Consulting Connection Blog

I’m happy to introduce you to Team Hollywood! By the way, Jenny and Eloise have been tagged with this name because their employer – Memorial Healthcare System – is located in Hollywood, Florida. This is the first interview article that features two individuals who work together - Jenny and Eloise are a great example of teamwork.

I first met both of them some years ago when they implemented MSOW and I was a consultant who worked with them. When you work on a credentialing software implementation, it is wonderful when you work with individuals who want to get the most from their software purchase – and Jenny and Eloise were determined to optimize the use of MSOW. They also implemented our privilege tool and I loved the fact that Jenny took the lead on that part – and as an RN, was positioned for successful, interactive meetings with the physicians at their medical staff organizations. Eloise was incredibly knowledgeable about the operations of the CVO – and I really considered them to have a dynamic, successful partnership.

Fast forward a few years – they did optimize their use of MSOW. But they never take a break and rest on their success – they continue to improve and streamline what they do.

Jennifer Kadis, RN, MSN
Administrative Director
Quality, Utilization and Medical Affairs/Credentialing
Memorial Healthcare System
Hollywood, FL

Career Background

Jenny has been a Registered Nurse for more than 40 years. Her clinical background is Critical Care, Surgical Services and Education. Recently she spent 4 years in IT, followed by 4 years as Director of Crew Resource Management (a patient safety initiative). In these roles, she learned a great deal about building and implementing software, Project Management and Participative Leadership. In her current role (past 7 years), she oversees Quality, Utilization and Medical Affairs/Credentialing for the health care system.

Eloise Busha
Director, Medical Affairs, CVO
Memorial Healthcare System
Hollywood, FL

Career Background

To pay her way through college, Eloise accepted a position as a credentialing coordinator with an emergency medicine management company in Miami in 1993. She was quickly captivated by the fast pace and investigative nature of credentialing and the goal to help provide safe and quality patient care despite not being on the “front line.” She has held several credentialing positions since that have exposed her to unique individuals and opportunities allowing her to grow in her profession. As Director of Medical Affairs for the Memorial Healthcare System CVO, she continues to enjoy, experience, and learn from some amazing professionals with whom she interacts each day.

What do you like best about your current position?

Jenny: The fact that no day or situation is the same and that there is always the opportunity to learn. It’s an opportunity to remain abreast of new procedures and standards of care as they evolve. Our CVO handles privileges, so my clinical support has been quite helpful.

Eloise: That every day is different. There is always a new problem to solve, project to work on, opportunity to explore. Then, having the ability to share those experiences with my team.

Why do you think you have been successful in this profession?

Jenny: Working with my current team is a great contributor to our success, as well as the commitment from our Chief Medical Officer and Medical Staff leadership to always do the right thing.

Eloise: I have been fortunate to have surrounded myself with healthcare professionals from many disciplines that have guided, educated, and supported me in my professional development. Practicing patience and fluidity also comes to mind.

What is your greatest achievement in your present position?

Jenny: Converting from our legacy system to MSOW, with no downtime and no missed/lost files. Phasing in electronic applications and online privileges, again with no downtime or loss. Streamlining process for Boards reports. Establishing a policy for privilege form updates and approvals.

Eloise: Bringing Memorial’s CVO to the electronic and paperless age. I would be remiss if I did not mention our fabulous and talented IT team who helped manage that project, keeping us focused and on track along the way.

What is your biggest challenge?

Jenny: Time, of course. As the medical staff grows and responsibilities expand, there is often not enough time for optimization and additional projects. It can also be challenging to explain to others the scope of the department’s work, and why accurate credentialing requires time and effort.

Eloise: Maintaining a positive work-life balance. I usually work long hours during the week, so I really focus on disconnecting during the weekends. I have removed all email alerts from my cell phone to discourage me from logging on. I work on being mindful to place my focus on my family and spend time with them.

What advice do you have for others in this profession?

Jenny: Respect the process and follow the rules every time. Respect that you have an obligation to protect patients, even if that requires time, additional queries or asking “hard questions”. Trust, but verify; CVO’s are accountable for safety.

Eloise: Challenge the status quo and be innovative, while still adhering to regulations. There are many ways to do things, some better than others.

What’s next for you?

Jenny: We have started the NCQA certification journey to assist our Provider Enrollment department.

Eloise: Bringing our CVO to the next level working towards NCQA certification.

What would we not know about you just by reading your resume?

Jenny: I’m an expert needle worker: knitting, crochet, and cross-stitch. My aunt taught me to knit when I was 12 and her sisters taught me embroidery and cross-stitch. Teen-age and college activities took over and I didn’t pick up needlework again until my late 20’s. I knit a sweater vest for my father-in law but didn’t have an appreciation for gauge and it ended up being about 3 sizes too large. I learned that I don’t like to make things that have to fit. Unfortunately for me, I like complex, difficult patterns that take some time. I like to make things that could be heirlooms -like the beaded shawl I made for a family member’s wedding last year.

