2012 - 2013 Officers and Board of Directors
President
Rita Orlando RN, CCM
Rita is
currently a Care Transitions Coordinator for the Care
Management Organization of Montefiore Medical Center. She
has over 40 years of healthcare experience including
Utilization and Case Management in Commercial,
Self-Insured, Medicare and Medicaid environments. She
developed the credentialing, utilization management and
quality improvement processes within a Medical Management
Program for a Self-Insured Health Plan. Recenly has worked
as a Documentation Improvement Specialist and
her prior hospital nursing experience includes
med/surg, pediatrics and physical rehabilitation. She also
has extensive home health care experience and has worked
several years for certified, long term and licensed
agencies. Rita's physical rehabilitation experience enabled
her to participate in the "start up" of a Durable Medical
Equipment Company in the NYC area. She has been a member of
the Hudson Valley Chapter of CMSA since it's beginnings.
Currently responsible for maintaining the Hudson Valley
CMSA website.
President
Elect/Public Policy Liaison
Sandra M. Mitchell RN, BSN
Sandra
has worked as a specialist for insurance companies, as an
Assistant Director of Nursing – Staff Development for NYC
Health and Hospitals Corporation and has held managerial
positions with Westchester ARC and United Cerebral Palsy of
New York State working with individuals with developmental
disabilities. Currently Manager for Utilization and Case
Management at The Care Management Company - the clinical
corporate arm of Montefiore Medical Center, Sandra has
developed and implemented a Prospective Case Management
Program, resulting in better outcomes for patients
undergoing elective surgeries. A proven leader with a
history of ensuring the empowerment of others, Sandra’s
unique ability to harness and galvanize the diverse
perspectives of others has allowed her to build
synergistic, high performing teams. She believes
conversation, collaboration and cooperation are the key
tools needed for advancing any Case Management Nursing
Agenda in the twenty first century.
Immediate
Past President
Veronica Chepak RN, BSN
Veronica
Chepak, RN, BSN is currently an Accountable Case Manager
for a Collaborate Care Model using integrated
Medical/Behavioral Case Management at Montefiore Medical
Center. She has over 10 years of Utilization Management and
Case Management experience in Commercial, Self-Insured,
Medicare and Medicaid Environment. Additionally, she was an
integral part of the assessment development team for a
major Managed Care Company. Her prior hospital nursing
experience includes oncology, complex cases, and a Medicaid
Clinic with an emphasis on prenatal care. Most recently she
has been a case manager for the Health Home program. An
active board member of the Hudson Valley Chapter of CMSA
for the past six years, she is the Immediate Past President
of the Chapter. She is presently pursuing a Master’s in
Public Administration at Pace University.
Secretary
Suzanne
Muccio RN, BSN, CCM
Suzanne
Muccio is currently a Documentation Improvement Specialist
for the Care Management Organization of Montefiore Medical
Center. She has over 25 years of Nursing, Utilization
Management. Risk Management, Quality Improvement and
Case Management experience in Acute Care, Home Care and
Hospice settings. While working at an acute care hospital
for the terminally ill for 16 years, she was the
Chairperson of the Nursing Policy and Procedure Committee
and was responsible for total revision of all procedures
while in that role. She was also an active member of the
Hospital Ethics Committee which was responsible for Policy
development and consults. She also co-chaired the hospital
Staff Wellness Committee, which provided pro active support
and wellness for staff members who worked at the hospital.
Her prior Nursing experience includes primary care of
terminally ill patients in acute care hospital and
homecare/ hospice settings, Staff Development Instructor,
Intake Coordinator for Certified Home Health Agency and
Legal Nurse Consultant. She is a Certified Case Manager, is
a member of Sigma Theta Tau, NYSNA and CMSA/ HVCMSA.
Treasurer
Linda Baker RN, CCM, CPC
Linda
Baker has practiced as a Registered Nurse for 28 years. She
is currently the lead Perinatal Nurse Case Manager at
Hudson Health Plan. In this role she oversees the case
management activities within the plan’s “Mommy & Me”
Program. Her previous work experience includes positions as
a Senior Quality Improvement Specialist and Senior Health
Care Investigator for Medicaid/Medicare programs.
