Suzanne Mell MSN RN
**** ******** **., ******* ** 45036
Cell: 440-***-****:
*******@*****.***
Executive Summary
Clinical Operations/Safety and Quality Senior Leader
Transformational clinical professional with a large success history of working with multi-disciplinary teams to improve patient safety., quality., access., regulatory compliance, EMR. Workflows, quality,clinical outcomes., and regulatory compliance
Expert in improving continuity through engaging multidisciplinary subject matter experts in designing efficient patient centric clinical and digital workflows to improve the patient, provider, and employee experience. Integration of operational, quality, and clinical strategies.
Proven ability to launch new service lines. Wealth of experience in the design and implementation of enterprise-level initiatives to improve patient access, engagement, quality, safety, regulatory and clinical outcomes. Utilizes lean methodology. to attain measurable and sustainable operations.
Core Qualifications
•
Crisis management and recovery
•
Quality and Patient Safety
•
Staff training/development
•
PAT, OR, Ambulatory OR Procedural Leadership
•
Policy/program development
•
Employee Engagement & Experience
•
Cross-functional team collaboration
•
Call Center Operations & Start-Up
•
Retention and Recruitment
•
Visionary innovative leader
•
Patient Advocate and Experience
•
Succession Planning/Mentor
•
Team building and Networking
•
Epic/Epic.workflows, implementation, Care Super User
•
Clinical Workflow Expert
•
Clinical Informatics
Multi-disciplinary Awards/Publications
Co-Author Association for Talent Development Chapter on Value Based Care 2021
Houston Methodist Innovations in Quality and Patient Safety Award 2017
Co-author of Chapter 2 AAACN Ambulatory Care Nursing Orientation and Competency Guide, 3rd Edition 2017
Houston Methodist Hospital Nursing Innovation Award 2017
Cleveland Clinic Health System Appointment Center Quality Award 2014
Cleveland Clinic Health System Appointment Center Service Excellence Award 2012
COHCA 2011-2014 (Council for Ohio Healthcare Advocacy) Founding member of a multi-disciplinary organization consisting of APRNs, PAs, Physicians, RNs, Pharmacists, Healthcare lobbyists and Physical Therapists.
oDesigned and maintained COHCA website
oLobbied for Healthcare Reform in the Ohio Legislature in Columbus Ohio
Cleveland Clinic Health System Neurological Institute Leadership Award 2008
Cleveland Clinic Health System Orthopedic Nursing: Excellence Through Education Course Planning Committee and Presenter 2001-2003
Cleveland Clinic Health System Innovative Spine Nursing Course Planning Committee
Professional Experience
UC Health Gardner Neuroscience Institute 10/2020 – Present
Alzheimer infusion execution plan; Lecanemab
Improved care coordination and patient outcomes by setting up an ambulatory care coordination RN team.
Improved patient safety. and quality. by improving patient access to patient care teams for multi-state system, with ambulatory providers in Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia
Lead team to improve access for vulnerable patient populations; new patients; acutely ill patients; hospital follow up within CMS guidelines
Designed piloted primary and specialty RN triage, system wide implementation in progress.
Collaborated with multi-disciplinary teams to develop urgent emergent workflows and standardized triage progress.
Engaged multi-disciplinary teams system wide to optimize provider templates and standardize scheduling tools and workflows.
Improve regulatory, PCMH (patient care medical home) and ACO (accountable care organization) access and patient safety initiatives to meet and exceed CMS guidelines.
Optimization of Continuity of care across the continuum of care
Learning Health System
Development of patient centric digital tools that interface with our EMR
Outcomes reporting process and infrastructure
Employee development and succession planning program
Quality and process improvements in all areas of clinical practice
Telehealth platforms, SOPs, templates. Execution of Telehealth Strategy
Epic Optimization:
oDesign EMR. Clinical Workflows that align with clinical workflows
oSmart form design
oProc Doc implementation
oOrder sets
oDecision Tree design
oSmart set design
oEpic Design., implementation., training.,
Bon Secours Mercy Health Physician Group, Cincinnati Ohio 5/18 to 7/20
•Enhance ambulatory access across multiple institutes through optimized design of scheduling workflows
•Deploy various workflows that leverage logic enhancements
•Maximize physician templates
•Provided education on key operational indicators to access, clinical care, and patient safety
•Assist clinics to maximize staffing and increase overall utilization
•Lead and coordinate clinical input for a health system wide appointment centralized scheduling project
•Meet and engage clinical teams in building computerized scheduling software and telephony software
•Create staffing forecast for incoming specialty into the centralized call center
•Collaborate with Revenue Cycle Unit to enhance reimbursement and decrease the denial rate
•Design operational front-end models to align with call center service levels and quality assurance metrics
•Coordinate system wide process improvement projects focused on the coordination of care
•Develop health system processes for appointment scheduling including coordination of clinical testing
•Coordinate system wide SOPs, training, communication and go–live support for transitioning practices onto new technology and integration into a call center setting
•Standardization of process and SOPs throughout the health system.
