The chapter would like to congratulate Gabriel Atwa on completing his recent HFMA certification. We recently checked in with Gabe to hear about his certification process.
HFMA: Where do you work and what is your role?
Gabe: I’m a senior at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. I just finished an operations internship at St. Charles Hospital on Long Island, NY, where I was exposed to the operational and administrative side of the hospital. Concurrently, I also worked as a billing and business operations associate at Long Island Laparoscopic Doctors surgical group0, which piqued my interest in gaining the CRCRÂ certification.
HFMA: When did you first join HFMA?
Gabe: I joined HFMA after hearing some of my peers were in the organization. I know it’s a great group not only for networking but also for professional growth, and the resources they provide are tremendous. When you’re starting out your career like I am, gaining certifications is one of the best ways to gain knowledge in this industry.
HFMA: What certification did you recently receive and why did you decide to pursue certification?
Gabe: I received the CRCR (Certified Revenue Cycle Representative) Certification because the revenue cycle is an important part of not only hospitals but also consulting firms and independent contractors. I see myself going down any of these paths in the future, and the knowledge I gained will last me forever. As someone who has worked in both hospitals and private practices, the knowledge you gain from this makes you a better and more efficient employee, and I wish I had known about it sooner.
HFMA: Have you leveraged the knowledge you gained through the certification process in your job? If so, how?
Gabe: I’ve leveraged the CRCR certification in my past job in private practice, especially using it for billing purposes. However, I was also able to apply the concepts when I was an intern in a hospital simply by observing processes from the Patient Access or Patient Financial Services departments. My favorite part about the CRCR certification is how practical it is.
HFMA: What is your favorite thing about being a member of HFMA?
Gabe: My favorite part about HFMA is the resources available to job seekers. I’m approaching my graduation in December, and there are educational resources like newsletters and certifications and many professional resources like the job bank, company directories, and resume reviews. I find it more helpful than typical campus resources and feel I get the most out of my HFMA membership.
HFMA: Any advice you would offer to someone considering pursuing a certification with HFMA?
Gabe: You can choose from a variety of certifications, and I even switched the certification I was doing because it wasn’t right for me. I would read the description of the certification and decide if it will supplement your short and long-term goals before you spend time on something that isn’t the best fit for you.
HFMA: Anything else we should know about you?
Gabe: As someone who has handled money on a small scale for a club, I think this helps tremendously and teaches you lessons you didn’t know to apply before. I also believe the knowledge I’ve gained from this certification will help me in my long-term goal of becoming a leader in a healthcare system one day. I appreciate the opportunity to share what I’ve learned.
Congratulations, Gabe, and thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. We wish you all the best as finish up college and can’t wait to see where your healthcare career goes!
