Patient Access Collaborative

?? New on the PAC Blog ?? In healthcare, we often talk about patient access, but what does it take to truly improve it? In this blog post, Jill Cioffi, MD, F.A.A.P. tells us how she found out firsthand when she stepped into the world of access leadership—joining a team of professionals with vastly different backgrounds: a business partner, a clinical lead nurse, a seasoned scheduler, and herself, a Medical Director of Primary Care. The biggest lesson? Access isn’t about one perspective; it’s about uniting diverse voices to serve patients better. To read the full blog, click here: https://lnkd.in/e7C8vZnF Would you like to learn more about the role of Access Medical Director? Listen to our podcast: https://lnkd.in/eSGgDpv7 #MedicalDirector #PatientAccess #Healthcare

How can access leaders stay prepared when disaster strikes? Last month, the Patient Access Collaborative’s podcast, The All Access Pass, tackled the urgent issue of business continuity during an emergency—because when crisis happens, access leaders are responsible for more than just the bottom line. They must ensure the continuity of the care that forms the beating heart of our country’s infrastructure. For health systems in L.A. County, 2025 has been a year of trials and tribulations. Wildfires have raged across the region, leaving patients displaced, roads impassable, and access to care hanging in the balance. UCLA Health’s Connie Lee, MPH, FACHE, joins the podcast to reveal the scope of the fires’ devastation and illustrate how her team is working to rebuild critical pathways to care. Also joining the conversation are fearless leaders from the East Coast: Aimee Corke of Northwell Health and Leigh Turk of Nicklaus Children's Health System. As one of New York City’s premier health systems, Northwell Health faces the unique challenge of sustaining operations when severe weather strikes America’s most densely packed urban environment. Meanwhile, in South Florida, hurricanes have become a relentless annual battle. Leigh Bouskila Turk, MHA has seen firsthand the devastation wrought by storms like Helene, Milton, and Debby, and she’s navigated the aftermath while ensuring that children and their families still receive life-saving care. Don’t miss this powerful episode—because when disaster strikes, patient access leaders can’t afford to fail. Staring Down Disaster can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or at the following link: https://lnkd.in/eBDxEWjH Don’t forget to hit the notification bell and receive a reminder for the next episode!

Honored to have Amanda Barclay, MPM, PHR, SHRM-CP, RCC serve as our course faculty for the Ambulatory Capacity Management Certification Course this week. She delivered an outstanding presentation to our learners - Project Tempo, the "Block Party," the importance of template security - and more. Loved learning from such an incredible leader who is so passionate about improving access to care. Join us for our popular course: https://lnkd.in/epBUjXWb #EmpoweringLeaders

?? New on the PAC Blog ?? The Future of Scheduling: How Shift Bidding is Transforming Access Centers In this blog post, Elizabeth Woodcock talks about how traditional scheduling methods in access centers are evolving. Shift bidding—where employees choose their shifts based on preference, seniority, or other criteria—is gaining traction as a powerful workforce management tool. Click here to read the blog post: https://lnkd.in/e6vyKj4K You want to learn more about access center management and take your career to the next level? Get certified and stand out in your field! Click here to register: https://lnkd.in/edCsBFMg

?? Big Milestone Alert! ?? We are thrilled to celebrate the first graduate of our Ambulatory Access Center Management Certification Program—Rachel Brazaitis! ??? This achievement marks a significant step in advancing expertise in access center management and reflects Rachel’s dedication to professional growth. Our certification program is designed to equip patient access professionals with the skills and knowledge to improve access centers, capacity management, and we couldn't be prouder to see it in action! Congratulations, Rachel, on this well-earned success! You are paving the way for future graduates and setting the standard for excellence. ?? Ready to take your career to the next level? Get certified and stand out in your field! Click here to learn more: https://lnkd.in/edCsBFMg #Certification #ProfessionalGrowth #HealthcareExcellence #FirstGraduate #MilestoneMoment

?? Virtual Access Center Conference Speaker Spotlight ?? At the Patient Access Collaborative, Courtnie Garteski-Bergler, Director of Digital New Appointment Learning and Innovations, shared how Mayo Clinic launched the Innovation Contact Center—a dedicated space for testing digital engagement, workflow improvements, and patient-centered communication. Learn more about the Innovation Center with our podcast: https://lnkd.in/ejW8eX-s #PatientAccess #HealthTech #Innovation #MayoClinic

Leveraging AI to Schedule Imaging at Duke Health Today's spotlight goes to Duke University Health System and their leaders: Michael Palko, Alexander Seward, MBA, and Anita Harris. At our Patient Access Collaborative Virtual Access Center Conference, they shared how Ray is streamlining workflows, improving efficiency, and enhancing experiences for both patients and staff." #AIinHealthcare #PatientAccess #HealthTech #Innovation #DukeHealth

Register Now for our Webinar with Luma + UAMS Contact centers are a critical piece of patient access, but they’re often overwhelmed with simple calls that could be solved with patient self-service. Join this session to learn how UAMS - University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), an “Epic-first” academic medical center, reduced their inbound call volume using AI. Michelle Hanrahan BSN MHA MSN?of UAMS shares how her organization identified major pain points for the contact center and implemented an Epic-integrated AI concierge to solve them. She unpacks UAMS' outcomes, lessons learned, and what the future holds! Click here to register: https://lnkd.in/e6YVsDNu For more information about digital innovation in an access center, listen to our podcast with the leadership team from Mayo Clinic - https://lnkd.in/eNPnjz6y #AccessCenter #Podcast #ContactCenter

?? New on the PAC Blog ?? Disaster Strike—Is Your Patient Access Strategy Ready? In this blog post, Elizabeth Woodcock reflects on how emergencies don’t just disrupt operations—they amplify access challenges in ways that impact patient care far beyond the initial crisis. Wildfires, hurricanes, and infrastructure failures can force clinics to close, increase appointment cancellations, and create a growing ‘Access Debt’ that leaves patients waiting for care. Click here to read the full blog post: https://lnkd.in/eHUT5jrG We also have a podcast on the same subject: https://lnkd.in/eBDxEWjH Learn more about business continuity in the context of access by joining us for our Ambulatory Access Center Management Certification Course: https://lnkd.in/edCsBFMg #PatientAccess #strategy #blogpost

NEW episode of?the PAC's All Access Pass Podcast is now available! Wildfires have ravaged Southern California in recent months, forcing health system leaders to navigate patient access disruptions while ensuring continuity of care. Beyond the immediate crisis, these disasters create lasting "access debt"—a backlog of delayed appointments and unmet patient needs that can overwhelm health systems long after the flames have died down. How can access leaders prepare for and recover from such disruptions? This month, Founder and Executive Director Elizabeth Woodcock sits down with?Aimee Corke, Director of Emergency Management and Business Continuity at Northwell Health;?Connie Lee, MPH, FACHE, Senior Director of Patient Access at UCLA Health; and?Leigh Bouskila Turk, MHA, Director of Practice Development and Support Services at Nicklaus Children's Health System. The leaders share firsthand experiences managing patient access during wildfires, hurricanes, and other emergencies—discussing business continuity strategies, recovery planning, and how to maintain access in the face of disruption. Listen to the Podcast: https://lnkd.in/eBDxEWjH Read the blog post about this episode: https://lnkd.in/eHUT5jrG Learn more about business continuity in the context of access by joining us for our Ambulatory Access Center Management Certification Course: https://lnkd.in/edCsBFMg #podcast #patient #patientaccess