Meet our President
Meredith Ferguson, MSW, LCSW – CEO
Meredith Ferguson has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for almost 20 years. As a clinician, she has worked in a variety of acute and outpatient settings: ED, Case Management (UR and Discharge Planning), Acute Rehabilitation, and Behavioral Health. In addition, she has extensive clinical experience in the area of oncology, dialysis, trauma, ED, outpatient case management, and discharge planning to all areas of the hospital.
Prior to consulting, Ferguson was a Clinical Consultant for one of the largest EMR companies in the country. She managed accounts for over 120 hospitals, including large national accounts such as Tenet, HCA and UHS. In addition, she has provided onsite assessments to case management and coding departments to over 300 acute facilities. She also identified workflow and process redesign needs in the context of automation. Ferguson has over 20 years of experience in software implementations and has worked with health systems to realize post-implementation ROI and system optimization opportunities.
Background – Former Founder of the Global Social Work Network, former Clinical Product Specialist and National Account Manager for Allscripts Care Management (now WellSky), and current CEO of HCIT Consulting. Has completed large redesign projects and IT implementation work with clients such as Optum, DaVita Kidney Care, Tenet Healthcare and Kaiser Permanente.
Expertise – On ramping organizations from FFS to VBC, Inpatient and Outpatient Case Management, Transitions of Care, High Risk, Disease and Chronic Population Management, Enterprise Level Change and Outcomes, as well as Content Development for inpatient and ambulatory care planning.
HCIT CONSULTING TEAM
Jim Alland – Strategic Market Advisor
Background: Former President of Enterprise Systems at McKesson HBOC, Former Senior Vice President at Allscripts, current Chief Sales Officer at OnShift, and Chief Advisor at Healthcare Solution Market Strategies.
Expertise: Enterprise level Acute and Long-Term Care organizations, as well as Physician providers in all practice sizes from small, independent organizations through Enterprise level, multi-specialty practices. Former clients include Northwell (NSLIJ), Baylor, Scott & White, Orlando Health, and University of Kentucky as well as some of the largest and most successful Physician Practices and ACOs in the U.S.
Tammy Harriss – Chief Marketing Officer
Background: 2O years of experience in Healthcare IT marketing with a proven track record in developing successful lead generating campaigns and collateral for post-acute and acute services and solutions.
Expertise: Case Management, Utilization Management, Referral Management Discharge Planning, Homecare, Hospice, Population Health, Electronic Medical Records and Emergency Department
Kristina Green, TOGAF – VP of Client Service Delivery and Project Management
Background: Mission-driven healthcare leader with twenty years’ experience developing strategic program initiatives and driving multi-million-dollar program outcomes for national health plans (Anthem), Local Initiatives (L.A. Care Health Plan), and value-based medical groups (HealthCare Partners – Now Optum).
Expertise: Health Plan & Medical Group Operational Strategy and Execution, Program Management, Business Architecture, NCQA Accreditation, and Quality Improvement and Risk Adjustment strategies.
Joseph Burke, RN, MPH – Senior Consultant for Clinical Process Improvement
Background: Former Regional Executive Director of Clinical Quality Improvement and Case Management for Tenet Healthcare, Nursing Administrator at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/BJC Health System, Master Certificate Lean Six Sigma.
Expertise: ED, Readmissions Management, LOS, Denials, Throughput, Quality, Case Management Operations and Redesign, Project Management, Value Based Care, Compliance with Regulatory & Operational Clinical Standards and Process Redesign/Improvement Implementation.
Marianne DiMola – Executive Recruiter for Direct Hire Placement Services
Background: More than twenty-five years of experience in healthcare human resources management and career development. Former Director at Bayada Nurses and Nursefinders. She is a founding member of CMSA’s TriChapter New York Conferences and is the former Executive Director of the New York City Chapter of CMSA (20 years). Founder of Pathway Medical Staffing, a nationally recognized leader providing case management recruitment and retention advisory services, HEDIS staffing, and project management. Former Senior Vice President of National Sales & Operations for Medical Staffing Network.
