Summary:

I have more than 20 years of experience in Project Management Consulting, specifically as a Senior Project Manager, including consulting opportunities primarily in the Healthcare, Financial and Insurance industries. My major focus has been on Lean Process Improvement throughout my Project Management career. I haveworked with all levels of a client’s organization, from front-line managers (Nursing Assistants), to Hospital CEOs, this has enabled me to identify and understand the culture, operating problems, work flows, processes, cross-functional teams and other issues impeding net profitability. I am accustomed to large, complex, multi-specialty medical group environment, multi-location, and multi-project (client) initiatives ranging from $50M / 500 resources to a $1B+ / 10,000+ resources. My technical Project Managementexperience includes designing, developing and implementing programs/tools (conducting training workshops during the implementation phase), at the client’s facility to improve the delivery of client services, augment operational effectiveness and quality, enhance revenue, reduce operating costs and increase profitability. Budget coordination, vendor management,project staffing, and infrastructure deployment, is all encompassing in my Project Management Approach. I have directed and facilitated the analysis, design, start-up, implementation and completion of various projects including, but not limited to the areas of, Business Process Improvement and Re-engineering,Supply Chain Management, Project Management (PMO), Staffing (Workload Management), Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP), , Metrics Development & Benchmarking andProcess Flow Mapping.Additionally, I have strong facilitation and presentation skills, multi-project management, significant leadership, people management, analytical problem-solving abilities and sound decision-making skills. Currently, I am credentialed in (GE) Six Sigma Green Belt training towards certification. Therefore, I have the knowledge to conduct PerformanceImprovement initiatives using the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) methodology, whenever applicable and I am also certified in CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management). My interpersonal abilitiesallow me to manage diverse personalities, tactfully and maturely. I possess excellent verbal and written skills, effective project and client management skills, and incorporate a participative management style-advocacy of team concept approach.

Education:

High School Diploma

B.A., Economics and Business Administration

M.A.

Computer Skills:
MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint & Project

Professional Experience:

Confidential, Miami, FL 12/97 – Present 
Project Director/ Manager. Here is a list of a few clients where I was the Senior Project Manager, but are not limited, to the following:

The majority of these projects were of a 6-12 month duration, working on an exclusive basis or half of them with five+ consultants. Annualized savings averaged $5M+ per project.

General Project Accomplishments:

• Conducted Analysis to gather, interpret quantitative and qualitative data and information; presented findings to Clients’ to obtain Project “Go-aheads.” Analysis and Sales.
• Developed and implemented Lean Business and Process Improvement and ReengineeringMethodology throughout Clients’ organizations.
• Scheduled, wrote agendas, and conducted weekly meetings with clients to identify scope, deliverables, and update current project status. Weekly Progress Review Meetings.
• Developed Task Force Teams (Client and consultants) to ensure that the implementation stages Management Operating Systems were met together, on a timely and accurate basis,enabling the Client to take ownership of the Project and to introduce Action Plans.
• Trained client’s management to develop storyboards (visual aids) and to videotape best in class processes to establish Best Practices video libraries.
• Introduced Process Mapping – facilitated training in the use of observations to establish actual work content required in each position of a client’s operation. The data is used to calculate workloads, and to illustrate areas of potential Process Improvements.
• Developed an Employee Skills Matrix to identify where cross-training needs were critical.
• Largely contributed in obtaining extensions on current Projects, by identifying opportunities for improvement in other areas – “More Work.”
• Wrote Operating Manuals describing policies and procedures, to ensure continuity of the projects and as a reference guide to encourage Continuous Process Improvement.
• IT Performance Metrics development, interpretation and realignment.

