Can you start by sharing how long you’ve worked at CarePort, and what drew you to the company?
Technically, I’ve worked at CarePort since August 2021. However, I began consulting for CarePort three months before that, in May 2021. I also worked for Extended Care Information Network (ECIN) – which was acquired by Allscripts in 2008 – from 2002 to 2006. I left for 15 years, and during that time I held various other roles in healthcare, both in a hospital and in a post-acute facility. When I saw a consulting role available at CarePort, I decided to apply and I happily accepted the job! I ended up loving the Services team – Dave Borowski is awesome; he and I used to work together. I also felt a real sense of accomplishment working with our post-acute clients. I decided to apply for a full-time role, and here I am!
What kinds of things do you do in your role on Services Team?
The Services Team partners with clients to configure the CarePort platform to their needs, set up their admission, discharge, and transfer (ADT) and clinical interfaces, train clients on our platform, and support them moving forward as they use CarePort to send and/or receive referrals.
My role as a project manager is unique for the Services team. I work primarily with CarePort’s post-acute clients and conduct many of their trainings to onboard them to CarePort Referral Management. I also configure our system make sure everything is properly set up for our post-acute clients, provide support, and ensure the platform is optimized for their use.
Though most of my work is centered around our post-acute client base, I do occasionally support acute clients; right now, I’m managing the implementation for a new CarePort Care Management client hospital. I also assist our clients on CarePort Guide, CarePort Connect, and CarePort Insight.
Also, though I’m on the Services team, I also work very closely with Support and Sales.
What made you want to work in healthcare?
I think healthcare found me. I got my Master of Social Work (MSW) in 1999. I first worked for a community-based agency, but there were a lot of funding issues. At that time, 2002, I lived in Chicago and saw a job listing – I think it was on Monster.com – for ECIN. The position was looking for social workers and nurses to implement software. Usually social workers aren’t necessarily technology driven, but this sounded like a great fit for me. I’ve always said I have an extra gene because I love technology and consider myself a super-nerd. In that role, I traveled around the country for four years implementing hospital clients on ECIN. I really enjoyed it.
In 2006, one of our hospital clients, Scripps Health, actually created a position for me – so I packed up my life and moved to San Diego, where I’m still based. I worked for Scripps for eight years.
How do you spend your free time outside of work?
My wife and I take care of our five-year-old grandson, so he’s our life. My wife also runs an assisted living/memory care facility and drives over an hour each way to get there, so I take care of everything at the house. My “spare time” pretty much consists of taking care of a five-year-old, our three dogs – Sushi, Baby, and Tipsy – and of the house.
However, I do love to garden and have a mini greenhouse in my backyard. I also like to read, but I just don’t have a lot of time for it. And I love to cook; I have a smoker and I like to smoke all kinds of meats. We often have people over and also host most family holidays, so I always cook up a big spread for everyone. Nobody goes hungry!
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would buy?
If I won the lottery, the first thing I would buy is a Jeep Wrangler. I’ve always wanted one, and I would get a customized Jeep with all of the special features.
If you had to eat one food every single day, what would it be?
If I had to eat one food every day, I would eat sushi. I love sushi. I have a dog named Sushi – that’s how much I love sushi. But I won’t eat him, I promise.
Would you like to work with Rhonda? CarePort is hiring. Explore our open opportunities and apply today!
