Hollis Cobb Associates experienced a number of important milestones in 2016 as well as providing continued exemplary service to clients and the community in the past year.
In the company’s ongoing quest for new clients, January 2016 brought about attendance at the HFMA Region 11 Healthcare Symposium in San Diego, California and the Texas Hospital Association Conference in Dallas, Texas. The Hollis Cobb sales team had the opportunity to meet potential clients and share our unique brand of revenue cycle management with hospitals in the Midwest and on the West Coast.
February brought our team a little closer to home as we served as one of the sponsors of the HFMA Region 5 Dixie Institute held in Nashville, Tennessee. Hollis Cobb’s cowboy hats and associated provider gifts were one of the most popular giveaways at this annual institute.
ACQUISITIONS AND PROMOTIONS
In March, Hollis Cobb Associates acquired another collection agency, Healthcare Financial Services, in Jackson, Mississippi. This acquisition was the fifth in three years and the largest in terms of revenue for the company. This acquisition and additional hiring to service new client contracts helped Hollis Cobb hit 300 employees in April 2016.
The year 2016 was a year of employee promotions for Hollis Cobb Associates including Jeremy Hooie promoted to Chief Information Officer; Shellye Cummings’ move to Senior Director of Early Out Operations and Eric Jones’ promotion to Senior Director of Bad Debt Operations. In 2016 Joshua Best was named Director of Operations for Early Out Collections, and John Campbell was named Director of Operations for Bad Debt Collections. Stephanie Price was promoted to Director of Client Services and Wendy Kukla become the Director of Quality Assurance and Training. Sarah Walker filled the newly created position of Project Implementation Coordinator and Custom Report Specialist, and Marcus Abbot was promoted to Director of the Accounts Resolution Department. Other employee promotions in 2016 included Pedro Martinez, Director of Operations in the Jackson, Mississippi office and Johnathan Green, collection manager in the Chicago office. In the Atlanta office, promotions included Shanelle Clinton-Brown, Collection Manager; Molly Patton, Collection Manager and Miquel Marshall, Team Leader for Early Out Projects.
NEW SOLUTIONS
In May 2016, Hollis Cobb Associates rolled out its new front end solutions and service offerings for patient access. Hollis Cobb staff work onsite at client offices or remotely from the main or branch locations. They assist our clients’ central insurance verification departments in financially clearing patients through the pre-registration process. Hollis Cobb has exceeded client goals in all front end projects thus far with very low error rates. Other new solutions include obtaining referrals, denials resolution and underpayment recoupment. CEO, Greg Hocutt, is dedicated to helping clients identify bottlenecks in their revenue cycles and provide solutions that will ultimately generate more dollars.
June brought about the retirement of Sandi Kowalec, after 50 years at Hollis Cobb sister company, Bonded Collection Corporation. Donna Fincher, from the Client Services Department, won the GA HFMA Charles H. Anderson President’s Award and the Cathy H. Dougherty Distinguished Mentoring Award for work on the organization’s education programs and for engaging younger members.
Hollis Cobb’s Insurance Follow Up Department was expanded in July, further helping clients save money by reducing the need for more FTE, freeing hospital staff to work on other vital projects, processing denials faster and reducing clients’ A/R days.
MILESTONES AND CERTIFICATIONS
A number of Hollis Cobb employees celebrated milestone anniversaries in the industry. Tamika Nash, in Client Services, has been in the industry for 20 years, with the last seven at Hollis Cobb. Denise Trammell, also in Client Services, has 20 years in the business, with the last two at Hollis Cobb. Chief Operations Officer, Floyd Lawson, celebrated five years at Hollis Cobb, with well over 30 years’ experience in the industry.
Other employees earned certifications and designations this year. Joshua Best, Director of Early Out Operations, received his Certified Patient Account Representative (CPAR) designation this year and is now working on his Certified Financial Counselor (CFC). Wendy Kukla, Director of Quality Assurance and Training, along with Sandrea Brooks, Compliance Officer in the Chicago office, both earned their Credit and Collection Compliance Officer (CCCO). Steven Hecht, Pre-verification Manager began studying for the Certified Healthcare Access Manager (CHAM) exam this year and hopes to earn that designation early in 2017.
GROWTH, EXPANSION AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
August was a big month for Hollis Cobb Associates with a move to new offices on Satellite Boulevard in Duluth. The new space is triple the size of the previous office in Norcross, and was much-needed to accommodate additional staff hired to service new client contracts signed in 2016. In the last 3 years, Hollis Cobb has brought on 15 new healthcare systems across the country through organic sales and strategic acquisitions of other companies.
September saw company leadership participating in client foundation golf classics to benefit hospital improvement projects, including a golf tournament to benefit Navicent Children’s Hospital; another tournament for the Forrest General hospice and infusion center; one to benefit the emergency department at DeKalb Medical; the WellStar Foundation Classic that raised money for cancer patients and the Northside Hospital Charity golf tournament to benefit the hospital’s bone marrow transplant program. Hollis Cobb served as a Silver Sponsor for Emory Healthcare’s golf tournament to benefit the American Cancer Society. CFO Ken Rubin, played in the Tees for Degrees tournament in Chicago, which benefits the College Bound Opportunities organization, designed to provide scholarships to Chicago youth who make good grades, but cannot afford college tuition. Ken serves as the 2016 president of College Bound Opportunities.
In the fall months, the Hollis Cobb sales and marketing team participated in a number of Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) conferences. The group traveled to New Orleans in October for the Region 9 conference covering Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Hollis Cobb serves as a Gold Sponsor for Georgia HFMA, and in November brought home three National Yerger awards for work with member education, industry outreach and engaging Millennials.
Always active in the community, Hollis Cobb staff participated in a number of benefits in 2016. Kelly Hackney played tennis against breast cancer for the Northside Hospital Cancer Institute. The Mississippi office donated M-Braves tickets to a local boys’ school, so that young boys could attend games by the Class AA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Collector, Ernest Moore organized 100 Men Walking II, a benefit for the Future Gents organization which provides education and mentorship for at risk boys 25 years of age and younger. Other collectors and ARD staff participated in a number of marathons and bike rides to benefit cancer and multiple sclerosis research as well as help prevent child abuse. Hollis Cobb is a Silver Special events sponsor for Northside Hospital and helps sponsor events throughout the year, including the popular Wine, Women and Shoes evening to benefit the hospital’s Cancer and Leukemia Program.
December 2016 saw Hollis Cobb’s first ever Career Fair, held at the corporate office in Duluth. The company evaluated, interviewed and hired new staff for Pre-Certification, Extended Business Office, Customer Service, Collections, Denials Resolution and Third Party Medical and Commercial Collections.
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2017
The management and staff look forward to another great year in 2017 when Hollis Cobb Associates will celebrate 40 years in business. In 1977, Hollis L. Cobb, an Atlanta businessman and healthcare professional, recognized the need for specialized healthcare collections in which patients were approached in a caring manner. Although the company has grown from a small family business to a national corporation employing over 300 professionals, Hollis Cobb is proud to still have its first employee, Leonard Bailey on staff today. Under the leadership of the senior Cobb’s sons, Alan and Mike, the company will continue to expand, grow and develop new services in 2017 for clients in Georgia and across the U.S.
