I continue to be impressed with the caliber of our high-functioning independent teams and how well they work together. For example, when working on an RFP for a specific service, I am able to reach out to the program staff and other departments such as Quality and Compliance and Finance to gain knowledge about the service to ensure we issue an RFP that will not only meet the needs of our clients, but also our funders. It’s really refreshing to see how generous people are with their time and knowledge.
Provider Services strives to promote teamwork in the agency by taking positions on internal committees and planning groups. From the Operations Team and HIPAA Compliance Committee, to the Fraud Prevention and Recruitment teams, Provider Services takes an active interest in contributing to the organization’s shared goals. We collectively have over 72 years of COA knowledge and experience which we make available to all of those around us, as well as offer input to help resolve problems that may arise in other parts of the organization.
One might assume that working within the constraints of government contracts would leave little room for innovation, but your team seeks out opportunities to innovate. Share some examples.
Innovation and thinking outside of the box are second nature to our team and our work is more varied than you might think.
There have been many instances where we have found ways to overcome obstacles or find better ways to implement processes. For example, we researched and found multiple ways to bring congregate meal sites back to the City of Hamilton in Butler County and have successfully opened two locations in the city.
Our team has been looking for creative ways to lessen the impact of the nationwide home health aide shortage on our clients. For example, we lead a search for homecare providers that could serve clients in the more rural parts of our service area. This proactive approach was a different tactic for us and it paid off as we were able to add new providers in those hard-to-serve areas.
We also helped find and open a satellite office one of our rural counties. The satellite office better connects our staff with the community they serve. And, as the department that manages supply orders for the organization, we have developed a quality purchasing report for the senior leadership team that shows our spending and how we are saving money by price comparison.
More about Randy
Hometown: Hamilton, Ohio
Community Involvement: Association of Professionals in Aging, Board Member
Describe the perfect weekend: Walking the dog in the morning and a nice lunch with my family. Maybe some yard work – plant a tree – or a round of golf with good friends. Rounded out by preparing a meal for the evening.
Favorite movie/book/song: Shawshank Redemption
When you start your car, what’s playing on the radio? NPR for talk radio or Led Zeppelin or Natalie Merchant for music.
Which COA value means the most to you? Teamwork