Miami, FL

347-***-****

add3k7@r.postjobfree.com

www.linkedin.com/in/Sandra-l-aponte-md-mba-fcap-fascp-79016640

PATHOLOGIST

Anatomic Pathology / Clinical Pathology / Laboratory Operations

Ethical and quality focused pathologist with distinguished experience directing anatomic and clinical laboratory operations to improve quality patient outcomes and deliver cost-effective healthcare services. Leverage expertise in providing effective pathology services diagnostic consultation, interpretation of laboratory data and management of diseases to advise on proper care management. Streamline procedures and workflows, through proper establishment of standard operation procedures following government guidelines (CLIA, FDA, OSHA). Six-Sigma Green Belt. Over 25 years of experience, with 10 years hospital-based experience.

Core competencies include:

Diagnostic Interpretation of biopsies and cytology exponentially increasing their work

Overseeing laboratory instrumentation, and Cytopathology Procedures through validations and continuous quality control

Properly overseeing the assignment of proper procedural and diagnostic coding (ICD, CPT)

Monitoring any patterns that may lead to utilization issues with prompt plans for corrections

Requisitions audits after pathologist sign outs to analyze billing and diagnostic data in order to capture errors

Continuous Quality Improvement through metrics

Licensure & Accreditation Requirements, including but not limited to compliance, credentialing, utilization review, and risk management

Analytical & Critical Thinking

Strategic Project Management

Vendors negotiations and contracting (LIS, architect, instrumentation)

Contesting insurance companies payment denials through arbitration and timely responses

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

MEDIPATH LLC, Miami, FL June 2017 –Present

Medical Director and Lead Pathologist

Foster a highly collaborative and supportive medical environment, establishing and maintaining professional relationships with patients, and health care teams. Enhance the pathology reporting system for improving clinical service delivery and quality control.

Selected accomplishments:

Execute project management, overseeing and coordinating all project stages for the expansion of the laboratory. Strategically negotiate contracts with vendors of medical instruments, general contractors and architects to ensure efficient project completion.

Demonstrate administrative oversight, maintaining CLIA licensure and ensuring alignment of laboratory practices with Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) and the College of American Pathologists (CAP) agency requirements governing clinical diagnostic testing and laboratory operations.

Conduct regular audits, enforcing operational readiness, documenting deficiencies and outlining corrective actions.

Promote revenue increases, capturing accounts for testing and streamlining the ordering, approval and coding processes in compliance with medical necessity policies to expedite turn-around times

AMERIPATH QUEST DIAGNOSTICS, Orlando, FL April 2016 – June 2017

Pathologist

Partnered with a multidisciplinary team, overseeing diagnostic sign-out and smear tests and guiding daily operations within the pathology lab. Served as the Technical Director, reinforcing quality within a large production environment.

Selected accomplishments:

Cytopathologic analysis utilizing both exfoliative cytology methods.

Implemented guidelines that enhanced capacity, efficiently clearing backlog without sacrificing quality management. Worked collectively with medical team, developing goals and strategies to streamline reporting and improve timeliness of reporting.

PATHLINE (MID ATLANTIC PATHOLOGY), Ramsey, NJ June 2013 – April 2016

Pathologist

Exhibited strong diagnostic and consultative skill in both anatomic and clinical pathology, executing leadership among a multidisciplined team dispersed throughout several laboratories.

Selected accomplishments:

Executed comprehensive audit of revenue losses for physician’s laboratory, capturing approximately $100,000 in billing errors and implementing corrective actions to ensure accuracy going forward.

Supervised clinical operation and administration including signing-out cases, transcribing findings and reports, assigning billing and ICD10 codes and preparing for CLIA and CAP inspections.

UROLOGY GROUP OF NEW JERSEY, Mountainside, NJ Feb 2015 – Feb 2016

Senior Pathologist (Uropathology)

Exhibited results-oriented focus, overseeing sign out of histological, cytopathological and molecular cases and enhancing the efficiency of day-to-day workflows.

TRINITAS MEDICAL CENTER, Elizabeth, NJ Jan 2015 – April 2016

Pathologist Hospital Affiliation

Elevated daily operations within Anatomical and Surgical Pathology lab, overseeing diagnostic consultations and ensuring compliance with regulatory agency requirements as well as maintenance of College of American Pathologists laboratory accreditation.

ASSOCIATES IN GASTROENTEROLOGY OF LONG ISLAND, New Hyde Park, NY Sep 2014 – April 2015

Pathology Director (Gastroenterology POL)

Optimized service line performance, auditing diagnostic accuracy, turnaround times, patient satisfaction, referral source satisfaction, cost effectiveness and financial performance..

Selected accomplishments:

Achieved an exponential increase in revenues through efficient testing and rapid turnaround times.

LINCOLN DIAGNOSTICS LLC, Staten Island, NY May 2011 – Feb 2013

Laboratory Director

Promoted quality healthcare management, working collaboratively with physicians and medical staff to support public health programs and initiatives.

Selected accomplishments:

Served as a technical consultant, coordinating lab integration and implementation of administrative changes to enhance efficiency and cost effectiveness.