Expertise: Healthcare Recruiting, Human Resources, Case Management, Physician Advisory, CM Redesign, and Process Improvement. Ms. DiMola presented “Essential Strategies” at the CMSA National Conference and CMSA, NYC Chapter in 2O11, Long Island CMSA Conference 2O12, “The Secret Victory of Case Managers” at CMSA National in 2O13 and has authored and coauthored, “Essential Strategies to Cultivate Your Career” for the Professional Case Management; Vol. 17/No. 5 “Next Level Case Management Guide Book, Co-Authored “The Great Exodus Hitting Case Management” in CMSA today March 2O22 and in 2O21 presented multiple times to the Case Management Community. \
Frances Horner – Senior Consultant for Patient Access
Background: Former Founder and Managing Partner of Singola Consulting, former Sr. Director Patient Access, and Epic Principal Trainer at NorthShore University Health System, and current President of VoC Consulting Group. Has completed large digital transformation projects and contact center implementation work with clients such as Jefferson Health, CHOP, Rochester Regional Health, and Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Expertise: Unique knowledge, understanding, and ability to integrate patient engagement with healthcare operations, IT, business processes, marketing/advertising, contact centers, and electronic medical record systems is invaluable to healthcare organizations.
Betsy Mazzoleni, MA, BSN, ACM-RN – Senior Consultant for Case Management Content
Background: Former Alicare Management Nurse Helpline Director, Change Healthcare Clinical Content Developer for prototype Hospital in the Home project/InterQual criteria and co-lead for Home Hospital pilot project in academic community setting. Former Content Developer for Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s web team, Recent CDI, and Case Management experience, serving on the ACMA MA Chapter’s Board and Co-Chair of its Marketing and Social Media committee.
Expertise: Decision-tree support product/content development for case management/telehealth, Hospital at Home case management criteria, telehealth training, health content development for Internet and social media platforms, marketing for healthcare systems. Recent working knowledge of case management and CDI practice. Master’s in Media Arts from Emerson College.
Donna McLean, RN, BSN, MBA – Managing Consultant for Clinical Process Improvement
Background: 4O years of healthcare experience in critical care nursing and case management, 2O years in Case Management leadership and consulting including Ochsner Health System, Grady Health System, Dignity Health, and CHI.
Expertise: Case Management Design, Utilization Management and Denials, Strategic planning, Compliance, CM Education and Service Quality Assurance.
Ruth McNaughton, BSN, MHM, CCM, ACM-RN – Senior Consultant for Clinical Process Improvement
Background: Former Senior Director of Care Management, Administrator for Hospitalist, and Mid-Level Groups, ACO Program Development, Acute Care Case Management Consultant, Home Care Owner, and Geriatric Case Management.
Expertise: Acute Case Management, Utilization Review, Transitions of Care, Readmission Reduction Programs, ACO and Community Case Management Development, Hospitalist Management and System Integration, Sub-Acute, SNF, and Home Care Development for Quality Outcomes.
Andrea Rich MSN, RN, CEN– Consultant for Emergency Services
Background: Clinical Optimization Consultant: Responsible for process improvement projects or enhanced interim leadership positions for the healthcare transformation division. Projects include a Level 1 trauma center in Texas, a project focusing on emergency department throughput, patient experience scores, and new leadership mentoring: Enhanced Interim Leadership project at a large community hospital/trauma center in Washington State focusing on team stabilization, leadership development, and responsible for all department operations. Successfully led team through regulatory immediate threats.
Expertise: Acute Care, Emergency Services, Emergency Medicine, Quality Improvement, Critical Care Nursing, Patient Safety, Nursing Education, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Employee Engagement, Consulting, Healthcare Management, Nursing, Emergency Nursing, Nursing Management, and Leadership.
Robert J. Wagner, MD, FACEP – Senior Consultant for UM and PA Services
Background: Former Chief Medical Officer for Ensemble Health Partners and R1 RCM. Dedicated and proven healthcare leader focused on improving the health of patients and communities through innovation. Founder of R1 Physician Advisory Solutions. Scaled multiple large utilization management departments across multihospital systems. Built and trained large-scale Physician Advisory teams.
