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Meet Michelle: Michelle is a Senior EpicTM Consultant whose expertise is in patient access and revenue cycle applications. She holds certifications in Cadence, Prelude, and Referrals and has been working in the healthcare industry for over 19 years. As an Oxford partner since April 2013, she has served several integral roles as a consultant that have led to over 10 successful Epic implementations.
In the six months prior to her first assignment, Michelle’s recruiter Nicole maintained weekly calls to learn about Michelle’s career goals. Nicole’s availability and the interactions she shared with Michelle were a “breath of fresh air.”
“Nicole was very relaxed — there was no pressure. The conversations were largely focused on what I wanted to do, restrictions I had regarding the type of work I was interested in being assigned, and the regions in which I was willing to work,” Michelle said. “It was difficult to determine whether I even wanted to go into consulting based on conversations I had in the past with other recruiters. But when I talked to Nicole, it was completely different—she showed real interest in what I wanted. I understand that all recruiters have certain criteria they need to meet, but Nicole never made me feel like a number. She made me feel like I was in control of my career path and that she was going to be there to help me.”
About her most recent project: Michelle is currently on assignment implementing a new Epic functionality called Care Everywhere Referrals Management, which is a software that utilizes applications within Epic to communicate between organizations and streamline the referrals process. When Michelle arrived at her assignment, tight security measures prevented her from obtaining access to the organization’s Epic system. Despite this setback, she was able to work with her colleagues to obtain the necessary documentation on current state workflows and organizational structure to help her prepare for the development of future state workflows.
Initially, Michelle found that her colleagues were frustrated with the sheer volume of work that lay ahead. “When I walk into a new project, the most important thing that I make sure to do is to listen. I want to understand what the client’s workloads and processes are like, in addition to what the culture is like. Every workflow and process is different,” she explained. “Successful consultants should be open-minded and able to listen. Listening allows you to understand what a client needs, why you’re there, and what you can provide.” Leveraging that strategy, Michelle has been able to effectively assist the client and her colleagues with the Care Everywhere build. She will continue to support this client through their implementation and roll out.
Michelle’s advice to other consultants is to “never be afraid to say the words, ‘I don’t know.’ Epic software is extremely vast, constantly changing, and improving every year. It is impossible to know all the intricacies within each system. It is best to always be honest when asked questions for which you do not know the answers. The difference between a decent consultant and a great consultant is the actions that they take once those words have been spoken. A decent consultant will say those words and do nothing, while a great consultant will respond and say, ‘but let me find the answer and I will get back to you with an update.’”
Michelle’s ability to listen and understand the reasons behind a project gives her a unique perspective on the individual needs of each client she serves. This adaptability allows her to work efficiently with such a vast system, and she continues to learn through each of her projects. Michelle is a valuable addition to any team with her 19 years of experience with an intricate, nuanced system like Epic.