Walter Kopp

Walter is the President of Medical Management Services, Inc. (MMS), an interim executive management and advisory group. Medical Management Services provides an array of services for physician groups, hospitals, heatlh plans, technology companies, disease management companies, and managed care organizations. Services include strategic positioning and market analysis, contract negotiations, product development, medical group development and operations review.

In 1999 Walter served as Interim Executive Director of Alta Bates Medical Group and has held engagements for Brown & Toland Medical Group, Hill Physicians Medical Group and other major medical groups throughout Northern California. Prior to forming MMS, Walter was Executive Director of BayCare Medical Group, a capitated group of more than 720 physicians responsible for the healthcare of more than 35,000 members. Previously, Walter was Assistant Vice President and Director at St. Luke’s Hospital in San Francisco and has also served in various Big Six accounting firms as well as Alta Bates Hospital, University of Colorado Hospital and University of California, San Francisco.

Walter current serves on the Board of directors for Marin Community Clinic, HIMSS Northern California. Walter works with many professional associations to help develop and present educational programs on the latest topics in the Healthcare Industry. Walter has served as former Chair of the Northern California Healthcare Financial Management Association Managed Care Committee, and on various boards, including the National IPA Coalition (NIPAC) and the Bay Pacific Health Plan. He has written numerous articles in leading healthcare publications and has been quoted extensively in the Northern California press.

Walter earned his BA degree from UC Berkeley and his masters in Health Administration from the University of Colorado. His hobbies include real estate investment and renovation, mountain biking and travel.

View Walter’s Resume

Lori Hack

Lori is the principal and CEO of Object Health, a management consulting group that assists health care organizations and communities with leveraging health information to improve operational efficiencies and clinical health outcomes. Among her current projects, Ms. Hack is Program Liaison for the California Privacy and Security Advisory Board on behalf of the California Office of Health Information Integrity under the direction of Secretary Belshe. She also leads efforts in organizing Health Information Organizations (HIOs) in California for Alameda, Contra Costa, Riverside and San Francisco Counties. Ms. Hack also leads Object Health’s team in their work around clinic implementation of Electronic Health Records for achieving meaningful use. Previously Ms. Hack led the privacy and security efforts for the Long Beach Health Network, as well as coordinated the development of their business sustainability model.

Additionally, Ms. Hack served as Program Manager for the state technology initiative in the area of Mental Health Information Technology through the California Mental Health Services Act (MHSA). She currently serves as the Chair of the Board for the California eHealth Collaborative (CAeHC). Previously Ms. Hack served as Interim CEO for the California Regional Health Information Organization (CalRHIO) and Executive Director for Health Technology Center (HealthTech). She currently serves in her second term on the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) Privacy Expert Panel, directed by Secretary Leavitt of Health and Human Services. Ms. Hack earned her BA in psychology at the University of California at Los Angeles, and her MBA from the University of Southern California.

Jo Ellen Hylind

Jo Ellen is a highly respected senior executive with over twenty years experience in health care quality measurement and improvement, including advanced data management and analysis, and promotion of electronic health record systems for health information exchange.   In 1984 Ms Hylind co-founded Lumetra,  an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality, safety and integrity of healthcare through independent review, scientific analysis, quality measurement and improvement programs, expert consultation in adoption and use of health information technology, and promotion of health information exchange.  She led Lumetra as President and CEO for over 20 years.  Additionally, from 2005-2008, Ms Hylind served on the Board of California Regional Health Information Organization (CalRHIO), and in 2004 on the Executive Committee of the California Health Information Exchange Project.

Viewed as a national expert in health care, Ross advises the private sector and government on health information technology adoption, evaluation, quality improvement, utilization management, and beneficiary services. Ross holds a master’s degree in nonprofit administration from the University of San Francisco and a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Salve Regina University, Rhode Island.

Susan Montz

Ms. Montz has over twenty-five years of managed healthcare experience working closely with Health Plans, Healthcare Systems, Physician Groups and Ancillary Provider Services. She has lead and implemented  a variety of initiatives in multiple health care settings with a proven track record in working with health plan and physician group related issues, product development, medical staff utilization in both the acute and post-acute settings, service contracting, and process/operational improvement. She has a unique strength in strategic thinking, building relationships, aligning congruent goals in adverse environments, building care management teams within health plans, physician groups and throughout the provider delivery system. She has been successful in achieving both financial and timeline goals.

Subject Expertise:

• Transition-In -Care. Developed and implemented acute and post-acute care management processes with a special focus on transition in care management for high risk seniors. Executed a high risk senior in-home program utilizing clinical and community resources. Reduced overall utilization by 20%.
• Post Acute Management.  Lead a financial analysis and developed operational and process improvement guidelines to reduce post acute utilization in Skilled Nursing Facilities. Collaborated with Health Plans, Hospitals, Physician Groups, Skilled Nursing Facilities and  Home Health Care Agencies to implement process improvement, redesign care management  and realigned contracts to yield  strong financial and utilization outcomes. Initiatives yield and sustained strong financial and utilization outcomes.
• Product Development: Partnered in the development, implementation and management of healthcare solutions to measure clinical intervention, functional improvement and patient advancement with the high risk senior and commercial population. Aligned initiatives with health plans, physician groups and post-acute relationships to achieve measurable reduction in both acute and post-acute utilization.
• Provider Network Development: Implemented contract network strategies to decrease cost expenses across provider contracts: worked with both health plans, physician groups and ancillary services to achieve targeted financial and timeline goals.

Susan has led various consulting engagements over the last few years as well as served as Vice President of Business Development & Operations at SeniorMetrix and Vice President of Network Development & Operations at First Health. Susan has also held management positions at The MedStat Group in San Francisco and Partners National Health Plans in Atlanta, GA.