Expertise: Utilization management, medical necessity compliance, denials management, physician advisory services, value-based reimbursement, payer relationships, managed care, telemedicine, acute and physician revenue cycle, machine learning and artificial intelligence, hospital and physician practice operations, practice management, operation and design, physician leadership as well as physician and patient engagement.
Sunil Joshi – Senior Consultant for Finance and Managed Care
Background: Nearly 30 years of health plan, provider, managed care expertise in all market segments including commercial, Medicare, Medicaid with a focus on top line growth, cost of care, business development, network management, operations, P&L management, and Account Management. Worked at Anthem, managed a $125MM P&L of an IPA, Senior Vice President at a $8.5B Provider/Care Management firm focused on expansion via Value Based Care contracts. Consulting experience with clients ranging from health plans, specialty providers, business process outsourcing, care management, telemedicine, substance abuse, lab, home health, hospice, health tech, not-for-profit advocacy group.
Expertise: Top Line Growth initiatives including Network Development, Business Development, Program Development and Cost of Care strategies via Quality or Care Management Projects to bend the cost curve.
Marie London, RN BSN CMAC CPHIMS – Senior Consultant for Value Based Care
Background: Former VP of Care Management at Healthcare Partners (Now Optum), formerly in UM/CM/DM product design at Anthem, former Director of Nursing for a large national home health company, current Principal Marie London Consulting. Has completed large redesign and transformation projects and IT implementation work with clients such as Anthem, Healthcare Partners, Agilon health, and LA Care Health Plan.
Expertise: Registered Nurse with 14 years of hospital, clinic and ambulance experience including ICU, ED, outpatient, and psyche. Have specialized expertise in UM/CM/PHM platforms. Conducted multiple assessments for UM and CM operations. Led special transformation projects on Cal AIM, Expanded Primarily Health-Related Benefits (EPHRB), Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI) with a focus on the operationalization and IT implementation of the SDOH benefits.
Kevin D. Moran – MBA, MSM- Senior Consultant for Managed Care
Background: Former Executive Director of Physician Engagement at CHS, Health Management Associates, and the Arkansas Oklahoma Healthcare Consortium. Selected by Governor of Arkansas to lead design and implementation of the State’s Health Insurance Exchange.
Expertise: Advisory Services, Managed Care contracting responsibilities for Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial Payors. Business development, marketing, change management, staff training and development, corporate vision setting, and fiscal policy and control.
Toresha Peterson, MS, RN, CCM- Senior Consultant
Background: Former Health Services Director and National Quality Director for value-based medical group (Landmark- Now Optum) Case and disease management programs for national health plan (Anthem)
Expertise: Successful Implementation of Value-based, Case Management, Transitions of Car, Quality, and Audit Programs in Ambulatory Care, Managed Care, Long Term Care/PACE, and Physician Practice settings.
Sherry Speckels, RN, BSN, CURP, CCM – Senior Consultant Healthcare Operations and Transformation
Background: Former Director, Clinical Product/Program Management BPO at Catalyst Solutions and Director Utilization Management and Prior Authorization Optimization “Interoperability” for (Evernorth/Cigna/Express Scripts. Director of Clinical Operations and Compliance at DuPage Medical IPA Group and Boncura MCO, Worked as Operations Manager, Referral Services/Prior Authorization for Humana. Diverse clinical background as a hospital charge RN in Med, Surg, & Oncology, as well as Lead, ER and Trauma team at Edward Hospital. Certified Utilization Review Nurse (CURP InterQual), Board Certified Case Manager (CCM CMSA – Case Management Society of America).
Expertise: Health Plan/Payer Operations and care delivery models (Commercial, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, SNP programs), VBC Practice Management, Utilization Management, Case Management, Complex CM, Disease Management, Population Management, Prior Authorization, Transition of Care programs and processes, Clinical Review Criteria (MCG, InterQual, etc.), and Clinical Compliance and Audit readiness: (CMS, NCQA, State, URAC).
