Sally E. Wenzel, MD

Sally E. Wenzel, MD is a Professor of Medicine and Immunology and Director at the University of Pittsburgh Asthma Institute at UPMC, UPMC Chair in Translational Airway Biology and Chair, at the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Wenzel completed her MD degree at the University of Florida. Following her residency in internal medicine at Wake Forest University and her fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University, she spent 19 years at National Jewish and the University of Colorado before moving to the University of Pittsburgh. She received the Elizabeth Rich Award for her role in promoting women in science, the ATS Award for Scientific Achievement, the ATS Foundation Breathing for Life Award, and the ERS President’s Award. She is currently Director of the University of Pittsburgh Asthma Institute at UPMC, and Chair for the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, at the Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Wenzel has served as Deputy Editor for the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and is a frequent reviewer for the New England Journal of Medicine and other publications.

Karen Zupko

Karen Zupko is a nationally recognized speaker, writer and consultant in the otolaryngology community. She has participated in AAO-HNS annual meeting programs since 1984, taught the AAO-HNS Coding workshops for years, and taught at AAFPRS and state meetings. Karen is a known friend to the otolaryngology community, and has written articles for The Bulletin, worked with the Association of Otolaryngology Administrators, and participated in the Cherry Blossom Festival and the Windy City Symposium as a planner and speaker. Karen has contributed a chapter on referral-building for otolaryngologists to the Mosby Year Book series, and co-authored a chapter on personnel administration.

KarenZupko&Associates has worked with over 227 otolaryngology practices to improve patient satisfaction, reduce risk, save money, economize on time, and enhance revenue – legally. KZA, now 23 strong, has a unique expertise in otolaryngology practices. Prior to opening her firm in 1985, Ms. Zupko directed the American Medical Association’s Department of Practice Management. Her articles on management and marketing have been published in Hospital Physician, Physician Management and The Journal of Medical Practice Management.

Ms. Zupko is on the board of editorial consultants of Medical Economics magazine. She has served on the board of trustees of Chicago’s Grant Hospital and is active in many national organizations. Ms. Zupko is a graduate of the University of Kansas and a Chicago native.

Cheyenne Brinson, CPA, MB

Cheyenne is an innovative, solutions-oriented senior consultant with KarenZupko & Associates who delivers pragmatic business solutions that boost revenue, streamline workflow, and increase operational efficiency. “You cannot manage what you do not measure” is Cheyenne’s guiding principle, and she leverages this wisdom to make sound, databased decisions.

With a unique blend of technology know-how, training skills, operations anagement, and financial expertise, Cheyenne has helped more than one hundred surgical practices improve the bottom line. From scheduling and front desk operations, to patient flow, surgery scheduling, EHR utilization, and effective billing office processes, Cheyenne designs and implements process improvements by leveraging people and technology.

Her wizardry with most practice management systems, plus a deep knowledge of best practice workflows, makes her an in-demand advisor to practices seeking to augment their technology training and implementation. Known affectionately as “coach” to many practices, Cheyenne customizes technology training programs and delivers customer service and patient coordinator training to individuals as well as entire practice teams.

A friendly and upbeat instructor, Cheyenne draws upon her field experience to convey relevant and timely information in a way that everyone in the audience can relate to and learn from. She earns rave reviews from course attendees at the KZA ENT Coding and Reimbursement Workshops, and speaks regularly for organizations such as the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy, Association of Otolaryngology Administrators, Fuel Medical, Allmeds, and other specialty societies and industry groups.

Prior to joining KarenZupko & Associates, Cheyenne was a Director in a primary care practice where she moved the practice from operating at a loss to operating at a profit in less than one year. While there, she led an implementation team to open a clinic site fully functional on an EHR. Cheyenne also spent seven years in public accounting, providing accounting and consulting services to medical practices.

Cheyenne earned an M.B.A. and B.S. in accounting from Troy State University (now Troy University) in Troy, Alabama. She is an inductee to the Accounting Hall of Honor in recognition of her professional accomplishments. Cheyenne is president of the Fat Disorders Research Society and past president of the Illinois Medical Group Management Association.

Nick Hernandez, MBA, FACHE

Nick Hernandez, MBA, FACHE is the founder and CEO of ABISA. ABISA is an independent healthcare consultancy specializing in healthcare strategy, physician engagement, and strategic growth initiatives. ABISA can help devise and implement the strategies and processes that will allow organizations to remain competitive and solvent. The company’s client list includes physician groups, hospital systems, healthcare IT organizations, venture capitalists, private equity investment groups, and physician entrepreneurs.

Nick has extensive knowledge on matters surrounding physician engagement and has a long history of working with physician entrepreneurs. He has consulted with clients in multiple countries and has over 20 years of leadership and operations experience. He is Board Certified in Healthcare Management and has been named a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Daniel F. Shay, Esq.

Daniel F. Shay is an attorney with Alice G. Gosfield and Associates, P.C. His practice is restricted to health law and health care regulation focusing primarily on physician representation, fraud and abuse compliance, Medicare Part B reimbursement, and HIPAA compliance in the physician context. He also has a keen interest in intellectual property issues, including copyright, trademark, data control, and confidentiality. He has also focused his attention on provider control of commerce in data, electronic health records license agreements, physician advertising, enrollment in Medicare, quality reporting and quality measurement, physician use of non-physician practitioners, and physician use of social media. He speaks publicly and has published on all of these topics.

He also regularly speaks to resident physicians on what to expect in their employment contracts. Mr. Shay received his Bachelor of Science degree cum laude in 2000 from Vanderbilt University and his juris doctorate degree from Emory University School of Law in 2003. Mr. Shay is admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar, is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association, and is the Vice Chair of Educational Programs for the American Health Lawyers Association’s Physicians and Physician Organization Practice Group.

Kristin Vaughn, CPC, CGCS, CMSCS, CPMA, ICDCT-CM

Kristin is a national consultant with over 15 years of coding and billing experience. This includes Gastroenterology, Pulmonary, Critical Care, Immunology/Rheumatology, Hematology, and Hospitalist specialties, plus seminar instruction, auditing and on-site consulting. Her background includes extensive experience in a teaching university. She currently is a full-time consultant/trainer with AskMueller Consulting, LLC. Her presentations have included organizations such as AGA and ASGE. She is a Certified Professional Medical Auditor and Certified ICD-10 trainer. She is the co-author of several workbooks and programs specific to Gastroenterology. She also answers the coding hotline for ASGE.