Yvonne Loney
Director, Financial Services and Indigent Care
Saint Joseph Hospital
What aspect of your job provides the most satisfaction?
That our team contributes to the care of our patients' financial needs. Typically people do not plan on having an Emergency Department visit or hospital stay. We assist patients in applying for Medicaid, co-payment assistance programs, coverage through the health exchange programs and SCL financial assistance (charity). Our financial counselors/patient financial advocates educate patients to better understand their covered benefits and/or the importance of obtaining coverage, as well as explanation of benefits.
What skills help you most in being effective in this position?
A passion for patient advocacy and aligning patients with solutions to proactively manage their health care. Being empathetic to not only the patient’s physical health but their financial health as well.
How does your position impact the patient experience?
I believe we impact the patient experience positively, empowering patients through education. The financial assistance department’s goal is to educate patients on their options for health care coverage and to assist those who are struggling due to financial hardship.
What is your favorite fall activity?
Fall has been my favorite time of the year since I was a kid. It was the start of a new school year, football, the changing colors of leaves and Halloween … can’t get any better than that. My husband and I enjoy mountain biking and hiking. Fall is a great time for this; the weather is perfect and the changing of the leaves makes being outdoors in the mountains perfect!
Who is your favorite book, TV or movie character and why?
My favorite movie and character is Forrest Gump. The movie is full of love and loss and many other emotions that you experience in life. Forrest is innocent and humble, drifting through life like a feather, from one historical event to another.
John Frantz
Director, Patient Financial Services
National Jewish Health
What aspect of your job provides the most satisfaction?
I enjoy analyzing, modeling and predicting regulatory and other health care finance changes and their impact on the hospital. I find it satisfying to compare the predicted impact to the ultimate actual impact and see really how close the prediction came to the actual. It’s also satisfying to observe all the hard work my staff puts in and watch it pay off when the departments meet and exceed goals.
What skills help you most in being effective in this position?
I grew up playing various team sports and I think that had I not gotten into health care, I would have coached a baseball team. I like to think that I bring a team approach and a high level of accountability to the department(s) I direct. I enjoy placing staff in positions and assigning projects to individuals that allow them and the team to be successful.
How does your position impact the patient experience?
Patient finance is a critical and often overlooked area of the patient experience. Patients’ satisfaction with their billing experience drastically affects patient loyalty and likelihood to recommend National Jewish Health to others. Our goal is to help educate patients on access to health care at National Jewish Health, their insurance benefits and how those benefits will apply to the services they will be receiving. We also confirm that those benefits are applied correctly and notify patients of their obligations. Patient satisfaction is a paramount goal.
What is your favorite fall activity?
Actually, I enjoy cycling year-round, especially in the fall for the nice cool mornings and moderate evenings. And fall marks the start of the Cyclocross race season. Fall also marks the Major League Baseball push for the playoffs and the World Series; best time of the year, especially if the Los Angeles Dodgers make the playoffs.
Who is your favorite book, TV or movie character and why?
I find Larry David from the TV show “Curb Your Enthusiasm” hilarious. The character’s frequent social faux pas and misunderstandings make for great, humorous, socially awkward situations.