Services

Ray & Associates (R&A) offers a broad range of consulting services for health care organizations.  Our team of associates provides expert services specializing in the following areas:  

Strategic Planning

Today’s rapidly changing health care environment requires that organizations have planning processes that allow them to grow and succeed in competitive environments.  R&A provides expertise and discipline to assist organizations in successfully developing and implementing strategic plans.  We work with Boards and their senior management throughout all stages of strategic planning, including pre-planning data collection, environmental assessments, facilitation of strategic plan development (including the Balanced Scorecard approach) and design of effective monitoring and review processes to ensure successful plan implementation.  R&A’s strategic planning expertise is highly recognized throughout the national health care industry.  Over 150 clients have used R&A for their strategic planning process.

Board Development & Training

Effective governance is vital for organizational success, yet many board members are not fully aware of their roles and responsibilities.  R&A provides board training and development services, using board assessment tools to identify target areas for board development.  The results of this assessment are used to develop and conduct targeted board training.

Grant Writing and Technical Reviews & Assistance

Competition for grant funding for health care organizations and programs is fierce, as more organizations vie for fewer grant dollars.  R&A works closely with clients to develop strong grant applications that make compelling arguments for funding.  Grant writing engagements are tailored to meet clients’ needs and resources, from complete grant writing to technical reviews of client-prepared grant applications.  R&A’s track record of successful grant applications spans local, state and federal government sources, as well as conversion foundations and national foundations.  

Marketing

Rapid and significant changes in strategic alliances, payor and demographic trends and increasing overhead costs require patient base growth and diversity to remain viable and sustainable.  With ever increasing numbers of uninsured patients, health centers must implement targeted and aggressive marketing plans to balance the payor mix while continuing to serve the mission.  R&A provides full-service marketing consulting, including planning, implementation and post-implementation assessment.  Our services include marketing plan development, market research (including patient satisfaction surveys), marketing communications and new market analysis.  Past R&A marketing clients have realized results and success surpassing their expectations.  All marketing engagements are customized for the clients’ distinctive issues and opportunities.   

Network Planning, Development & Implementation

Building trust, establishing common goals, committing resources and delivering results are key ingredients for a successfully integrated network of service providers.  R&A has extensive and successful experience in working with networks at all stages: planning, developmental and operational.  Our approach is individually designed for each network to address its unique strengths and challenges.

Financial and Operational Systems Analysis & Redesign

Escalating costs, complex reporting requirements, patient growth and limited resources characterize many health care organizations.  Developing and implementing efficient and effective financial and operational systems is imperative to successfully addressing these and other critical issues.  R&A conducts assessments, develops solutions and works with clients during implementation in areas including patient flow, medical records documentation, billing, coding and practice operations to improve the bottom line.

Information Systems

Accurate, timely and comprehensive data and information are critical success factors for any health care organization.  Information requirements from payors, regulatory agencies, internal sources and other key stakeholders demand information systems that are adaptable, responsive, and often, compatible with external systems.  R&A’s information technology consulting practice assists clients through the needs assessment, evaluation of options, identification of required resources and selection and implementation of new information systems to significantly improve overall operations.

Performance Improvement

Achieving and maintaining quality throughout all aspects of health care organizations requires continuous and effective plans and efforts.  R&A’s consulting services address all facets of the performance improvement process, including assessment of current plans and activities, technical assistance in developing new or improved plans and training for all appropriate staff.

Customer Service

High quality customer service from all staff can be a distinct competitive advantage for health care organizations.  Appropriate training is critical, but to truly affect change, organizational culture must be addressed.  R&A provides an array of services to improve customer service within all aspects of health care organizations.  Our associates are experienced in customer service management and training, and our programs are individually designed to address client-specific issues and concerns.  

Health Center Operations

In an environment of stiff competition for operating funding (grants, patient revenue, etc.), it is essential that health centers operate as efficiently as possible.  R&A provides centers with assistance in evaluating current practices; implementing corrective action plans; and, if necessary, purchasing commercially available solutions.

Our consultants have direct experience in all areas of health care operations.  Specific areas of expertise include:  Patient Flow, Medical Records, Appointment Systems, Telephone Triaging, Patient Triaging, Clinical Protocols, Fee Schedule Development, Encounter Form Design, Billing, Coding and Retrospective Chart Audits for Quality of Care Standards and Coding Compliance.

Preparation and Mock Surveys for the Joint Commission Accreditation

Acquiring and maintaining accreditation is a priority for a growing number of health care organizations outside the circle of hospitals.  Preparing for an initial or subsequent survey requires expertise and resources.  R&A’s team includes skilled professionals with longstanding Joint Commission experience to guide organizations through the rigorous preparation process, including conducting mock surveys.  The team is also expertly skilled in assisting health center management with conditions and management assessment items related to their HRSA Notice of Grant Awards.

Staff Team-Building, including Medical/Clinical Director Training

Effective staff teams lead to increased productivity, reduced turnover and overall, an improved bottom line.  Developing and nurturing effective staff teams requires targeted skills training.  R&A provides customized team building training for all staff levels within health care organizations, including Medical or Clinical Director training that can include: productivity goal setting, health care plan development, peer review/competency assessment, staffing design, communication  and many other topics.

Meeting Planning & Facilitation

The firm has extensive experience in assisting large groups (Primary Care Associations, BPHC, Indian Health Service, national trade associations) in planning agendas, determining desired meeting  outcomes and facilitation of large and small groups.  The advantages of a skilled and objective facilitator can help assure the success of a meeting or planning session.