An integrated approach to knowledge management for internal consulting in healthcare

Author's Biography

Angela Cramer has a passion for healthcare and extensive experience in community and academic multi-speciality integrated group practices. She has worked in inpatient, outpatient and payer environments developing strategies, new healthcare service lines and delivery mechanisms to position, compete and meet patient needs in the evolving healthcare landscape. She is a manager in the Department of Management Engineering and Internal Consulting (ME&IC) at Mayo Clinic, where she leads a team of engineers who provide business consulting and management engineering expertise for clients across Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. In this role, she engages with clinical administrative and physician inpatient and outpatient leadership to enable their strategic priorities and provide engagement oversight. She earned her master’s degree at the University of Minnesota and her bachelor’s degree from Augustana University.

Eva Fjerstad is the administrative office manager in the Department of Management Engineering and Internal Consulting (ME&IC) at Mayo Clinic. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and more than 25 years of supervisory and office management experience. She provides supervision to the department’s administrative support staff and oversees general office operations. Her responsibilities include collaboration with ME&IC leadership to ensure systematic and ongoing evaluation of the department’s procedures and processes for optimal use of resources that support Mayo Clinic best practices. In addition, she is a member of the department’s Project Life Cycle Group and was instrumental in helping to create a departmental project database and automated project request submission process. Before joining ME&IC, she worked in various administrative support roles in the departments of finance, human resources and patient access and business services.

Jim Frye is a manager in the Department of Management Engineering and Internal Consulting (ME&IC) at Mayo Clinic. The strategic and management consulting resources in this unit are responsible for systems analysis, design and implementation, re-engineering and enhancement of core processes, assisting with business strategy and design, project management and supporting various business transformation initiatives. ME&IC provides business consulting and management engineering services to the clinical practice, research, education, administration and business development at the clinic. He joined the clinic in 2002 as a systems engineer and has worked at both the Arizona and Florida campuses. He previously worked for The Sisters of Saint Francis Healthcare Services in Indiana. He received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Indianapolis and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Franklin College.

Carrie Macken is a manager in the Department of Management Engineering and Internal Consulting (ME&IC) at Mayo Clinic. She provides leadership support and oversight to health system engineers who are responsible for systems analysis, design and implementation, and process re-engineering; assists with business strategy and planning; and supports business transformation initiatives. ME&IC provides business consulting and management engineering services to clinical practice, research, education, administration and business development at the clinic. She has supported and led multiple institutional initiatives related to the clinic’s electronic health record and revenue cycle systems; quality, safety and service programmes; and Department of Finance initiatives. Previously, she served as a course developer and instructor for ME&IC’s Consulting Model and Project Life Cycle educational offerings. She has also served as the leader of the department’s recruitment efforts and new staff onboarding programme. She earned her master’s degree at Cardinal Stritch University and her bachelor’s degree at the University of Kentucky.

Keith Schilling is a manager in the Department of Management Engineering and Internal Consulting (ME&IC) at Mayo Clinic and an instructor of Health Care Systems Engineering in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. He provides support and oversight to health system engineers in the inpatient, outpatient and community practices. He partners with operations leadership in planning and executing strategic initiatives and core operations activities. His previous responsibilities have included providing regional and site leadership in patient safety, performance improvement, accreditation, patient experience and data analytics. Before joining the clinic, he worked as a programme manager, global commodity manager and manufacturing engineer in high-performance computing and semiconductor companies. He developed and implemented lean-cell manufacturing and managed technology and business interactions with important strategic technology partners and led cross-functional teams nationally and internationally for software and hardware projects/programmes from concept through production and closure. He earned his master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and his bachelor’s degree at DeVry University.