Five MCDH registration staff earn national certification

11/4/04

MCDH Registration staff members (l-r) Sue Sparacino, Deanna Lawrason, Tammie Bain, Ona Hontou and Mindy McCullough receive recognition for earning their CHAA credentials.

Five MCDH registration personnel recently passed the Certified Healthcare Access Associates (CHAA) exam of the National Association of Healthcare Access Management.  Tammie Bain, Ona Hontou, Deanna Lawrason, Mindy McCullough and Sue Sparacino studied together for many months and passed the exam together.

The national CHAA exam covers admissions and registration, billing, insurance and financial information, patient rights and responsibilities, customer service, laws and regulations which affect Admission Services, JCAHO, CMS regulations, compliance, performance improvement, medical terminology, computer applications, insurance verification and more.

Earning a CHAA credential is a great honor and demonstrates professional achievement in patient access services.  These individuals have met and attained standards that assure proficiency and commitment to carry out, comply with and interpret access services practices. 

Every two years they will need to complete the CHAA Recertification process to maintain their active credentials.

The MCDH Board of Directors recognized these individuals at its October 28 Board meeting, acknowledging each for her specific contributions to the Hospital as well as for their teamwork in creating a positive environment for coworkers, patients and their families. They each bring an upbeat and caring attitude to their work, and a commitment to stay current with the ever-changing demands of the medical field.

These five valued MCDH employees have been with the Registration Department for anywhere from 6.5 to 17 years.  All five are cross-trained in all Registration areas and Pre-Admitting, with Bain and Lawrason also trained in the ER.  They will play key roles in the Meditech Health Information System project, with Hontou and McCullough taking leadership roles in the project’s planning and implementation for the Admitting Department.

The MCDH Board thanked them for their professional skills, dedication and teamwork, and congratulated them for successfully passing this prestigious national exam.