgia and Medical Center of Peach County. I had experienced the professional and personal satisfaction of hands on bedside nursing care and the joy it brought me through the years. However as time passed, I also had a great desire to understand the part of financial side of health care.
"I have operational management responsibility for over 190 full-time employees. The Patient Access Department and Intake Services is the beginning of the Revenue Cycle, one of the financial foundations of the facility. We are the first face of the hospital and our interactions with our patients set the tone for the visit. The department is responsible for intake, bed placement, registration, insurance verification, pre-certification, scheduling and financial counseling. Patient Access also has a team staffed by RNs and critical support staff who handle insurance payer issues and government reviewers such as the Recovery Audit Contractors. Patient Access Associates provide excellence in customer service while making critical decisions to support accurate billing and reimbursement.
"I work with the most amazing employees of whom I am very proud. Each employee in Patient Access and Intake Services contributes to the success of the department and the organization."
She chose Middle Georgia State (MSC) because … "The Health Services Administration program had an excellent reputation and was exactly the direction I felt my career was moving. I was very impressed with the outstanding curriculum, flexibility of the program and the instructors’ understanding of the non-traditional student. Flexibility was very important to me with the demands of my position. I was very proud of my graduation especially since I had been out of school for many years. Macon State was a very challenging school. The courses paralleled the real world of health care and provided the students with knowledge beyond the textbook. The degree truly prepares the graduate with the working knowledge of the health care business."
The one thing that surprised her about Middle Georgia State was ... "My courses paralleled the real world of health care and provided the students with knowledge beyond the textbook."
Her favorite professor was … "This is very hard to choose because all the instructors I had were incredible. Bill Hervey was an inspiration to me during my college experience. His knowledge and teaching style allowed students to think and grow as they learned. He was also very understanding and supportive of the demands of my career and balancing college. Chris Tsavatewa was an incredible instructor with the energy and passion he showed for the material and his students. You just WANTED to learn when he taught!! I hated that I did not have more classes with him.
"I enjoyed my time as a student and was so honored by the time and effort the instructors provided me along the journey. The education there gave me personal and professional satisfaction and enriched my abilities as a director. Even though I 'lived' much of the material others were learning, I have to be honest and say I learned something valuable in every class I attended. The program and professors are driven to assist you to be successful so tap into all the resources the school has to offer. It is very important to align yourself with someone who possesses the personal and professional attributes you admire and have them mentor you. You never know where you might meet your future employer."
One thing people don’t know about her is … "I really wanted to be an opera singer!"
The one person she'd most like to meet is … "Pope John Paul II or Mother Teresa."
Five years from now she sees herself ... "Continuing to strengthen my skills as a servant leader and to grow professionally and personally, and to contribute to the organization in a positive way and to continue to work with amazing staff!"