Our Leadership Goes a Long Way!
Debra Beauregard, Principal Consultant
Debra Beauregard has served as President of Med Direct Executives, a California-based healthcare advisory firm, since 2000. Med Direct’s client base has grown considerably because of its positive reputation and strong relationships that have culminated throughout Debra’s career in healthcare management. Debra possesses a blend of medical practice management, hospital management and healthcare consulting experience which offers solid expertise and service to her clients. Debra’s clients include physician groups, hospitals and non-profit healthcare organizations, with primary focus on program and medical practice operations, strategic business planning, service line development, revenue cycle enhancement and managed care contract negotiations.
Debra served as Executive Director of the CHOC Pediatric Subspecialty Faculty group based at Children’s Hospital of Orange County from 1993 to 2000. During her tenure, she developed and administered full-scope practice management services for the 16 specialty groups which included financial management, physician billing and accounts receivable management, managed care contract negotiations, clinical operations oversight, and service-line expansion. She implemented divisional/by specialty accounting and reporting for the group and led directorship and affiliation negotiations with all affiliated hospitals. Debra led the physicians and her management team in growth of the group from 35 to 75 physicians. She also guided the group in conversion from partnership to a corporate structure, bringing all physicians in as employee shareholders and establishing systems to managed physician employees. Debra served as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors for the medical group as well as a Department Head at Children’s Hospital of Orange County.
From 1990 to 1993, Debra was the Director of Business Development, Managed Care and Marketing for CPC Santa Ana Hospital, a prominent Orange County psychiatric hospital. During her tenure, the hospital was ranked as one of the top performing hospitals in the national chain. This was achieved through aggressive physician recruitment and retention programs as well as extensive outreach services which included expansion of mobile psychiatric assessment teams. Debra built strong relationships with police departments and emergency rooms and developed creative marketing campaigns, strategic managed care contracting and positive payor relationships.
From 1987 to 1990, Debra was a consultant/advisor to medical practices at the Southern California based healthcare advisory firm, Dynamic Health Connections, where she grew her client base through practice management expertise, which resulted in achievement of physician goals. Her focus included managed care contracting, staff management and operations workflow improvements.
Debra earned her Master’s in Business Administration from Pepperdine University in 1990 and her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Simpson College in 1987.
Maureen Brooks, Principal Consultant
Maureen Brooks joined Med Direct Executives in 2006 as a principal and consultant. Maureen brings twenty-five years of healthcare management experience to the Med Direct team. Maureen’s experience includes positions as CEO, COO and VPO in the healthcare industry. Her fields of expertise are focused on medical practice operations, accounts receivable management and healthcare compliance.
Maureen’s career accomplishments include serving as managing partner with a medical billing and consulting firm, managing over $700 million dollars in annual medical revenues. She has developed and optimized a system that effectively analyzes the accounts receivable cycle to detect and eliminate flaws in operational procedures and systems to increase cash flow and revenue. Maureen has successfully assisted clients to improve the management of their medical practice and revenue generation, including improved accounts receivable management, implementation of compliance programs, development of policies and procedures and business development strategies.
Ms. Brooks is a certified procedural coder from the American Academy of Procedural Coders, a Certified Healthcare Compliance Officer from Health Care Compliance Associations, and in an active member of the Medical Group Management Association.
Maureen has often been a lecturer at national educational conferences regarding Reimbursement and Healthcare Compliance. She is a contributing writer, Financial Management in Radiology, American Healthcare Radiology Administrators 2004. Maureen is also a guest lecturer in Medical Practice Management at David A. Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Department of Radiology, Resident Program. Ms. Brooks received her Bachelor of Science degree from Madonna College and has completed several post graduate courses pertaining to the healthcare industry and her field of expertise.
Marisa Casanova, Client Services Representative
Marisa Casanova joined Med Direct Executives in 2005, as a Client Service Representative. Marisa provides expertise in all aspects of the physician credentialing process, including government, commercial and hospital credential requirements. Marisa provides extensive daily communication regarding status of credentialing, both with the client and with billing and front office staff. Marisa is also adept at working with payors to resolve any errors or issues with denial of claims resulting from timing of credentialing. The focus of Marisa’s work is to rapidly credential providers and to ensure that this is done correctly, and that all parties are aware of status on a very timely basis. Marisa has assisted several group clients in transforming from sole proprietorships into corporations, through additions of providers, and through set-up of new practices with payors.
Prior to joining Med Direct Executives, Marisa served as a Provider Relations Representative for Benchmark Medical, Inc. from 2004 to 2005. During her time there she was solely responsible for all credentialing and re-credentialing services for 100 clinicians practicing in three states. Marisa was also responsible for assisting multiple departments with any service issues that arose, including, eligibility verification, claims denial, credentialing and managed care contract interpretation.
From 2000 to 2003, Marisa served as a Managed Care Secretary for CHOC Pediatric Subspecialty Faculty group based at Children’s Hospital of Orange County. While at CHOC, she was responsible for reviewing, analyzing, and submitting physician applications and credentialing documents including certificates of education, residency and fellowship training, board certifications, licensure, professional work history, liability insurance, and clinical privileges to health plans and government agencies, such as Medi-Cal and Medicare. The process was continued by making follow up phone calls to ensure that provider’s submission had been processed, verifying that all information was accurate. Marisa also transitioned 75 physicians from a partnership into a corporation, requiring particular expertise to ensure that claims were not inappropriately denied during the transition time.
From 1997 to 2000, Marisa was the Unit Secretary for the St. Joseph Hospital Outpatient Surgery Pavilion. During her time at St. Joseph’s, she served as the liaison between nursing, physicians, patients, visitors and hospital staff. Marisa was responsible for retrieval of diagnostic test results, laboratory results, EKG, MRI, and other documents pertinent to the pending patient procedures.
From 1996 to 1998, Marisa was a Medical Assistant for Palm Harbor, a physical therapy practice, where she assisted with the front office duties such as, scheduling appointments, data entry, verifying patient eligibility, and cash balance. She also assisted with back office duties like vital signs, injections and assisted with therapy.
In 1996 Marisa earned her Medical Assistant Certification from United Education Institute.
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