Top Performing RN MDS Expert (RAC-CT) / MDS Director / RAI Director / Nurse Executive

Lori A. Lappin, R.N., B.S., RAC-CT
Nationally Recognized Trained Expert in MDS 3.0

Top-Performing RN Assessment Coordinator (RAC-CT) professionally credentialed through AANAC (American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators)

Keywords - MDS 3.0 / PPS Director / MDS Director / RAI Director / Clinical Reimbursement Specialist / Nurse Executive

liorahlleucu@gmail.com (email), cell phone number provided following email contact by legitimate employment recruiter

Seeking a professional business-oriented opportunity as MDS/RAI Director, in clinical reimbursement data management, or in other executive nursing management position with an organization offering excellent benefits and compensation. Employer willing and able to support RAC-CT and C-NE professional certifications over course of employment preferred.

----- PROFESSIONAL RN MDS EXPERIENCE / RECENT EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

MDS Coordinator / RAI Medicare Specialist, Champaign County Nursing Home
Champaign-Urbana, IL [217-384-3784]
February 2010 - present

Turnaround Accomplishments

• Drove percentage of high-paying Extensive Services + Rehab Medicare-A RUG levels from 38.7% to 71.1% (an extraordinary increase of 83%) during the first full quarter of my employment (Q2 2010) as MDSC Medicare Specialist in comparison to the first full quarter (Q4 2009) prior to my employment, with proof documentation obtained and in place to validate the increase as real and ethical and to support reimbursement levels.
• Drove total Medicare-A reimbursements for my facility up 40.2% during the first full quarter of my employment (Q2 2010) in comparison to the first full quarter prior to my employment (Q4 2009).
• Globally increased Medicare reimbursements, increased number of and reimbursements for Medicare-A residents skilled for nursing beyond the last skilled therapy day, increased number of and reimbursements for residents picked back up in the 30-day Medicare-A window.
• No delinquent transmissions to CMS of Medicare-A MDS assessments (no Medicare-A default reimbursement rates).
• Developed excel data spreadsheet for comprehensive weekly reporting of Medicare-A and Medicare-HMO reimbursement data - including RUG levels, ADL scores, reimbursement rates, assessment dates, physician certification dates, diagnosis codes, acuity levels, etc.
• Developed new excel spreadsheet MDS assessment scheduling and tracking tool.
• Instituted and chair daily Medicare meeting of interdisciplinary team. Chair weekly Medicare meeting of interdisciplinary team.
  
• Developed new data tool for tracking completion of quarterly clinical nursing assessments for nursing department in facility with 243 certified beds.
  
• Developed an automated nursing care plan templates library for over 106 acute medical conditions.
• Developed new pre-admission communication checklist to improve communication of clinical needs from Admissions to Nursing prior to new resident admission (oxygen, CPM machine, IV pump, trapeze, specialty bed, etc.).

Additional perks received: private office in quiet private area, self-scheduling, comp time, no dining room duty.

RN MDS Care Plan Coordinator, The Hawthorne Inn of Danville
Danville, IL [217-431-1600]
July 2008 –January, 2010

Turnaround Accomplishments:

• Average Daily Medicare Rate for the second quarter 2009 increased 23% over the Average Daily Medicare Rate for 2008, and increased 8% over the first quarter 2009. (Average Length of Stay for Medicare admissions also increased in parallel.)
• During my tenure as MDS / Care Plan Coordinator, my facility won the multi-state multi-facility Corporate organizational award for the Best Overall Medicare Program.
• Average Daily Medicaid Rate for the second quarter 2009 increased both over the rate for 2008 and exceeds the Average Daily Medicaid Rate for our state region.
• During my tenure, no delinquent assessments, no regulatory survey tags related to the professional standards of the clinical care plans I wrote as Care Plan Coordinator.

Said by most recent supervisor and corporate officers about my professional work and ability:

• Corporate Administrative Asst. of Operational Finance – “she’s on top of things” as it pertains to my ability to critically analyze and report changes in our Medicare and Medicaid rates.
• Corporate Director of Rehabilitation Services upon reading one of the clinical care plans I had written – “this is a masterpiece.”
• Facility Director of Nursing – (my) “work is excellent.”
• Received 4.4% wage increase at first year performance review.

Additional perks received: private office, no nursing call, Jewish Sabbath & Holiday observances off, no weekends, no dining room, staff nursing or other department head duties.

RN MDS Care Plan Coordinator, The Waters of Covington
Covington, IN [765-793-4818]
May 2007 – July 28, 2008

Turnaround Accomplishments:

• Increased facility CMI 16.2% since May 2007, reversing a 2-year downward trend prior to my employment.
• 100% records supported on EDS (electronic data systems) audit for the period July 2007 – July 2008.
• CMI 17.3% above Indiana state average CMI for the second quarter 2008.
• CMI 13.1% above facility CMI goal for the second quarter 2008.
• CMI 12.1% above company-wide average CMI for the second quarter 2008.

