If you’re new to Ascend and you’re trying to learn more about what we do behind the scenes, our Day In The Life series is a great place to start. Here, we offer you a look into what happens behind the scenes at our facilities and what you can expect from your time with us.
While you might think that everything at Ascend revolves around therapy and facility management, there’s actually a ton of administrative work that goes into what we do, including compliance administration. Discover what our compliance admin, Cristina, does with her day-to-day and how her work ensures our clients thrive!
What Is Compliance Administration?
Compliance administration is essential to both client wellness, state certification, and insurance billing because it tracks the documentation from our team on what goes on in the residential and outpatient treatment facilities every day. Our clinicians, mentors, and other specialists must complete notes on the daily activities of every single client to ensure streamlined continuity of care, meet state requirements, and provide insurance companies with the information they need to approve payment.
How Cristina Fits In
Because Ascend takes care of up to six clients in each facility and many of our care providers run multiple groups and therapy sessions each week, Cristina is the one who helps them keep track of their notes. Sometimes, a provider takes notes for the day but doesn’t input them into the medical records system, so Cristina checks in to make sure they’re on top of things.
She’ll also do frequent reviews to guarantee that our services meet and exceed the requirements of the state for things like auditing group sessions and updating the monthly schedule in our electronic medical records system to reflect any changes.
Just Starting Out
Cristina recently finished school with an undergraduate degree in Psychology & Brain Sciences from UC Santa Barbara. She always knew that she wanted to be involved in mental health, even holding a weekly mental health club called Active Minds to create a space where students could discuss their troubles and raise awareness about mental health.
She saw an opening at Ascend on a job board and realized this would be an amazing first step in her career. Because of her background in mental health and her experience as a Quality Administrator for an electronics company, we couldn’t resist having Cristina join our team when she applied!
Why Ascend
While our mission is a powerful motivator for many of our team members, everyone has something different that draws them to work with us. For Cristina, she loves how challenging and fast-paced her role can be. And she appreciates that she can feel productive and busy in a position that helps her change lives for the better.
For Cristina, communication is key. She loves that Ascend prioritizes open lines of communication for both work and relaxation. Some chats are all business, and she can get in touch with nurses, clinicians, and her boss as needed. But some discussions provide a break from the hard work with photos of pets and various fun activities we host at Ascend. Even though Cristina may not interact with our clients directly, she still gets to see how their treatment progresses and has a chance to view their growth.
Our Key to Administrative Success
Cristina works under our Director of Compliance, Ashtar, who has trained her on everything she needs to know to be a top compliance administrator. Since she began working with us, Cristina has made huge contributions to growing the department and improving the everyday workflow — handling responsibilities big and small.
A typical day for her always starts with a cup of tea and a list. Cristina prioritizes her tasks and adds in any last-minute requirements from Ashtar. This list may include getting in touch with the operations team to follow up on notes, helping to onboard new staff, or reading through all the documentation for the week to ensure the hours, dates, and times on notes are all correct.
We love how dedicated Cristina is to making sure we’re on the right track — even if it means paperwork is the only thing on her list. We’re also in awe of her continued search for growth as she pursues additional education. Congratulations on getting into the Clinical Psychology Program at Pepperdine!
Time Outside of Ascend
With the recent expansions at Ascend, you might think that Cristina doesn’t have any time for herself, but we guarantee a work-life balance that ensures everyone can take care of themselves. For Cristina, that means pursuing her passion for cooking. She grew up watching the Food Network, learning about foods from various cultures. Trying out a new recipe or a familiar favorite is her way of decompressing after a long day at the office.
Who’s Next?
So now you know how integral a compliance administrator is to running a residential treatment facility. Who’s next on our list for a spotlight of their work with us? Find out next month when you visit the blog!