Susan received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Louisiana State University and a Master in Business Administration from the University of New Orleans.

Faye Potts

Faye Potts has over twenty-five years of health plan management and consulting experience. She works with health plans, hospitals and physician organizations in the areas strategic and business planning, new program development, provider network development and managed care contract negotiations. In her consulting role, Faye has executed successful and cost effective network development projects for both commercial and government programs.  Her strengths include solid contract negotiation skills, creative problem solving and effective staff interaction and management.   She has been recognized for consistently achieving financial goals and timeline targets.

Ms. Potts has held management positions at major health plans throughout the country, including Health Net, Aetna (Partners and Aetna Government Health Plans), and several Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.  She has served as a content expert for several developing e-health start-ups and has provided Interim Management to hospital systems in the areas of managed care and marketing/business development.

Prior to consulting, Faye Potts held management positions at health plans and hospital systems in the areas of provider contract management.

Ms Potts was the Vice President of Provider Network Management for Health Net in Northern California. Prior to that position, Faye was the Director of Provider Networks for Aetna Government Health Plans and was Director of Managed Care for California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. Faye has also held management positions at Partners National Health Plans in Dallas and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida.

Nancy Turak

Ms. Turak began her career with a PSRO and Medical Foundation training hospitals and physicians to structure and implement UM programs in anticipation of entering the managed care arena. At Blue Cross of Massachusetts she was responsible for the development of some of the earliest staff, group and IPA-model HMOs and participated in the development of the nation’s first Medicare Risk program.  She held senior management positions in the areas of Planning, Network Development and Provider Contracting and Relations as she expanded FHP, Inc. to Northern California and saw through the merger with TakeCare Health Plan.

Natalie Martin

Natalie Martin is a Senior Consultant for Object Health, LLC. Natalie’s expertise is in providing special services and advice in the nonprofit, healthcare, and technology fields. She leads company efforts in healthcare and technology service offerings with a focus on technology strategy, long term strategic planning, process analysis and implementation. She has a detailed understanding of state-of-the-art health care information technology. Natalie brings a grounded perspective of the challenges facing community clinics and health centers as they pursue technology-enabled quality improvement. She has hands on experience with region-wide initiatives to bring health IT to communities, including electronic health records, electronic prescribing, remote access and disease management technologies. Natalie works in close partnership with many funding organizations, including foundations and government agencies, to design innovative approaches to accelerating adoption of health IT among ambulatory care providers. She also supported numerous electronic health record (EHR) and chronic disease management system (CDMS) assessments and works with technology vendors to develop and execute their product, marketing and sales strategies.

Natalie earned a BA from Saint Joseph’s University and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.

Linda Ackerman

Linda Ackerman is a legal consultant for Object Health and is staff counsel of PrivacyActivism, a San Francisco-based consumer privacy organization. PrivacyActivism (www.privacyactivism.org) focuses on the collection and use of personal information by government and private business. Ms. Ackerman has served as Privacy Officer for the Long Beach Network for Health and assists the organization in the development of privacy and security policy at a state and national level. Ms. Ackerman is particularly interested in ensuring that the privacy of medical records is protected as the health care industry moves toward universal electronic health information exchange. She is a member of the board of directors of the California Regional Health Information Organization (CalRHIO) and a Real ID Privacy and Security Workgroup convened by the California Office of Privacy Protection. Previously, she was a member of the Transportation Security Administration’s Secure Flight Working Group. Ms. Ackerman received her undergraduate degree from Mt. Holyoke College. She is a graduate of St. Louis University Law School and has an MA in history from San Francisco State University.

John Price

Mr. Price joined Axene Health Partners, LLC in 2004 following a successful career in the managed care industry.  Mr. Price held executive level positions at United Behavioral Health (Vice President Chief Actuary of a subsidiary of United HealthCare), Kaiser Permanente (Kaiser Vice President Chief Actuary and President of its subsidiary insurance operations), Aetna (Western Region CFO), and IHC Health Plans (CFO, Chief Actuary).  Mr. Price has also provided independent consulting services to selected healthcare clients.

Mr. Price provides a wide variety of consulting services to:

• Health plans: HMOs, Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, insurers,  managed care plans
• Employer self-funded benefit plans, trusts, administrators and intermediaries
• Guidance and practice strategy for other actuaries and consultants
• Healthcare technology and disease management companies
• Various government programs: federal, state and local, Medicare, Medicaid, TriCare.
• Healthcare providers: hospitals, medical groups, ancillary providers
• Medical device and technology suppliers

Mr. Price is recognized as an experienced executive and business strategist. He is a frequent speaker on healthcare issues.  He is a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries, and a Fellow of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries.  He has participated in the Actuarial Standards Board Health Committee and is a past President of the Utah Health Insurance Association. He is an active member of the Adaptive Business Leaders Organization, a California health industry and technology group.

In addition to his actuarial credentials, Mr. Price holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington with an emphasis in mathematical statistics.

Sydney Foster

Sydney Foster is a Project Consultant for Object Health. Ms. Foster serves as liaison to the California Privacy and Security Advisory Board supporting the Privacy, Legal and Education Committees with subject matter expertise and private sector support. She also serves as an analyst for the development of business sustainability models for health information exchange efforts. She was previously employed with the Heath Technology Center (HealthTech), where she was responsible for a client network of over 40 hospitals and health systems across the United States and Canada. She has extensive experience working directly with clients to develop and execute strategic plans specific to client technology forecasting needs. While at HealthTech, Ms. Foster helped lead in the development of services and activities to build the competency of partners to plan for emerging technologies, including expert panels, forecasting reports, decision-making tools, and workshops on adoption and implementation issues. Ms. Foster earned a BA from Wellesley College, and an MBA from Rice University.