Specific Hospital/Healthcare Project Accomplishments:

Preoperative Operational Efficiency:

• Developed a Steering Committee and Project Teams to identify target benchmarks, and establishing systematic monitoring and evaluation.
• Reduced downtime in operating room from 30 minutes to 20 minutes; this enhanced revenue by $2.1M annually.
• Implemented a 30-minute earlier case start during prime time in the operating room; this enhanced revenue by $3.8M annually.
• On-time first case start time in OR increased from 29% to 80%.
• Significant increase in surgical case volume, the highest volume in eight years.
• 50% increase in physician satisfaction.
• All staff positions filled and use of Agency (Temps.) staff discontinued.
• Inventory reduction of $300,000 in OR supplies.

Optimizing Patient Throughput:

• Reduced booking to bed assignment times for medicine unit by 45% (18 minutes per patient assignment); reduced times for surgical unit by 65% (40 minutes per patient assignment).
• Improved response time for first shift discharge from 22.0 to 13.3 minutes (40%); improved time for second-shift from 46.2 to 38.2 minutes (17%).
• Improved percentage of ED admits in less than four hours from 39% to 56%; improved percentage of ED discharges in less that three hours from 49% to 59%.
• Involved all staff in generating ideas and executing initiatives for improvement, resulting in enhanced employee morale. Improved staff morale resulted in reduced staff turnover rate of 7%, compared to current industry average of 21%.
• Completely reconstructed a Housekeeping Bed Utilization & Availability Schedule; to enable beds to “Ready” for incoming patients, reducing one of the major bottlenecks.

Optimizing Quality, Service and Cost:

• Trained staff in Central Sterile Processing to handle all instruments and to free up Operating Room staff. Redesigned process in Central Sterile to accommodate staff realignment.
• Identified a potential of $3.2M annual savings, comprising of claims denials, managed care collections, improved documentation and coding, and reduced cost of collections.
• Labor cost savings to exceed $4.6M annually while maintaining, or improving quality and service.
• Market Opportunity: Streamlined processes for the top 10 DRG’s by volume and cost to generate nearly $800,000 in annualized potential savings.
• Saved $1.8M in inventory management by adjusting PAR levels, reduced DIOH (days inventory on hand), and “no-movement” line items.

Confidential, Westwood, CA (This is an example of a Project I Managed) 
Senior Project Manager 
Served as a Senior Project Manager for the Cardinal Health Consulting Services. Directed the Business Process Improvement Team (including 1 Project Manager, 8 consultants, and 2 contractors) at the U.C.L.A. Medical Center, by improving the business and clinical operations and service levels (Patient Care), that were provided, enhancing revenue cycles, establishing performance and quality Metrics (objectives), attaining them, and increasing their profitability. Covered the ED (admitting), through the OR (Post-Op, discharge). Initiated Continuous Process Improvements through audit and training methodologies.

