Company: Health Revenue Assurance Associates, Inc., Plantation, FL
Company Description: HRAA is a trusted provider of timely, accurate and critical services that assists integrated health systems, hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers and physician practices to achieve revenue integrity.Founded in 2001, the company’s services include contract coding, business intelligence solutions, auditing, education, revenue cycle consulting, physician services and ICD-Transition servic
Nomination Category: Individual Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Female Executive of the Year – Business Services –11 to 2,500 Employees

Nomination Title: Andrea Clark RHIA, CCS, CPC-H, Chairman, CEO and Founder

Describe for the judges the activities and accomplishments of the nominated executive since the beginning of July last year (up to 500 words):

Andrea Clark established Health Revenue Assurance Associates (HRAA) in 2001 to provide consulting services including auditing and billing to healthcare systems and hospitals. The company was founded based on the principles of integrity, ethics, accountability, full clarity, quality, entrepreneurship and partnership. In the past year, the company has experienced massive change and expansion, however Andrea’s guiding principals have remained strong.

Since August 2011, under Andrea’s leadership HRAA has grown rapidly, from just eight employees to 82 while increasing revenues by more than 500% in less than 10 months Andrea had the vision to realize the healthcare marketplace would soon see a deficit in the number of medical coders employed. She saw this tremendous opportunity and knew she had the knowledge and experience to capitalize on that potential. Andrea established a Coding Mentorship focused on revenue cycle integrity where 14 newly graduated coders were hired. Andrea provided in-depth education and taught them how to code in a real life environment, thus enabling them to utilize their skills, get credentialed and reach their full potential.

She also hired 60 new employees including inpatient and outpatient auditors, educators, business technology personnel including programmers and designers, inpatient and outpatient coding supervisors and various specialists locally and throughout the United States. Andrea’s insistence on providing services using U.S.-based coders, in contrast to other firms that are sending jobs overseas, has been one of the driving factors in the company’s rapid growth, as her clients have recognized the consistency and quality that comes along with homegrown personnel.

Other factors for HRAA’s tremendous growth include new service lines that complement the established services of education, auditing, contract coding and consulting. In the past eight months, ICD-10 Transition Services, Physician Services and Business Intelligence Services were unveiled. With the already exceptional reputation of Andrea, the new services catapulted the company into a major player in the healthcare industry.

As the result Andrea’s various accomplishments and contributions in the industry, she received several high profile accolades throughout the year. In June 2012, Andrea was awarded the 2012 AHIMA Triumph Awards Mentor of the Year for the success of the Coding Mentorship. The AHIMA Triumph Awards are national awards designed to recognize those special individuals who have made a difference in the Health Information Management profession. In the October 24, 2011 issue of For The Record magazine, Andrea Clark was selected as one of “10 HIM Heroes, Professionals Who Have Made a Difference.” For The Record magazine is a biweekly national newsmagazine committed to enhancing the health information profession. Also, in 2011 HRAA was recognized by the South Florida Business Journal as one of the Top Ten Best Places To Work.

In April 2012, Andrea was instrumental in taking HRAA public and was named chairman of the newly structured company. Andrea will continue to lead HRAA’s future direction and continued expansion.

Provide a brief biography of the nominated executive (up to 100 words):

Andrea Clark RHIA, CCS, CPC-H is a prominent healthcare industry expert who founded HRAA in 2001. HRAA is a trusted source of timely, accurate and critical resources, and technology and information that supports the performance of revenue integrity for hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, physician practices and integrated health systems. Ms. Clark has more than 30 years of experience working with healthcare professionals, information systems, hospital coding, and operational and compliance training. She is a recognized expert in the validation of entitled reimbursement based on accurate coding, reliable data transfer, and complete documentation.