Customer Service Services

Sheila Sferrella

Email: abqenb@r.postjobfree.com

Address: **** ******** **.

City: Nashville

State: TN

Zip: 37205

Country: USA

Phone: 615-***-****

Skill Level: Director

Salary Range: > $250,000

Willing to Relocate

Primary Skills/Experience:

See Resume

Educational Background:

See Resume

Job History / Details:

Sheila M. Sferrella, FAHRA

Senior Ambulatory Services Executive

Productivity gains and revenue growth through technology and process improvements

Solutions-focused, technology-savvy Senior Ambulatory Services Executive with successful 20+-year history of driving growth, productivity and efficiencies for multi-hospital integrated healthcare systems. Delivered $12 million in total savings and grew volume 120% over last decade through expansion of ambulatory services. Out-of-the-box thinker known for creatively navigating bureaucracies and producing results in hierarchical environments, from negotiating complex joint ventures with physicians to standardizing clinical operations across system. Dual expertise as hospital administrator and radiologic technologist underscores sound financial decision-making and passion for patient care. Strong leader respected for business acumen, integrity, fairness and skill mentoring both colleagues and direct reports.

Areas of Expertise

Business Development Joint Ventures Strategic Planning

Contract Negotiation Financial Forecasting Leadership Development

Grant Oversight Process Redesign Governance

Career Milestones

Spearheaded $100 million joint venture that created largest outpatient imaging center network in Tennessee.

Devised five-year ambulatory services strategic plan for large, multi-hospital system.

Chosen as team leader for development of $12 million diagnostic care center.

Developed in-house service program that saved $1 million+ in year one for network.

Restructured governance of national professional association.

Executive Leadership History

Saint Thomas Health, Nashville, Tennessee 2006 - 2012

A member of Ascension Health, the largest faith-based, non-profit system in the country, Saint Thomas Health has five hospitals in Nashville with 1,600+ licensed beds, 62,000 annual admissions and $3 billion in gross annual revenue.

Vice President-Ambulatory Services

Recruited into newly created position to provide strategic guidance for Ambulatory Services across five-hospital system. (Ambulatory Services accounted for 20% of bottom line.) Role expanded to include management responsibilities for three Centers for Breast Health; Saint Thomas Emergency Medical Services; Event Medicine; medical imaging; and 19 physical therapy clinics. In 2010, assigned oversight for Saint Thomas Research Institute, managing between 80-100 active grants annually. Led 325 FTEs through eight direct reports and $30 million annual operating budget.

Key Achievements:

* Led strategic planning retreats with hospital and joint-venture partners to develop first shared strategy for ambulatory services in Middle Tennessee for Ascension Health.

* Identified revenue stream in establishing joint venture with competitor radiology group that had captured outpatient-imaging market. (System had lost 30% of volume at three hospitals over four years.) Designed demographic model for locating outpatient imaging services in villages on or off hospital campuses; forged relationships with competitor groups. Partnering with key stakeholders, structured and negotiated $100 million joint venture with two radiology groups in 2010, resulting in opening of nine imaging centers and plans for 12 more now in development. Created Saint Thomas Imaging Network, establishing $12 million line of credit for enterprise.

* Managed joint-venture relationships for surgery and imaging centers with annual net revenue of $140 million. Collaborated with partners to grow number of surgery centers from six to 14.

* Re-engineered processes to deliver improvements in Centers for Breast Health. Efforts reduced backlog for appointment time from 13 weeks to four days; cut wait times for procedures in center from two hours to 50 minutes; patient satisfaction rose from 70% to 89.4%; and reduced no-show rate from 14% to 2%.

* Negotiated professional services agreement with radiologists and introduced performance metrics to improve service levels for referring physicians and patients.

* Redesigned structure of Saint Thomas Research Institute to provide support for all studies performed on hospital campuses.

* Selected as one of 72 Ascension Health associates to participate in National Leadership Summit Series.

* Served on board for Saint Thomas Imaging Network; Saint Thomas Health/United Surgical Partners Joint Venture; Hickman Community Hospital; Middle Tennessee Imaging; Murfreesboro Diagnostic Imaging; and Vanderbilt/Saint Thomas Imaging.

Lehigh Valley Health Network, Allentown, Pennsylvania 1997 - 2006

A non-profit, three-hospital system with just under 1,000 beds and a network of community health centers.

Administrator, Diagnostic Services (2000 - 2006)

Administrator, Radiology (1997 - 1999)

Recruited as Administrator of Radiology to stabilize department during period of high staff turnover and improve turnaround time for diagnostic results. Oversight for department at three hospitals, two imaging centers and two joint ventures. Managed six direct reports and $14 million budget.