Additional MDS Accomplishments:

• Created company MDS orientation and training manual for new MDS Coordinators.
• Created training material for guideline instruction of MDS Coordinators and Directors of Nursing regarding skilling nursing home residents for Medicare.

Said by supervisor and CEO about my professional work and ability:

• Supervisor/CEO’s written remarks on performance evaluation: “Lori is very organized and timely in her work practice. She monitors closely resident activity and changes in an effort to maximize CMI. Lori has learned her job well as reflected by the facility CMI. Lori’s ability to capture CMI scores has placed our facility above the company average and even greater for the state of Indiana."
• Received 10% salary increase at yearly performance appraisal.

Additional perks received: no nursing call, Jewish Sabbath & Holiday observances off, no staff nursing duties.

Recent Professional Development, MDS/RAI Training and CEUs:

• Scheduled to attend "Navigating the Perfect Storm: Strategies for RUG IV" offered through AANAC on developing Medicare reimbursement strategies under RUGS IV.
  
• Currently attending 9-Part Training Series "MDS 3.0 - Your Path To Successful Implementation" offered through Life Services Network (1.5 CEU each session).
  
• Attended 3-day MDS 3.0 RAC-CT certification training sponsored through AANAC (22.5 CEU).
  
• Attended 2008-2009 quarterly corporate sponsored 2-day training meetings for Administrators, DONs and MDS Coordinators covering a variety of subjects including MDS 3.0, regulatory changes, creating a Medicare environment, political issues, clinical issues, corporate policy issues, more.
• Attended 2009 MDS Workshop sponsored by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
• Attended 2-day 2008 Case Mix Workshop sponsored by Myers & Stauffer.
• Attended 2008 MDS Workshop sponsored by the Indiana State Department of Health.

----- OTHER SELECTED COMPETENCIES AND AREAS OF PROFESIONAL EXPERIENCE

Risk Management

• Investigated medical records, organized & analyzed data, identified areas of potential risk.
• Analyzed clinical care to determine appropriateness, timeliness, and efficiency.
• Identified clinical quality problems, investigated issues, implemented improvements and performed follow up evaluations.
• Reviewed incidents, complaints and risk exposures, authored reports and case summaries.
• Participated in developing strategies for controlling loss and minimizing risk exposure.
• Recommended appropriate corrective action to minimize risk and to control loss.
• Conducted legal research, anticipated and identified legal issues in order to develop proactive strategies and solutions.
• Served on hospital nursing practice council, regulatory compliance committee, interdisciplinary patient care committee, documentation committee, nursing leadership.

Quality Improvement, Nursing Management

• Developed QI studies, QA and medical management programs, health risk appraisal tool.
• Developed compliance monitoring, audit and data collection tools.
• Developed and statistically analyzed quality outcomes measures, and compiled reports.
• Created data displays – graphical analysis, tables, flow charts.
• Authored policies and procedures, SOP’s and protocols.
• Authored target and action plans, project summaries, funding reports, technical reports.
• Developed report specifications for Access databases; proficient with Word, Excel, Internet, more.

Research Experience

• Pharmaceutical drug discovery, basic & applied research of the inflammatory response, adhesion molecule and cell signaling interactions.
• Clinical trials data coordination, analysis, validation & reporting, query resolution.

Clinical Nursing

• Intensive critical care (5 yrs), telemetry, medical-surgical, developmental disabilities & behavioral health.
• IV therapy, ventilators, swan ganz catheters, arterial lines, cardioversion/defibrillation, 12-lead ECG, chest tubes, G-tubes, J-tubes, central lines, current ACLS (advanced cardiac life support), AED’s, more.

----- ADDITIONAL AREAS OF WORK EXPERIENCE / EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Clinical Trials Data Coordinator, Biologist-Biochemist, QI Analyst, QM Coordinator, Clinical Development Coordinator, Research Specialist, Nurse-Trainer Consultant, R.N. staff nurse (ICU/CCU)

----- ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Awarded monetary recognition for a novel critical assay I developed as a pharmaceutical research biochemist.
• Conducted 2 years undergraduate thesis research for Department of Biology at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, IL.
• Completed 3-year professional nursing diploma program in 2 years.
  

**License current and in good standing as a Registered Professional Nurse in Illinois and Indiana.**


----- PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators (AANAC).


----- COLLEGE EDUCATION

Lakeview School of Nursing, Danville, IL, R.N. Diploma (1986 - 1988)

Danville Area Community College, Danville, IL, additional general education classes (1986-1988, 1990)

University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL, Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry (1990 – 1993)

Continuing Education Classes: Managed Care, Pharmaceutical Statistics


Additional Information:

• Willing to relocate with relocation assistance and/or sign-on bonus.
• Require schedule able to accommodate religious observance of the Jewish Sabbath and Holy Days.
• Seeking good employment environment over a particular type of position.

REFERENCES UPON REQUEST

RightPATH 4 and 6 Personality Profile Results

Linked-In Public Profile

Updated 7/3/10, 7/28/10.