This week, host James Furbush interviews Connie Lee, Senior Director of Patient Access at UCLA Health. Connie discusses the unique organization of patient access at UCLA, sharing her professional journey, the role of mentorship, and her vision for the future of patient access. She also emphasizes the importance of leadership, cultural changes, and innovative solutions in enhancing patient access and overall experience.
Connie insists that patient access as a vital area of revenue cycle operations wasn’t even a thing 20 years ago and now it’s one of the most critical aspects of a health system. “It’s just getting started,” Lee says. “I’m going to need at least another decade to accomplish what I envision patient access could be at UCLA Health.”
Patients need to access vital care and in a timely manner, but access goes far beyond a call center at this point. It weaves through every aspect of a health system, Lee says. Access is about the entire patient journey — one that health care could learn a lot from Disney.
Watch:
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Highlights:
The impact revenue cycle can have on patients and providers
Patient access and learning from Disney World
There’s no better time to work in patient access
Show Notes:
00:00 Introduction to the RCM Ladder
00:28 Sponsor Shoutout: Health Exchange
01:25 Meet Connie Lee: Senior Director of Patient Access at UCLA Health
01:43 Patient Access at UCLA Health
03:59 Connie’s Career Journey
06:16 The Importance of Mentorship
14:23 Future of Patient Access
19:29 Leadership and Team Development
29:02 Lightning Round and Closing Thoughts