Kaliegh Taylor, MBA, BSN, RN – Senior Consultant for Value Based Care
Background: Former Vice President of Innovation. Specialized in population health, nephrology, endocrinology, cardiology, and primary care high risk patient needs. Previously held enterprise level transformation roles for companies such as Evergreen Nephrology, DaVita Medical Group and DaVita Kidney Care.
Expertise: Healthcare VBC clinical workflows, leadership playbooks, prioritized operational implementation and training content creation for leadership development, staff right-sizing and budget efficiency. Healthcare startup year 0-3. Innovative Care Management program development focused on population health strategies efficient in improving risk/acuity, successfully reducing total cost of care. FFS to VBC change management readiness evaluation and enterprise transformation. Healthcare technology (eMR and Care Management) platform design, training, and implementation rollout. Telehealth strategy to increase provider visit capabilities and coding accuracy. CMS and NCQA quality guidelines. Strategic enterprise expansion from Medicare/Medicaid to MA and private payor.
Dr. Jack Bastow, DPM, MBA, PCMH-CCE – Physician Informaticist, Physician Consultant
Background: Podiatric physician and surgeon/practice administrator for 25 years. Eight plus years in hospital and practice clinical informatics as liaison between physicians and information technology at a major academic medical center. Lean Black Belt and NCQA Patient Centered Medical Home Certified Content Expert. Leader of numerous successful end to end clinical information systems initiatives in both the acute and ambulatory settings.
Expertise: Performance improvement expert. Lean Six Sigma problem solving methodologies, workflow analysis and optimization, data gathering and analytics, implementation and adoption including Action Research Model, and Prosci/ADKAR methodologies. Clinical system design, including orders and documentation development in acute and ambulatory settings. Instructional design and outstanding trainer.
Robert Leviton, MD, MPH, FACEP ABPM-CI – Senior Physician Advisor
Background: Physician Practice Management Senior Administrator with expertise in relationship management, operations, strategic planning and financial management for health care and not-for-profit organizations.
Expertise: Advisory Services, Physician compliance education, Case Management, Physician Advisory Services, Emergency Department Medicine.
Michael Marron-Stearns, CPC, CFPC, MD – Senior Physician Advisor
Background: Former CMO, Physician Informaticist, Accomplished Author, Health Information Technology and Healthcare Compliance Consulting, Subject Matter Expert on APMs, CCM, TCM, MACRA, HEDIS Measures, and Physician Coding as well as Educator for Clinical Informatics. One of the original Subject Matter Experts for the creation of SNOMED CT.
Expertise: MIPS/MACRA, Advanced APMs, MSSP, BPCI, HCC, TCM, CCM, Software Design, Clinical Content & Regulatory Compliance.
Andretta Reed, RHIA, MHA – Executive Consultant for Health Information Management and Coding
Background: Former Vice President of HIM & Coding at Capella Health and Faculty at Rasmussen College. Expertise in Ambulatory Coding and provided HIM SME Services to organizations such as DaVita Kidney Care, American Physician Partners, and Community Health Systems.
Expertise: Health Information Management SME to include HIM strategic leadership, benchmark planning, coding, and billing regulations, health data analytics, system implementation, adjunct professor, training, and mentorship, as well as CDI Program development and optimization.
Mary Ann Miller, RN BSN – Senior Consultant for Post-Acute Services
Background: Nurse executive with over 3O years of extensive and diversified leadership experience. Clinical oversight of over 14O long term care facilities in multiple states. Also oversight of over 4O locked dementia units, 15 acute care hospitals, 6 hospices, 5 assisted living centers and 5 MR/DD facilities. Assisted IT company with development of new clinical product lines. Past Director of Nursing and former lead instructor at a nurse aide training school.
Expertise: Assessing, redesigning, and implementing system transformation in multiple site environments. Analyze systems for compliance with state, federal, OSHA and JACHO agencies. Development and implementation of new systems and procedures in multiple states and settings. Establishes Quality Improvement procedures and guidelines for strong clinical outcomes. Strong background with leading clinical education.
