Celebrating Women’s History Month, ImagineSoftware proudly presented, “You Can’t Spell HEalthcaRe without HER” webinar series, showcasing the inspiring female healthcare professionals that are making a difference in their field. Our guests from diverse backgrounds will be sharing their unique perspectives on how they are navigating the healthcare industry’s challenges, balancing personal and professional lives, and inspiring fellow female leaders to follow their passions – improving client/patient experiences and beyond! This blog features highlights from the Women in Medical Billing Webinar.
Featuring
- Jennifer Hicks, President of Sceptre Management Solutions, Inc.
- Roxanne Smith-Kovac, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Pacific Medical Billing
- Susan Bailey, Senior Vice President of Operations of Health Care Administrative Partners
- Jamie Hill Walters, Chief Revenue Officer with Alpha II
- Sarah Nofziger-Drew, Medical Billing Consultant
- Sarah Tolson, Director of Operations with Sceptre Management Solutions, Inc.
Challenges Women Face in the Healthcare Industry
Women account for 70% of the global health care sector. However, on the executive level, they make up only 25% of the leadership positions. Panelists share the challenges and biases they face as a female, not only in the industry, but as a leader.
Roxanne Smith-Kovac and Jennifer Hicks share experiences of extreme gender bias in their careers. Roxanne recounted an experience she had early in her career where a client spoke to her differently than her male counterparts. She laughed as she explained, "So, I said, 'Then find somebody else.'”
Jennifer explained a similar experience where she was denied a raise “because my employer felt my husband was the 'bread winner’”, while a male colleague received a raise. "I didn't really feel that was fair because it wasn't based on merit.”
"...we need to understand our value...men don't have an issue knowing their value and we shouldn't either." -Jamie Hill-Walters, Alpha II's Chief Revenue Officer
The panel agreed gender bias is not unique to one industry, one company, or one region – but showcased how important it is to understand and vouch for your own value and the value of fellow colleagues who are facing similar challenges.
The Future is Female
The future of healthcare is female, and it is bright indeed. Women are already making powerful strides in the industry, from innovating modern technologies to pushing for greater access to care. The panelists all agree that innovation is of the utmost importance in the ever-changing world of healthcare.
"Our big focus right now is automation...staffing is so limited...we really have to minimize the amount of manual labor and manual tasks that are mundane and to do that in an automated fashion so that we can remain competitive in the industry."
-Sarah Tolson, Sceptre Management Solutions, Inc.’s Director of Operations
Being at the forefront of this technology boom can also accelerate your career, as Sarah Nofziger-Drew states, "Get in line at the beginning. Figure out what you can do to improve your operational efficiencies so your employees can do their best work possible...be willing to take that leading step"
Advantages of Women in Leadership Roles
As more women take on leadership roles in the healthcare industry, there is an enormous potential for positive change. Women often deliver diverse methods of communication, collaboration, and problem-solving – Enhancing leadership teams and leading initiatives, especially improving patient care and patient engagement.
When asked the advantages women have to successfully lead, Jamie Hill Walters responded, "Humility, compassion, organization, project management. Everything. We all have superpowers...the ability to bring people together, empower them, advocate for them, and then send them out to bring in more. I think that's where we're going to make change.”
Jennifer Hicks added, “My husband said, 'You know, this is why women are getting ahead in business. They're better communicators, they're more organized.'"
"As you've heard from many people here, the connection that they have to their clients, colleagues, other people in the industry, and the connections we have throughout the years is very different than how men connect. I think that is one of our benefits as being women in leadership and health care."
-Roxanne Smith-Kovac, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Pacific Medical Billing
Set Up For Success
To achieve any endeavor, it is essential to set yourself up for success. The panelists agree that this means taking the time and effort to plan and prepare for any challenges that may arise along the way. It also involves having a clear vision of your goals and objectives, as well as setting realistic expectations.
"We need to spend 80% of the time on the things that we're doing as leaders in our companies. We also need to step back and (spend) 20% of our time developing ourselves continually through our contacts, through additional learning, through reading, through podcasts..."
-Roxanne Smith-Kovac, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Pacific Medical Billing
Jamie Hill-Walters credits "Mind Mapping" to helping her remain on a successful professional and personal path. "...once I aligned with my core values, once I got okay with who I was internally, once I started giving back to the community, it just all works for me."
"I think one thing that I've told other women is be 110% present wherever you are. Being 110% present when you're at home and 110% present when you're at work. That's how I have tried to sort it out for me...I love my job and I love my family. So, I am going to make it work and I am going to be present wherever I am."
-Jennifer Hicks, President of Sceptre Management Solutions, Inc.
Unlocking Potential Through Women Mentoring Women
Women who mentor other women have the opportunity to empower each other while inspiring them to strive for more in their professional lives. Through a supportive network of peers, mentors can provide guidance, advice, and encouragement to help their mentees reach their goals. Mentors can also share experiences and insights that may not be available through traditional education or career paths. By creating strong bonds between mentors and mentees, both parties benefit from the experience with increased confidence and knowledge that will serve them well throughout their careers. All our panelists agree that mentoring is one of the most important tools for success and growth within your career path.
Sarah Nofziger-Drew encourages mentees to not be afraid to be courageous. "Be confident and be resilient in everything that you do. Let go of that imposter syndrome and know that you can be just as good as anybody else out there."
"Take notes and learn. You need to give it away to keep it. What you're learning here is going to arm you with the opportunity to mentor the next woman."
-Jamie Hill-Walters, Alpha II's Chief Revenue Officer
"(When mentoring) it's really nice to see that light come on for someone when they realize that they have that knowledge."
-Susan Bailee, Health Care Administrative Partners’ Senior Vice President of Operations
Strong mentoring is a powerful tool to help women unlock their potential and reach success within their careers. Through the support of inspiring mentors like these women, mentees are provided with advice and encouragement to help them reach their goals. This panel of amazing women has shown that the current state of women in healthcare is strong, and the future is bright, thanks to their leadership, knowledge, and passion.
Resources
Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office by Lois P Frankel
The Person You Mean to Be: How Good People Fight Bias by Dolly Chugh
Radical Candor by Kim Scott
Brené Brown, author