•Clinical Informatics: Epic Care Super-user – build smart texts, dot phrases and design smart sets to augment clinical workflows and outcomes
•Design/Revise clinical workflows and protocols in computer algorithms to improve scheduling efficiency and patient access
•Leverage and redesign current epic tools to meet clinical workflow and scheduling requirements:
•Design protocols and algorithms that meet CMS and Joint Commission regulatory requirements and conditions for meaningful use
•Design computer algorithms to increase patient satisfaction, create a positive patient experience and increase workflow efficiency
•Design reports within EMR and telephony system to capture agent compliance with standard operating procedures
•Facilitate communication and engagement between multidisciplinary teams focused on patient centric scheduling algorithms
•Engage all providers in development of standardized smart sets to increase physician compliance with placing orders and meaningful use requirements
•Design Key Performance Indicator to optimize enterprise-wide access
•Capture patient feedback and tolerance levels to establish meaningful service levels within a Healthcare Call Center
•Develop strategic alliances with physician groups to promote confidence and integration into centralized scheduling.
Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston TX 1/16 to 4/18
Ambulatory Director of Clinical Operations for TMH Physician Organization
•Provide overall strategic direction for the clinical management of the Specialty Physician Group and Primary Care group operations and ambulatory practices oversee clinical operations for 250 departments at 156 sites.
•Implement and manage efficient clinical business process and systems
•Led system wide development and roll out of all Epic clinic based operational and clinical workflow designs
•Create clinical onboarding, orientation program
•Created a sustainable quality and patient safety incident reporting program, training, RCA, and process improvement
•Partnership with Houston Community College to provide clinical training for their MA students – provide certified MAs for ambulatory practices
•Create standardized performance expectations, training, and competencies for each clinical job function
•Develop/implement standard operational and clinical metrics to track and monitor performance and competency
•Created and led performance improvement activities in alignment with patient safety, standards of care, and overall strategic goals of the Physician Organization and the Methodist Health System
•Created standardized clinical policies and procedures for the Physician Organization
•Developed clinical operations team infrastructure
•Developing RN triage process for the Primary Care Group
•Developing standardized process for processing of critical and semi-critical instrumentation
•Roll out of safety event reporting system and mitigation process for the entire PO, educate and initiate RCA, risk assessments and action plans to mitigate risks for all 250 depts. at 156 separate locations.
•Created and rolling out in November 2017 automated quality workflows in Epic
•Designed 64 automated Epic Quality workflows, built into Epic, validated with front end users, physicians, and clinical teams, educated, communicated, and implemented.
•Use physician feedback to optimize Epic workflows to align with clinical workflows
•Help to create a “real time” Quality Dashboard that can be viewed by product line, department, or provider in real time to track their quality metrics
FTI Consulting, Chicago IL 5/2015 to 12/2015
•Assist clients to enhance ambulatory access across multiple institutes through optimized design of scheduling workflows
•Optimization of the Epic EMR for scheduling and clinical documentation:
•Integration of clinical workflows and care paths into the scheduling process
•Meaningful optimized appointments
•Open Access
•Increase Provider Productivity
•Ensure Regulatory Compliance
•Initiate Revenue Cycle
Cleveland Clinic Health Systems, Cleveland OH – 2007 to 5/2015
Project Manager, Appointment Center, Access to Care 7/2011 – 5/2015
•Enhance ambulatory access across multiple institutes through optimized design of scheduling workflows
•Deploy various workflows that leverage logic enhancements
•Maximize physician templates
•Provided education on key operational indicators to access, clinical care, and patient safety
•Assist clinics to maximize staffing and increase overall utilization
•Lead and coordinate clinical input for a health system wide appointment centralized scheduling project
•Meet and engage clinical teams in building computerized scheduling software and telephony software
•Create staffing forecast for incoming specialty into the centralized call center
•Collaborate with Revenue Cycle Unit to enhance reimbursement and decrease the denial rate
•Design operational front-end models to align with call center service levels and quality assurance metrics
•Coordinate system wide process improvement projects focused on the coordination of care
•Develop health system processes for appointment scheduling including coordination of clinical testing
•Coordinate system wide SOPs, training, communication and go–live support for transitioning practices onto new technology and integration into a call center setting
•Standardization of process and SOPs throughout the health system.
