Faculty
Jen Bell, MSOLE, CPC, CPMA, CHC, CASCC
Jennifer Bell (Jen) has over 30 years of experience in all areas of the revenue cycle with a focus on prospective and retrospective auditing, coding abstraction, and telehealth billing compliance. She has delivered both coding and auditing services and education for a wide range of medical and surgical specialties. Jen’s extensive knowledge and skills in successful appeals and payment recovery processes involving major payors generates positive returns for clients.
Jennifer R. Cabrera, PA-C, MSPA, MPH
As a board- certified Physician Assistant, Jennifer has spent nearly 20 years in health care, with most of that time in orthopaedics. Her clinical experiences add to her understanding of the importance of solid documentation as well as diagnostic and procedural coding. Jennifer’s rich background in sports medicine and joint reconstruction includes care for both collegiate and professional athletes, plus serving as first assist on surgeries on a range of orthopedic procedures. She has extensive ASC and hospital experience as a service line manager, case management, and with AAAHC and JCAHO accreditations. In addition, Jennifer has served on the development team for the construction of a new orthopaedic and spine surgical hospital in Los Angeles.
In addition to her clinical roles, in 2011 Jennifer accepted the role of Director of Operations for a private orthopaedic practice in LA. She focused on all aspects of the practice from the revenue cycle to financial reporting and staff training. Most recently, she played a key role in the implementation of a new practice management and EHR system. Jennifer has a passion for streamlining processes and workflows to maximize efficiency across the patient care continuum. She has a firsthand appreciation of the importance of accurate documentation and appeals. Her belief, based on experience, is that the business side of the practice must be as strong as the clinical care being provided.
Jennifer holds dual Master’s degrees from Touro University – California in physician assistant studies and public health. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, attending concerts and sporting events, and spending time with family and her puppy, Wrigley (who is named after the ballpark in Chicago!).
Karen Zupko, President and Speaker, Karen Zupko & Associates, Inc.
Advising physicians on how to improve their practices has been the focus and passion of Karen Zupko for more than 35 years. Ms. Zupko founded KarenZupko & Associates, Inc. in 1985 and has built the company into a professional staff of more than 20, whose goals are to help physicians:
- improve profitability
- reduce expenses and risk
- increase patient satisfaction
- and establish better work environments for physicians and staff.
In collaboration with national specialty societies, KZA developed the first specialty-specific coding courses over 25 years ago. These programs have an established reputation for providing comprehensive and accurate advice to physicians and their staff.
Ms. Zupko personally participates in annual practice management programs sponsored by these national specialty societies. She has earned positive evaluations for her practical advice, delivered with humor and wit.
She and her team of consultants have helped medical groups across the nation—ranging in size from solo practices to academic departments—sharpen their business systems, improve the revenue cycle, and maximize efficiency in coding and reimbursement. KZA consultants also advise on hospital employment, physician compensation, technology, and coding compliance.
As an author, Karen's articles have appeared in The Journal of Medical Practice Management, Aesthetic Society News, AAOS Now, and Medical Economics. Additionally, she has contributed chapters for two specialty books aimed at plastic surgeons and otolaryngologists.
Prior to founding KZA, Karen worked at the American Medical Association, where, for 12 years, she served in the Department of Practice Management and, for 6, as the Department Director. Her background includes serving on the board of Grant Hospital as well as on the Board of AHA’s Society for Health Marketing board for Physician Relations.
Karen actively participates in several Chicago area arts organizations—including the Grant Park Music Festival (where she serves on the board) and the Governing Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra—and enthusiastically supports and attends the annual Chicago Humanities Festival.
DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Disclosure Statement
AOFAS mandates all instructors, planners, and other individuals in a position to control or influence the content of an educational activity to disclose all financial relationships that you have had in the past 24 months with ineligible companies. An “ineligible company” are those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients
All identified conflicts must be mitigated, and the education content vetted by the AOFAS for fair balance, scientific objectivity, and appropriateness. All disclosures will be provided in this final program distributed at the meeting to all program participants.
FDA Statement
Some drugs or medical devices demonstrated at this meeting have not been cleared by the FDA or have been cleared by the FDA for specific purposes only. The FDA has stated that it is the responsibility of the physician to determine the FDA clearance status of each drug or medical devices he or she wishes to use in clinical practice. AOFAS policy provides that “off label” uses of a drug or medical device may be described in its CME activities so long as the “off label” use of the drug or medical device is also specifically disclosed (i.e., it must be disclosed that the FDA has not cleared the drug or device for the described purpose). Any drug or medical device is being used “off label” if the described use is not set forth on the products approval label.
Faculty/Planner Disclosure Declaration
As an Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) provider, AOFAS has the obligation to ensure the delivery of education that is balanced and free of commercial bias. To achieve this, it is the policy of the AOFAS that all CME-related board members, committee members (“planners”), faculty, and appropriate staff disclose in writing to the learners’ all financial relationships that you have had in the past 24 months with ineligible companies. An “ineligible company” are those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients
In addition to faculty members, commentators from the floor are charged with verbally disclosing any interests immediately prior to speaking. All disclosures are provided in this final program distributed at the meeting to all program participants.
In accordance with AOFAS policy:
Faculty participation in this educational activity will be predicated upon timely submission and review of AOFAS disclosure. An individual who refuses to disclose all financial relationships will be disqualified from being a planning committee member, a teacher, or an author of CME, and cannot have control of, or responsibility for, the development, management, presentation, or evaluation of the CME activity. Non-compliance will result in a faculty member being stricken from the program.
An indication of the participant’s disclosure appears after his or her name as well as the ineligible company that provided the support. AOFAS does not view the existence of these disclosed interests or commitments as necessarily implying bias or decreasing the value of the author’s participation in this activity. In addition to ensuring that presentations be free of bias, faculty
members are required to ensure that all material presented and discussed will be based on best- available evidence.
Faculty Disclosures
Jennifer Bell, MSOLE, CPC, CPMA, CHC, CASCC
Nothing to Disclose
Jennifer Cabrera, PA-C, MSPA, MPH
Nothing to Disclose
Karen Zupko
Nothing to Disclose