Jen Stinnett, RHIA, CRC, CPM
Job Title: Manager of Risk Adjustment, Quality, and Process Improvement
Employer: Zia ACO, LLC.
Education: Associate of Applied Science and Bachelor of Science
AHIMA Credentials: Registered Health Information Administrator
How did you get your start (in HI)?
I started in 2004 working as a Claim Processor for UnitedHealth Care in Eau Claire WI. A family member worked there at the time and referred me to an open interview. I loved that job. It was my first office job and my skills were limited, but I really enjoyed the work.
What is your degree(s) in?
I have an Associate of Science, Health Information Management and Technology degree from CVTC, graduated in 2013. I also have a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management from WGU, graduated in 2020.
What are your credentials?
RHIT, RHIA, Certified Risk Adjustment Coder (CRC via AAPC), and Certified Project Manager with CompTIA.
Current employer (if you wish to share)
Zia ACO, LLC.
Current job title/position
Manager of Risk Adjustment, Quality, and Process Improvement
What do you focus on in your job?
I manage Value-Based Care initiatives for eight primary care clinics in New Mexico. We have 56 clinicians working in those eight clinics and our organization carries four ACO-wide contracts with CMS and various payers in the state. I focus primarily on education, support, reporting, and as a liaison for our various payer partners. We also work closely with the NM Department of Health, the State Medicaid program assisting in building out Value-Based Care programs, are closely involved with local hospital initiatives, and work with the state Health Information Exchange. Within all of these relationships, our focus is centered around patient safety and quality, workflow optimization, process improvement, and monitoring risk-adjusted spend for our organization.
Outline your career path leading to your current position.
I started at UnitedHealth Care as a claims processor, which gave me a glimpse into the inner workings of healthcare. It was fascinating to me. I loved the data and information we could provide and appreciated the organization of it all. I stayed with UHG for 10 years working in various roles while pursuing my RHIT at CVTC. I graduated in 2013 and accepted a position with Chippewa Valley Eye Clinic in Eau Claire as a business office representative. In that role, I was responsible for coding daily charges, billing responsibilities, and assisting patients with their insurance coverages for treatment, and eventually was promoted to assistant office manager and MIPS quality coordinator. With the skills I earned in my role at the eye clinic, I decided to pursue a different position and was offered a Certified Coder Position with Group Health Cooperative of Eau Claire. In that role, I worked as an auditor for claims edits, was the coding expert for the organization, and eventually led the Commercial Small Group and Medicaid Risk Adjustment initiatives. In 2018 I dipped my toe into the teaching world and taught a semester of Medical Terminology as an adjunct instructor. I learned so much in that experience and decided I wanted to further pursue my education. I earned my AAPC CRC credential and decided to pursue my RHIA. During my employment, I earned both and was asked to step up as a project manager for a large-scale implementation project. In the midst of that project, Covid hit and things changed quickly. As a parent, I decided I needed a remote option to support my kids’ school through the pandemic and was offered the position with Zia ACO. I have been with the ACO since 2021 and enjoy my work very much.
What would you say helped advance your career? Was WHIMA/AHIMA a part of that?
I think knowing all the variety a person can explore in this field is what makes it so valuable. AHIMA absolutely opened my eyes to all the possibilities within the HIM career. Often, for me – opportunity and life, in general, tended to help guide my career. Often, when a transition happened in my roles, it was out of necessity – but have always turned out to be an advancement and a step in the right direction.
Do you have any advice for HI students or new graduates (anything from education/training to researching different jobs, networking, etc.)?
A step in the right direction always starts with a little trepidation. You’re most uncomfortable when you’re learning something new. You will be surprised by all the people who want to see you succeed. Find a sponsor. Find a mentor. Never partake in office gossip. Speak to people as people and remember we’re all people; CEOs put their pants on one leg at a time too. Be concise and honest. It’s okay to not know every answer, but work to figure it out. It takes, on average, 1 year to feel comfortable in a new role – don’t quit before you know what you’re capable of. Do what you say you’re going to do. Keep a “me” file. It’s okay to be the most clueless in the room – you’ll learn the most in those situations. Read about how to be your best self. Put yourself and your family first and create balance in your life. Take your PTO. Oh! And go to conferences. The sessions are great but the networking is where it’s at.