•Epic Care Super-user – build smart texts, dot phrases and design smart sets to augment clinical workflows and outcomes
•Design/Revise clinical workflows and protocols in computer algorithms to improve scheduling efficiency and patient access
•Leverage and redesign current epic tools to meet clinical workflow and scheduling requirements:
•Led redesign of Epic Waitlist tool to create a messaging tool that provides reporting metrics, accountability, and flexibility to replace staff message pools
•Lead task force to design an HVI Hospital discharge process that provided specialized visit types, and led design for aspect “screen pop” process to notify schedulers of hospital discharges to be scheduled
•Redesign of order smart sets to meet specialty departments and specialized physician practice needs
•Design protocols and algorithms that meet CMS and Joint Commission regulatory requirements and conditions for meaningful use
•Design computer algorithms to increase patient satisfaction, create a positive patient experience and increase workflow efficiency
•Design reports within EMR and telephony system to capture agent compliance with standard operating procedures
•Facilitate communication and engagement between multidisciplinary teams focused on patient centric scheduling algorithms
•Engage all providers in development of standardized smart sets to increase physician compliance with placing orders and meaningful use requirements
•Design Key Performance Indicator to optimize enterprise-wide access
•Capture patient feedback and tolerance levels to establish meaningful service levels within a Healthcare Call Center
•Develop strategic alliances with physician groups to promote confidence and integration into centralized scheduling.
Nurse Manager, Gastroenterology Procedural Area, Digestive Disease Institute 4/2010-7/2011
•Managed 108 FTEs- NPs, PAs, RNs, LPNs, and MAs
•Patient throughput
•Regulatory compliance
•Employee engagement
•Recruitment/Retention of nurses
•Process improvement
•Quality initiatives
•Strategic planning
•Budget development/management
•Manage two GI procedure areas
•Design, and opened new state of the art advanced endoscopy unit
•Led multi-disciplinary team to passing Joint Commission survey without any RFIs for the first time.
PRN OR Nurse Evenings/Nights/Weekends 9/2010-10/2011
•Staff RN in OR, scrubbing and circulating on all cases, except cardiac scrub, RNFA through 2007
Associate Director of Accreditation 8/2009-4/2010
•Management of Accreditation Managers
•Policy development, education, and implementation for Cleveland Clinic Health
System and Main Campus
•Development of quality initiatives for CCHS and Main Campus
•Process improvement initiatives for CCHS and Main Campus
•Education on regulatory information for Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
•QPSI On Boarding Committee
•Engagement coach for Quality and Patient Safety Institute
•Responsible for regulatory survey readiness for:
Joint Commission (JC)
Center for Medicare/Medicaid (CMS)
Ohio Department of Health (ODH)
Commission of Accreditation of Rehab Facilities
Nurse Manager Neurological Institute 9/2007-8/2009
•Manage RNs APNs, PAs, and MAs in 16 Centers: Center for Headache and Pain, Pediatric Epilepsy, Adult Epilepsy, Adult and Pediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular ALS Clinic, Pediatric Sleep, Adult Sleep, Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis, Center for Brain Health Cleveland, Center for Brain Health Las Vegas, Lakewood NI, Neuromuscular, Mellen Infusion Center, Lakewood Infusion Center, Headache Infusion Center, and Chronic Pain.
•Responsible for recruitment and retention of 98 FTE’s consisting of RNs, MAs, PAs, and APNs
•Engagement of staff in initiation of unit-based QA and chart audits
•Developed competency program based on peer evaluations
•Established QA for department and developed audit tool Conscious Sedation Audit for JC documentation
•Annual Reviews
•FTE Budget Management
•Magnet Recertification
•Start up for 3 new programs/departments
•Management of 3 infusion centers
EMH Regional Health Elyria OH – 1/2005- 9/2007:
Nurse Manager Inpatient TCI/Outpatient Surgical Services
•This department is an Inpatient TCI &Ambulatory Care Center with 30 Bed Unit PAT, endoscopy and out-patient surgery and radiology and Inpatient TCI
•64 FTE's
•$780,000 budget
•Accomplishments/Responsibilities:
1.Recruitment and retention of 64 FTE's consisting of RNs nurse techs and secretaries
2.Engagement of staff in initiation of unit-based QA and chart Audits
3.Developed competency program based on peer evaluations
4.Developed job description for Clinical Coordinators.