Throughout her extensive career she has earned
certifications in the following areas; ANCC Board Certified
Case Manager; Physician Coder. Linda is an active
participant in the NYS DOH Case Management Task Force, and
serves on the board of the Hudson Valley Perinatal Forum.
Linda serves on Content Expert Panel for American Nurses
Credentialing Center Case Management exam, and also as a
BOD for the Capital District CMSA chapter. Linda was
awarded Case Manager of the Year 2012-2013.
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Board
of Directors
Patricia Held-DiFabbio RN, BSN, MS, CCM, CCP
Patricia
graduated from Molloy Catholic College in 1977 with a BSN.
Her first assignment was with Montefiore Medical Center in
Urology and then General Surgery where Patricia was asked
to be mentor for new nurses. After passing critical care
requirements Patricia transferred to Montefiore Medical
Center’s Cardiac Surgical ICU where she often acted as
charge nurse and recovered patients from the operating
room. Patricia was responsible for the development of a
nutrition assessment tool and nutritional interventions
that was used hospital wide. Patricia transferred to
Utilization Management and then Quality Improvement. Her
duties crossed both campuses from Montefiore to Einstein
hospital. Patricia earned a Masters degree in Biology
Orthomolecular Nutrition in 1980. The opportunity to work
in managed care became available and she transferred to the
Montefiore Care Management Organization as a case manager
where she is today. Other affiliations Patricia belongs to
are NYSNA and the ANA.
Board of
Directors
Hans K.
Gspandl
Hans has been in the Home Medical Equipment industry for
over twenty five years. He has worked in every hospital in
the five borough's of New York City, Westchester, Rockland
and the Hudson Valley Region. Hans has been an active and
involved member of the Hudson Valley Chapter for the past
several years.
Board of
Directors
Aida Rodriguez RN, BSN, CCM
Aida
recently retired from government service after 22
years. Her most recent position was as a Nurse Case
Manager at the West Point Warrior Transition Unit.
She held this position for five years. This position
involved caring for active duty soldiers with complex
medical needs. She managed care for soldiers returning
home to eight surrounding states and sometimes transferring
to other states if necessary, providing care in their home
of record. Prior to this position she was a supervisor at
the Primary Care Department at Keller Army Hospital at West
Point. Care coordination included, active duty soldiers,
their families and retirees. She also served as active duty
officer in the Army Nurse Corps from 1990-1994. Other
experiences include med-surge, pediatrics and oncology
nursing at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital and Arden Hill
Hospital. She has been an active CMSA member since
2007.
Board
of Directors
Joan Valcarcel RN, BSN, MHSA, CCM
Joan
began her nursing career as a staff nurse in a
rehabilitation setting in California, when she returned to
New York, she spent the next 30 years in Long Term, Home
Health, Senior Housing as well as office nursing. During
this time of having children and attaining a Masters degree
Joan was fortunate enough to be introduced to Holistic
studies which have helped to continue to shape her nursing
practice. Long term Care, home care, senior services and
office nursing all demand that a Case Management approach
be utilized to fully advocate for the client and help to
optimize a client’s independence.
Public
Policy Liaison
Sheilah McGlone RN, PAHM, CPUM, CCM
Sheilah
is currently the Director of Utilization Review and Case
Management at Hudson Health Plan, overseeing all case
management programs including the "Mommy and Me" Program.
She has over 14 years of Case Management and UR experience
that encompasses commercial and Medicaid environments. She
previously managed a maternal child health program for a
leading national case management company and has supervised
a behavioral health unit at a major commercial insurance
company. She is also a certified Community HIV/AIDS
Educator and was trained as an Early Intervention Service
Coordinator with the DOH. She created and implemented a
unique Pediatric Lead Case Management Program and worked
collaboratively with the "Children Now Organization" to
publish an article describing Hudson Health Plan's lead
case management model. Sheilah has participated in several
presentations pertaining to Case Management on a local and
national level.