DIABETES ENDOCRINE ASSOCIATES PC CAP AND CLIA ACCREDITED, Belleville, NJ Jan 2011 – May 2013

Laboratory Director

Directed lab managers, providing leadership development and mentoring in laboratory performance. Worked closely with staff, overseeing fine needle aspiration and testing of thyroid functions utilizing thyroid antibody tests, ultrasound, thyroid scan and radioactive iodine uptake test.

Selected accomplishments:

Executed administrative controls, improving readiness of lab to obtain and maintain CAP accreditation.

PLUS DIAGNOSTICS (FORMERLY LAKEWOOD PATHOLOGY May 2011 – May 2013

RECENTLY MIRACA LIFE SCIENCES LABORATORY) GI, GU, CYTOPHATHOLOY, URINALYSIS, Union, NJ Jan

Urinalysis Director

Ensured operational excellence, working collaboratively with Medical Technologists, Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technical Assistants to meet patient and physician needs while elevating productivity levels and enforcing strict compliance with safety, quality and regulatory standards. Conducted various tests including FISH urine, PTEN prostate, MDX, KNOW ERROR and MSI.

SHIEL MEDICAL LABORATORIES, Brooklyn, NY Sep 2009 – May 2011

Assistant Director (Anatomic and Clinical Pathology)

Worked in partnership with Pathologist, monitoring performance and implementing productivity improvements while achieving budgetary goals. Assisted in directing fiscal management and forecasted operating performance to adjust workflows as needs.

Additional Professional Experience 2000 – 2010

Consultant in Urology Medical Laboratory Director

Lakewood Pathology Associates (Plus Dx) Pathologist

Staten Island University Hospital Chief of Cytopathology

Quest Diagnostics Senior Staff Pathologist

EDUCATION

NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, ELLIS COLLEGE — Westbury, LI Master of Business Administration Honors

American Board of Pathology: Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology,

Board Certifications

CENTRAL DE CARIBE UNIVERSITY — Puerto Rico 1988

Doctor of Medicine American Graduate

Magna Cum Laude

UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO — Puerto Rico 1984

Bachelor of Science

AFFILIATION

College of American Pathology, Fellow American Society of Clinical Pathology, Fellow

AWARDS

Leading Physician of the World Edition (2013)

CAP Scholarship for Advocacy School (2003)

CAP Scholarship for Spokesperson School (2001)

Residency

07/01/1989-06/30/1993

Mount Sinai Hospital/ Beth Israel Medical Center

Anatomic/Clinical Pathology/Cytopathology/Autopsy Medical Examiner

Directors: Carl Teplitz, Stanley Bauer, Charles Hirsch

1 Gustave L. Levy Pl, New York, NY 10029

1st Ave at 16th St, NY, NY, 10003

Kurtzweil Voice Recognition Training

Established national and international sales and service programs for business-to-business

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Genitourinary Pathology Mini Fellowship, Jonathan Epstein, MD, John Hopkins Medical Center

Medical Liability Mutual Insurance Company Risk Management Courses

Six Sigma, Quest Diagnostics

PUBLICATIONS

1.Lim JC, Kahng H, Aponte-Cipriani SL, et al. Polypoid lymphoglandular hyperplasia, probable hamartoma of colon-a variant of the so-called cap polyposis. Submitted to Annals of Diagnostic Pathology. Oct 1999.

2.Aponte-Cipriani SL, Keynote Speaker. New York. First Saturday in October Fourth Annual Reception September 24, 1997.

3.Castellanos M, Aponte-Cipriani SL, et al. Quantitation of nuclease treated DNA as a new marker for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer. New York. American College of Physicians June 7, 1997.

4.Mikhaeel-Kamel N, Fealy T, Aponte-Cipriani SL. Gastric perforation secondary to

a.cholesterol embolization. New York. American College of Physicians June 7, 1997.

5.Aponte-Cipriani SL et al. Comparative analysis of cervical smears prepared by an automated device versus the conventional method. Acta Cytol 1995 Jul-Aug; 39(4): 623-30.

6.Aponte-Cipriani SL et al. Pancreatitis possibly related to 2'-3' dideoxycytidine [letter]. Ann Intern Med 1993 Sept15; 119(6): 539-40.

7.Teplitz C, Cipriani MV, Aponte-Cipriani SL, et al. Advances in standardized and transcriptionist-free surgical pathology reporting using integrated artificial intelligence voice recognition and laboratory information systems [abstract]. New Orleans, LA:82nd annual meeting. United states and Canadian Academy of Pathology March 13-19/Lab Invest A, 1993.

8.Calvin L. Strand, MD; Sandra L. Aponte, et al. Improved Resolution of Diagnostic Problems in Selected Prostate Needle Biopsy Specimens by using the ASAP Workup: A Prospective Study of Interval Sections vs New Recut Sections. American Journal of Clinical Pathology. 2010;134(2):293-298.

9.“The Cost-Effective Small Size Laboratory”, Meetings International Symposium, Berlin, Germany, April 2019.

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