Erica Crenlon – Product and Solutions Manager
Background: Former Solutions Manager and User Research and Design lead for Allscripts Care Management and Referral Management Solutions. Has worked with large health systems such as Tenet Healthcare, Cleveland Clinic, Northwell, & HCA.
Expertise: Acute Care management, Post-Acute and Ambulatory, Denials and Appeals, Business Intelligence/Reporting, and HIE, Patient/Member Experience.
Kerri Denton, BSIT – Senior Certified Epic Consultant
Background: Former Analyst with Enterprise Licensed Epic Customer, Multiple Epic Clinical Case Management Installation Projects at large health systems such as Methodist, King’s Daughters and Sentara.
Expertise: Inpatient & Outpatient Care Management Reporting Work Bench Analytics, Workload Acuity Scoring and Data Analytics, Epic, Cerner CM ClinDoc and Epic Case Management.
Shahran Haider – Data & Analytics Advisor
Background: 2O+ years of experience helping Fortune 1OO organizations create teams, platforms and culture for data driven performance. Proven leader with executive experience in driving enterprise scale data transformation at L.A. Care Health Plan (2m members, $9B revenue) & United Health Group. Currently Managing Principal of CerebralEdge, a Data/Analytics consulting firm.
Expertise: Advise clients and lead programs on business transformation and strategic performance improvements using modern data architecture and advanced analytics solutions. Specializations and previous leadership responsibilities included Data Strategy, AI/ML, Data Governance, Business Architecture, Data Warehousing, Business Intelligence, HEDIS/CAHPS and Regulatory Reporting. $1OOM+ of business value delivered through Analytics.
Leigh McCormack, MS – Data and Analytics Advisor
Background: Data scientist leader with former experience at BCBST and health care startups, AVP of Data and Science Strategy and has built large scale data science teams, products, and services.
Experience: Building and implementing data science solutions into payer and provider ecosystems, incorporating non-traditional data into healthcare analytics products. Go-to-market design for SaaS products, developing analytic strategy for large scale initiatives with respective ROI on population health and medical management programs.
Laura Montesantos, JD, LLM – Healthcare Software Product Consultant
Background: Current VP, Product Management for a Care Coordination Platform Product, former Senior Product Manager for Provider based solutions including Allscripts Care Management (now WellSky), Allscripts Referral Management (now CarePort), and Director of Product Integration for Payer based AIM Specialty Health, a subsidiary of Anthem (now Elevance Health).
Expertise: Leading and overseeing the product development and implementation for health care-based technology teams, focus on product integration of acute and post-acute systems to streamline provider workflow, improve user experience, and create software tools to promote efficiencies. Health care legal document review and vendor contracting.
Khalid “Kal” Rosa, MS3, MBA – Data Analyst Consultant
Background: Experienced healthcare application support, analytics, and data engineering analyst with fifteen years’ experience developing process and system solutions organizations across the USA. Implemented multiple care management solutions in various markets to improve patient outcomes (DaVita – Now Optum). Engaged multiple data, report, and system improvement initiatives (HealthCare Partners – Now Intermountain Healthcare). Supported application and data projects to migrate production applications from Allscripts to Epic (University Hospitals – Ohio).
Expertise: EHR/EMR Implementation and Support, Healthcare Data and Analytics Strategy, Data Governance, Technical Project Leadership, Database Architecture, Health Informatics, Reporting and Dashboard Development, Workflow and Dataflow Development, Process Improvement, and Data Model Development.
David Shaffer – Chief Information Officer Consultant (and Interim CIO)
Background: Deep experience in healthcare informatics and technology operations leadership; Former division Director of Informatics at Baylor Scott and White Health, Sr. Corp Dir. ISD at Tenet Healthcare. Leading in Medical Informatics, Acute and Ambulatory EHRs, IT operations, Medical Staff IT services, Quality Reporting, Operations Alignment and Improvement of Physician and HIM Workflows.
Expertise: Enterprise Contracting, Implementation, and Optimization of complex EHR and HIT,
Interoperability and Integration, Strategic IT planning, Risk Assessments, Program Management,
Product Selection and Return on Investment.