• Created a centralized help desk to provide a single contact point, thus eliminating nurse’s lost time, and reallocating that available time to patient needs (Patient Care). Developed and Implemented IT Status Dashboards located at every Nurse Station, and on all computer monitors from the ED (admitting), through OR (Post-Op, discharge), to enable visual patient “Status” system, transport requests, lab status, radiology activity, bed availability, etc.; including a color coded system identifying whether the Process is at a good, medium or critical level, or on schedule. This included a State-of-the-Art 30 second automatic “refresh” screen; every 30 seconds was current.
• Integrated clinical workflow analysis, process re-design, and implemented “CPOE” (computerized physician order entry), IT Software; resulting in error reduction, increase in Patient Care, and increased overall quality standards in the hospital. The result of Change Management was that there was a higher patient throughput, lower LOS and more patients per year, adding more than$3.6M in additional revenue per annum; revenue enhancement, at no incremental, per patient, additional cost.
• Decreased Accounts Receivables by prioritizing late payments (30, 60 and 90 days), and increasing the number of outbound calls by 20%. Developed a manual program, which was later automated byworking with the client’s IT group that prioritized accounts by date and amount, and accounted for calls made, by collector. Accounts Receivables and Charge Offs dropped by $1.1M in the first year.
• Increased the annual revenue by $1.7M through revised charge capture process. Analyzed, redesigned and streamlined the Medical Billing Process, creating both efficiencies and accountability (HIPPA & JACHO compliant). The previous process involved numerous steps in creating invoices for patient(s), and had no accountability. This Process Re-engineering was computer generated and had built-in timelines and manual facilitations. Directed the client’s IT group in developing the modules for automation, which led to a more rapid and accurate Billing Process (coding allocation).
• Saved $4.7M in annual operating costs. Analyzed the utilization, performance and flexibility indicators of the housekeeping, food catering, maintenance, administration, nursing departments and outside vendors, then developed an IT Staffing Workload Matrix (relating work volume to time requirements), that allowed for a reduction of staff by 11%. This process was implemented and attained through cross-training, attrition, reduction of outside vendor costs (Procurement & Supply Chain Management), and increases in the in-house provider services.
• In the ED, developed a triage nurse competency program, and initiated color coding methodology for use by triage nurses to alert registration clerks of triage patients ready for registration. This enabled a more effective way to admit patients who needed the most immediate attention. Increased patient capacity by increasing throughput. Attained by reducing admission wait time and improving timely patient discharge, at no additional incremental costs per discharge. The reduction of diversions and increase in patients examined, equated to $2.7M annually in revenue enhancement.Cultivated Quality Relations among physicians and nurses and developed a customer service Action Plan. Initiated the role of “patient care advocate” to serve as a liaison for patients, families and visitors. Developed a competency-based orientation program for LPNs and Paramedics to care for patients with lower acuity levels. Developed an Emergency Department nursing transfer report to expedite the flow of patients from the department to the nursing units. Annualized savings for the Hospital was $14+M.

Confidential., Dallas, TX(consulting firm, banking and healthcare) 8/94 to 11/97
Senior Project Manager

Provided expertise in organizational development, workflows, and human resources analysis.  Developed management systems that ensured measurable improvements in the levels of  quality, service, and performance. Supervised multiple projects with up to fifteen consultants.

Project Accomplishments:

• Largely contributed in obtaining extensions on current Projects, by identifying opportunities for improvement in other areas – “More Work.”
• Sold a Project in excess of $800,000.
• Schedule and conducted meetings with clients (upper management) to identify scope, deliverables and update current project(s) status. Weekly Progress Meetings.
• Responsible for project budgets and P & L accountability.
• Responsible for multi client and project(s) progress throughout the United States.
• Developed individual and departmental performance evaluation systems, which were used as a standard measuring tool in the majority Projects.
• Conducted meetings with clients to identify scope, deliverables and update current project(s) status. Continuous Client Relationship Building.
• Designed, developed (the Information Technology Department was instrumental in the developmental stages), and employed an IT-based Management Information System; this allowed individual and departmental performance indicators to be generated immediately- Live.
• Developed and implemented Change Management methodology.

Confidential, Marina del Rey, CA 02/88 - 07/94 
Performance Enhancement Manager and Human Resources Manager

Served as a Project Manager for Confidential. (consulting firm, banking & healthcare). Developed and managed the Lean Process Improvement Team at Western Federal S & L. After the completion of the project, was hired by the Association as a full-time Project Manager; later was assigned the responsibility of managing the Human Resources Department.

Work Accomplishments:

• Analyzed the majority of departments’ systems, methods, policies, procedures, workflows and processes throughout the Association to establish areas in need (prioritized), of a Business Process ImprovementProject, and which would benefit the most (savings dollar).
• Worked in the Retail Division and developed an IT (computerized) Teller Staffing Schedule for each branch. This resulted in increased Customer Service levels - less time waiting in line, increased the number of accounts opened, and annual operating costs were reduced by $7+M by reducing and eliminating “non-value” activities being preformed in the branches.
• In the Mortgage Department, decreased loan processing time (increased throughput) by 22%. More loans being processed with the same amount of resources.
• Centralized the Loan Service Department; one location. This allowed for a better means of accountability, management, reduction of customer response time, simplification of document location and increased “personalized” customer relationships.
• Directly responsible for employee benefits, relations, training, and recruitment programs.