The chapter would like to congratulate Owen Foley on completing multiple HFMA certifications. We recently checked in with Owen to hear about his certification experience.
HFMA: Where do you work and what is your role?
Owen: I am a Business Development Representative at Penn Credit Corporation.
HFMA: When did you first join HFMA?
Owen: I joined HFMA in April of 2023 as a way to gain information on and further develop my understanding of the healthcare industry. Coming into my current role, I had no prior healthcare experience and was at a complete loss on where to begin learning about the industry. HFMA provided me with tangible goals to strive towards and access to a wide network of professionals.
HFMA: What certifications did you recently receive and why did you decide to pursue certification?
Owen: Since joining HFMA, I have received the Certified Revenue Cycle Representative (CRCR) and Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP) certifications. I decided to pursue the certifications in order to have a solid base understanding of the concepts and areas of focus in financial healthcare and revenue cycle functions.
HFMA: Have you leveraged the knowledge you gained through the certification process in your job? If so, how?
Owen: I utilize the knowledge gained through these certifications every day. My role requires me to be up-to-date on the areas of focus and emerging practices within healthcare finance. The knowledge provided to me through earning these certifications has allowed me to perform my responsibilities in an effective manner.
HFMA: What is your favorite thing about being a member of HFMA?
Owen: My favorite thing about being a member of HFMA is meeting and interacting with so many people. The overwhelming acceptan
ce into this organization has been incredible. I have been lucky enough to attend multiple local and regional events in my short time as a member and meet so many amazing people. They say that it’s the people who make an organization great, and with HFMA, that is definitely the case.
HFMA: Any advice you would offer to someone considering pursuing a certification with HFMA?
Owen: Just do it! You can study at your own pace and take the certification exam when you feel ready. I didn’t pass the CHFP prerequisite exam when I first took it and had to wait 30 days to retake it. The good thing about that was that I was provided with instant feedback on which areas of the course I needed to focus on and study further. If there is a certification that you want to go for, do it, and don’t worry about anything else.
HFMA: Anything else we should know about you?
Owen: This might not make me too popular at the next event, but if there is one thing you should know, it’s that I am an avid 49ers fan. I was born a fan as my father named me Owen Young after Steve Young and Terrell Owens. Now I know what you are thinking: “Steve Young and not Joe Montana?” that would be because my brother already took that name… I will say I did live in Rhode Island for 5 years, so I did develop some appreciation for the Patriots and will occasionally root for them.
Congratulations, Owen, and thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.
