Sara Lauer Email & Phone Number

Missouri, United States

Us

Us

Chesterfield, Missouri, Us

Analyzed complex financial and operational data to identify trends impacting clinic and hospital key performance indicators (KPI) along with complex variance analysis. Directed communication with revenue leaders, clinic and hospital operations leaders, and finance leaders to resolve challenges impacting the revenue cycle. Utilized complex functions and formulas within Excel and Access to perform extensive data analysis according to business needs.• Performed Root Cause Analysis of insurance denials totaling $30M across multiple hospitals to identify continuous improvement opportunities utilizing lean fundamental workout sessions and methodologies.• Oversaw denial management teams across multiple outpatient facilities performing comprehensive review of approximately $50M in rejected hospital claims annually • Directed leadership responsibility of four clinic support analysts including continuous coaching, yearly performance reviews, production analysis, scheduling, and guidance of daily tasks• Provided oversight and training of revenue performance, cash collections, epic work queue operation, and utilization for clinic and hospital co-workers.• Managed communication, reporting, and implementation of strategic initiatives. • Identified Epic (EHR) Optimization opportunities to improve revenue and decrease compliance risk across 50 physician clinics and five hospitals. • Created and provided monthly cash collections education for hundreds of physician clinic co-workers resulting in a $2M increase in collections over the prior year.

Chesterfield, Missouri, Us

Collaborated with senior leaders to assess risk levels associated with controls, business operations, contracting, and compliance • Developed, led, and tracked concurrent audits to identify significant risks and opportunities to improve internal controls and efficiency of critical processes across Mercy; including physician compensation, meaningful use, revenue cycle, hr/payroll, accounts payable• Presented audit findings and recommendations to senior leaders, external auditors, and business owners during audit conferences.• Summarized actionable (analytical) reports using multiple data sources for revenue cycle functions including compliance, registration, charge capture, billing, and work queue management

Chesterfield, Missouri, Us

Coordinated with hospital CFOs and local analysts to model operating budgets, including expected impact of strategic revenue initiatives and audits of the prior year’s budget models.• Provided senior finance leaders with ongoing reports detailing the financial impact of revenue initiatives, along with analysis of business operations and business mix shifts that caused variances to internal modeling’s projected results• Modeled financial impact of health insurers proposed contracted rates to provide finance leaders with key information when negotiating contracts • Led an initiative to standardize system-wide A/R reserving models utilizing Microsoft Access to ensure compliance with Mercy policies and procedures. • Compiled annual financial summary book detailing net income by major payer groupings/service lines, analyzing and preparing a high-level narrative to highlight key trends for senior leaders.

•Lead pre-audits, desk reviews, and field audits of staff auditors to analyze and audit providers’ Medicare cost reports •Provided guidance, training, and oversight to new and junior staff to ensure variance analysis and detailed sets of work papers are completed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines

Master'S Degree, Accounting

Education record

Education record