5.PAT redesign
6.Development of unit-based rewards programs
a.DOC (Day of Challenge, Day of Courage) Two employees recognized
7.Planned and developed department specific vacation policy
8.Pre-op preparation of inpatient surgical patients
•Established QA for department and developed audit tool for hospital wide conscious sedation audit for JC documentation
•Succession planning
•Responsible for development of hospital wide outpatient medication reconciliation sheet
•Developed new surgical revision sheet
•Developed cath lab code purple process
•Developed and implemented actions plans/process improvement
Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland OH – 1990 - 2005:
Nurse Manager Spine Institute: 2004-2005
•Surgical and Medical Spine Institute, Spine Rehab Interim Nurse Manager
•Supervise 15 Nurses and PAs
•Budget
•Recruitment/retention of employees
•Annual Reviews,
•Faculty/Speaker "Innovative Spine Course"
•Develop Triage Plan for CCSI (Cleveland Clinic Spine Institute)
•Education class/video
•Development of post-op protocols book
•Space Committee
•Website Committee.
•First Nurse Manager in CCSI
•Development of new department
•Succession Planning
Pediatric Orthopedic Nurse Clinician II 1998 - 2005
•Case management organizing and running clinic, triaging/assessing pt.
•RNFA Assisted in Surgical cases
•Phone calls, scheduling and assisting in surgery.
•Development and delivery of patient education.
•Super-user for Epic computerized charting: including support and training of other team members building of computer sets specific to pediatric orthopedics
•Research Coordinator for research studies
Tumor and Trauma Orthopedic Nurse Clinician II (Part – Time) 1997 – 1998
• Same as Above redesign of Orthopedic department took job with Pediatric Orthopedics
Staff Nurse OR (Part – Time) 1996 - 1997
•Scrubbed and circulated all cases in Main OR
•Circulated Cases in Cardiovascular OR PRN
•RNFA (Registered Nurse First Assist)
PRN OR Nurse Evenings/Nights/Weekends 1990-2011
•Staff RN in OR, scrubbing and circulating on all cases, except cardiac scrub, RNFA through 2007
Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood IL - 1984 to 1989
Weekend Trauma Charge Nurse
•Weekend/Trauma Charge Nurse
•Staff of 24 RN's
•Coordinating with anesthesia and trauma surgeons the order and staffing of trauma cases
•Dispensing Anesthesia's narcotics
•Member of Trauma team and Trauma Committee
•Oriented and trained RN's to OR and trauma
•Liaison between OR and patient families
Additional Experience:
Pinnacle Home Health, Euclid OH 2005-2007
PRN Home Health RN
•Patient admissions
•Development of Care Plan
•Coordination of services: OT, PT, home health aide
•Complete treatments ordered by providers.
•Document patient treatments, visits, and progress
•Patient Education
Marion joy Rehab Hospital Head Trauma Unit, Wheaton, IL – 1982-1983
Nurse Training Program
•Care of rehab patients/Documentation
•ADLs
•Trach Care
•Wound Care
•Foley Catheter Care
•Collaborate with Care Team on Care Plans
Education
Elmhurst College 1983- Elmhurst, IL
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Kent State University, 2014-Kent, OH
Master of Science in Nursing in Health Care Administration
Rice University Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business, 2018- Houston, TX
Post Graduate Certification in Health Care Management
Affiliations
Council for Ohio Health Care Advocacy: 2011-2019:
The Council for Ohio Health Care Advocacy (COHCA) is a professional organization of transdiciplinary health care professionals interested in health policy and law. Their mission as health care providers is to promote excellence and leadership in health care, education, and research through transdiciplinary and collaborative efforts. We recognize the value of all people and wish to foster a culture of health and diversity.
oFounding Member of the organization
oOnly RN Board Member
oCommittee Chair of Communications 2011-2012
oWebsite Chair 2011-2012.
Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, Inc. 2010-2012
The Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates is a professional organization of nurses and associates dedicated to the safe and effective practice of gastroenterology and endoscopy nursing. SGNA carries out its mission by advancing the science and practice of gastroenterology and endoscopy nursing through education, research, advocacy, and collaboration, and by promoting the professional development of its members in an atmosphere of mutual support.
American Association of Neuroscience Nurses: 2007-2009
The American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN) is committed to the advancement of neuroscience nursing as a specialty through the development and support of nurses to promote excellence in patient care.
Presenter 2004 to 2009
Additional Information
Love a Stray no kill animal shelter, Avon Lake OH
oWork at the kennels caring for the stray dogs
Avon Lake Community Resources Sports Physicals program
oProvided sports physicals for school system athletes- $10 donation requested
oProceeds went to the Community Resource Center that provided support to individuals in need within our community.
Operation War Horse:
oWorked with CCF Nursing, Community Affairs office, and US Military to gather medical supplies to open 3 free medical and dental clinics for the women and children of Iraq hospitals.
oOver 17,000lbs of medical Supplies were shipped to military medical personnel. These shipments provided the necessary supplies for the free clinics
MLK Health Fair:
Giddings School Supply Drive:
o Community involvement in local elementary school supply drive
Giddings School Winter Clothing Drive:
oCommunity involvement local elementary school winter clothing drive