Eloise: I am a former power lifter. I did some local competitions in Miami. My priorities shifted to planning a wedding, building a house, and then raising a family. It was something I truly enjoyed and miss dearly.

If you could choose any job in the world, regardless of what it would pay, what would you be doing (other than medical staff services/healthcare)?

Jenny: I would work either in a yarn store or a bookstore. I also love babies and would love to work in an infant room in a daycare.

Eloise: Practice veterinary medicine at an aquarium or aquatic sanctuary center. Growing up in Miami, weekends and summer vacations were usually spent at the beach or on the family boat cruising, fishing, or skiing. My husband and I have a boat of our own now and enjoy spending time with the kids on the water deep sea fishing, cruising, and exploring the many islands around Florida’s coast.

What book are you currently reading?

Jenny: Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow – an investigative journalist report of Harvey Weinstein and the “Me Too” movement, but overall a fascinating study of abuse of power.

Eloise: Unknown Valor by Martha MacCallum. It is a personal story about her uncle Harry Gray who fought alongside other young soldiers in Iwo Jima during World War II.

What does your “perfect” day look like (outside of work, of course)?

Jenny: A warm, sunny day with a nice view, spent with friends and family, and a nice glass of wine!

Eloise: A boat ride and a fishing pole on a sunny day, with a nice glass of wine!

What snack do you always have on hand in your desk drawer?

Jenny: Pretzels

Eloise: I don’t keep snacks in my desk drawer, but when I visit Jenny’s office, I tend to help myself to whatever she has on hand.

What’s the best present you’ve ever received that was not bought from a store?

Jenny: Anything handmade. I have a crafty family.

Eloise: A blanket my grandmother had knitted and gave me as a child. It holds a lot of great memories to this day that I have shared with my children.

How are you similar/different?

Jenny: I think we are similar in that we both have a good work ethic and the same high standards and respect for following the process/regulations. We are different in that I am less initially reactive to situations, and we can talk things through from different perspectives before we make a final decision.

Eloise: We both possess a strong work ethic and desire to do the right thing. We are innovative, ambitious, and unafraid to make changes and face new challenges. Jenny is comfortable acting a lot quicker than I and just ripping that band-aid right off. I tend to over analyze things and prefer to tread at a slower pace.

Why do you think the two of you work well together?

Jenny: I think we complement each other very well. Eloise is very, very experienced and there is not much she hasn’t seen before regarding credentialing. I bring experience with leadership, managing difficult personnel, and clinical experience. My job is to clear obstacles for her and make sure she has what she and her team need. I deal with other departments, etc., to free Eloise up to focus on the work. I find this department fascinating and have loved the learning.

Eloise: We work together like yin and yang, bring balance to one another with our different experience and skill set. With her nursing and educational background and my credentialing experience, we can address most challenges that come our way.

What do you count on her for?

Jenny: Our work together began with the conversion to MSOW. In that conversion, we have optimized, modernized, and streamlined workflows. She is appreciative of my role as a liaison and the ability to get things done. I count on Eloise for a lot of things. She is so very knowledgeable; she knows the process; she knows the regulations; she hires well; she provides excellent comic relief! She is always willing to share what she knows. Her attitude and demeanor are always positive.

Eloise: We are constantly bouncing ideas and scenarios off one another when making decisions, forming new ideas or looking to implement changes. I count on her to provide me her honest opinion and let me know when I am suffering from a temporary lapse of reason.

What quirks do you have that you’re fairly sure get under her skin?

Jenny: I like to stay up to date on timelines and requests, and I’m sure I’m always “pushing” her to complete tasks.

Eloise: I crunch on ice throughout the day. Sometimes I continue to crunch ice even when we are having a phone conversation. She has no qualms in asking me to stop!

Are you friends outside of work?

Jenny: Yes – I enjoy her company!

Eloise: Absolutely! After spending most of the day together, who better to sit with after a hard day’s work enjoying dinner and a glass of wine to laugh with and talk about your day!

Recently our World has Changed. Any words for our profession during the COVID-19 pandemic? (Answers are from both Jenny and Eloise)

• Be flexible – things change day to day and sometimes hour to hour.
• Have a streamlined communication system for your medical staff – All COVID-19 related emails are sent from a single mailbox within our department, to keep messages clear, concise, and consistent.
• Take care of your own teams – Despite our best efforts, our team members were also getting misinformation from outside sources. We set up frequent meetings/calls to dispel myths and discuss our reality.
• Deal with fears – This is a scary time for anybody, but even more so for those in healthcare.
• Get ready for your teams to work from home – Our IT team stepped up and arranged remote access almost immediately, but not everyone’s home situation can accommodate it. We had conversations about confidentiality, scanners, etc.
• Delays – if we are closed, so is everyone else. How will we verify training, etc.? How we will deal with files that are missing references, other key elements? We are working it out.
• Electronic credentials – we’re not quite ready to go entirely electronic, but we needed an alternative to our in-person meetings. A written process that is communicated to all affected is key.