Promoted to Administrator of Diagnostic Services to direct multi-site radiology, non-invasive cardiology, neurodiagnostics and pulmonary care services for health network. Led 12 direct reports, with oversight for 250+ FTEs. Managed $27 million budget.

Key Achievements:

* Selected to lead Discharge Bed Turnaround Time Team. Redesigned work processes and reduced bed turnover time from four hours to 53 minutes.

* Installed RIS/PACS and voice recognition across three hospital sites and six outpatient-imaging centers. Cut turnaround time for reports from 48 to 3 hours; produced $625,000 in supply savings; in first year; and reduced wages $200,000.

* Chosen by COO to assume leadership of cross-functional team that had designed new $12 million Diagnostic Care Center. COO stopped construction so assessment could be made and new model of delivering customer service developed and deployed. Center opened on time and under budget. Created customer service training program for staff across nine departments who worked at center, resulting in patient satisfaction consistently exceeding 90%.

* Created and implemented in-house service program for repair of diagnostic equipment, enabling network to cancel service contracts and saving $1 million in first year. Drove cost to service ratio from 14% to 5%. Developed 12 benchmarks to measure program`s success.

* Developed Request-For-Proposal bid and selection process for all capital equipment. Standardized procedures, which reduced mistakes and shortened process from eight months to 12 weeks.

* Oversaw $50 million in renovation and capital projects at three sites to accommodate growing volume and programs.

* Restructured governance of American Healthcare Radiology Administrators as president of organization. Reduced size of board; developed metrics and goals for executive director, staff and AHRA; and installed team to evaluate products and services.

Early Career

Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1993 - 1997

The nation`s first hospital, founded in 1751. A non-profit, 515-bed facility that provides full range of diagnostic and therapeutic medical services. Merged with the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in 1997.

Director-Diagnostic Services

Recruited to new management team during transition period for hospital, following retirement of long-time CEO. Challenged to reduce costs, improve productivity and drive revenue. Initially managed radiology and radiation oncology and then assumed leadership for physical therapy and respiratory care. Authority for staff of 130 through eight direct reports and $17 million operating budget. Also managed small imaging and lab department at Institute of Pennsylvania, a psychiatric facility owned by Pennsylvania Hospital.

Key Achievements:

* One of six managers selected by CEO to serve on re-engineering team charged with reviewing operational efficiency recommendations from outside consulting firm. Met with key stakeholders to vet proposed initiatives, resulting in $30 million savings for organization.

* Managed multiple facility expansion projects from blueprint to grand opening. Directed $2 million redesign of interventional angiography room, six-bed recovery room, reading room and resident learning center to increase space, attract more patients and drive revenue.

* Devised comprehensive, four-year capital plan for department to enhance decision-making by Capital Budget Committee. Evaluated every piece of equipment-including current condition, repair costs and life expectancy-and developed timeline for replacement.

* Created standards to measure productivity of radiological technologists and clerical staff against national benchmarks. After analyzing data, redesigned and deployed training programs to improve performance and increase efficiencies.

The Germantown Hospital & Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1989 - 1993

An independent, 200-bed, acute-care hospital. Acquired by Albert Einstein Healthcare Network in 1990s.

Director, Diagnostic Services (1990 - 1993)

Hired into new created position of Director of Radiology (1989 - 1990) to improve operations and customer service. After a year, promoted to restructure eight service lines by removing waste and increasing revenue. Oversight for 175 FTEs through eight direct reports.

Key Achievement:

* Sent staff phlebotomists to administer blood draws at 25 nursing homes that had contracted with hospital for blood services. Decreased turnaround time for lab results from four days to two hours and drove annual revenue $100,000+.

University of Maryland Medical System, Baltimore, Maryland 1979 - 1989

A private, not-for-profit network of 12 academic, community and specialty hospitals throughout Maryland.

Served in roles of increasing responsibility. Hired as radiologic technologist; advanced to senior radiologic technologist; and ultimately promoted to supervisor for CT, MRI and Neuroradiology, with responsibility for 20 FTEs and $1.2 million operating budget.

Education & Professional Affiliations

The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

School of Business Administration

Master of Administrative Science, Major in Quantitative Analysis

University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland

B.S., Major in Radiologic Technology

Member, American College of Healthcare Executives

Fellow, American Healthcare Radiology Administrators

President, 2001 - 2002

Chair of AHRA Education Foundation, 2003 - 2006

Awards from American Healthcare Radiology Administrators

President`s Award, 2007

Administrator`s Gold Award, 2003

-Aunt Minnie Most Effective Radiology Administrator/Manager Award,- 2003

Outstanding Article Award, -The Impact of Tech Aides in Radiology,- 2004

Contact this candidate