1. Tell me your name, your title, and describe your role within the facility. Evette Prieto is the Chief Accounting Office (CAO) for a Skilled Nursing Facility in Miami. Evette states: “Her role is to prepare financial statements, business reports, monitors financial details and documents.” Evette also states “she evaluates current accounting practices, develops and implements various accounting procedures, upgrades financial system, works with internal and external auditors during financial operational audits, coordinate monthly closing process, supervise employees in the accounting department and makes management decisions when it comes to company’s finances and reports to CEO .”
2. How many people are involved in the financial process, and can you briefly explain the roles of each person involved? Evette states “she has three accounting employees working for her, their names are Julia, Michelle, and Karen. Julia does the business reports, which consists of her doing tables, and spreadsheets. Michelle does the budgeting which consists of revenue costs, and assets and liabilities. Karen handles the cash flow of the facility does reimbursements, and helps Michelle delegate the budgeting.”
3. How do you formulate your budget for your facility or department on a monthly and annual basis? Evette states “She and the other accountants do a statistical budget, a revenue budget, expense and operating budget, and budget worksheet to calculate annual and monthly budget.” Evette also states “the annual reports is a lengthy complicated process that involves close analysis, such as cost for equipment, supplies, rent, and utility.” Typically budget planning begins six or eight months prior to the end of our company’s fiscal year. Once budget is complete approvals are obtained from board of trustees and senior leaders. 4. What is important for me to know about starting up a business and month to month operational finances? Evette states “when managing your finances you need to gather information, asses’ feasibility, examine critical issues, develop your own business plan and arrange your business financing.” Doing this process will help an individual better understand the cost of supplies, equipment, payroll, utility, rent, and maintenance in order to handle operational expenses in your business.
5. If I have a start-up loan amount of up to $500,000, how would you best utilize this? Evette states “the best way to utilize 500,000 is to first scope out your industry by doing a market analysis.” Then seek your location this will help you determine how much for rent space or buying space. Then find out who your target audience is and what their needs are. Then found out how much employees you need to accommodate your target audience. Once that is determined find out how much it would be to market your company by using, TV ads, social media or flyers. Then budget in expenses for electricity, equipment, employees, permits and other factors need to start off your business. Evette states “using these strategies can help an individual utilize their 500, 000 budget effectively.”
6. How long have you been a Chief Accountant Officer? Evette states “she has been a Chief Accountant officer for Crossing Skilled Nursing facility for over 10 years”. Evette also states “she received her Master’s degree at Miami University.” Once she graduated she obtain a job at Jackson Memorial hospital as controller. Once she left Jackson Memorial hospital she was offered a job at Crossing Nursing facility as the Chief Accountant Officer (CAO).
7. When you were a student what was the most difficult course you have taken? Evette states ” most of her courses were hard, due to the fact you have to be accurate when it comes to calculating numbers any number put inaccurately can mess up financial reports”. Evette also states “taking her CPA exams was beyond tough she took over 6 months to study in order to take the exam.”
8. What is the toughest part of your job? Evette states “working with the evolving technology is tough, because when a new program is introduced to the accounting department it takes time and training, which can consists of weeks and possibly months to get everything organized and set up.”
Cherichel Administrative or Managerial Questions:
1. Tell me your name, your title, and describe your role with the facility. Javier Cavezo is a manager for Heartland Healthcare Center in Miami Florida. Javier states: “He is responsible for making business decisions, creating vision and goals for the facility, administrating budgets for ordering, and receiving supplies”. Javier also states “he does payroll, and benefits, keeps up with health care laws and technology, conduct employee meetings and represents the organization at external meetings such as community forums and investor gatherings.”
2. Can you explain to me the managerial operations of your healthcare facility? Javier states “the managerial operations of their facility is a functional organizational structure.” They have management positions assigned to each department, for instances at their nursing department they have three nurses and a head nurse who coordinates the nurses schedule, and keeps records of patients medication and procedures. Javier also states “everyone answers to the CEO of their organization which he reports to every month when going over the organizations finances, monthly budgets, raises, and other things affecting the organization.”
3. What are some of the biggest decisions you make on a daily basis? Javier states” the biggest decisions he makes on a daily basis is identifying problems that disrupts a patient care, implementing plans that benefits his staff, making sure they comply to HIPAA regulations regarding using patients electronic health records when consulting with other providers and making sure they have enough supplies, to meet the demands of patients they see a day.”
4. What do you do to advertise or market your facility for growth within your community? Javier states “They have an amazing websites that provides easy access to make appointments with one of their physician.” Javier also states “they use social media like Facebook to reach out to people in the community.” They also have brochures that provide information about their company, they pass out flyers and have a meet and greet within the community.
5. What is important for me to know from an administrative or managerial perspective of starting up and growing a healthcare business? Javier states “as an administrator your main objective is to understand your consumers need by participating in community assessments and follow the rules and regulations on how to provide the best quality of services or product to your consumers.” Javier also states “budgeting, and understanding the finances in order to meet your budget will help you start up your business. Javier also states “forming an organizational structure and involving stakeholders will help staff, and employees better understand the chain of command and help a healthcare administrator better implement their vison and goals for their business.”
6. Describe one challenge Healthcare Administrators face? Javier states “the challenge administrator’s face is planning for the baby boomers coming into age.” Because the baby boomer generation is living longer it is extremely hard to accommodate their health care needs, due to the fact we lack staff, and our not adequately prepared to meet these demands. Javier also states “besides dealing with lack of staff and baby boomer generation, competition with outpatient clinics makes it extremely hard to recruit qualified employees.”
7. What is satisfying being a Healthcare Administrator? Javier states “Getting to meet different people, from all over the world and helping them receive the best quality of care satisfies him.” Javier also states “he develops great relationships with patients and their families which makes him feel he made a difference when it came to providing the best health care plan for an individual.”
8. What advice do you give future Healthcare Administrators? Javier states “having a great support system at home and having a mentor will help a Healthcare Administrator student achieve their academic goals and become a wonderful leader.” Javier also states “his mentor was a great help he helped him manage his time efficiently, budget his finances and help him build up his confidence and resume.” After interviewing Mrs. Evette Prieto and Mr. Javier Cavezo, they both hold similar job description such as managing other employees, budgeting, financing, doing payroll, implementing and developing goals for their department and organization, while making tough daily decisions for their organization and reporting to their CEO.
When it came to asking both interviewers how to start up a business Mrs. Evette gave me more helpful advice and details on how to start up a business. She explained the process by advising me that I should first determine what business I want to start up, then from their determine location and my target audience and competition in the area. After determining location, target audience and competition, then do a market analysis, and market my services and product by using T.V, social media, brochures and other revenues such as radio. Once all of these steps are taken | would be able to break down my budget of 500,000 to help me facilitate costs for employees, rent, utility, supplies, equipment, licenses, training and marketing.
While Mr. Javier in other hand, his advice about managerial perspective of starting up and growing a healthcare business was more of taking a leadership role, by understanding the rules and regulation of healthcare. Accommodating the needs of your consumers such as performing community assessments, and developing stakeholders that can help me implement my goals for starting a healthcare business efficiently. Both interviews gave me the insights on how to manage the financial aspects of healthcare while still remembering to never forget to provide the services and needs of my consumers, which can help me become an excellent healthcare administrator.
