Meet our team of subject matter experts, who collaborate and connect as coaches to give you the tools, resources and knowledge you need to understand and resolve barriers to improved cost, quality and health outcomes. Our service-first advisors focus on helping you achieve performance improvement and operational excellence.
Meet our team of subject matter experts, who collaborate and connect as coaches to give you the tools, resources and knowledge you need to understand and resolve barriers to improved cost, quality and health outcomes. Our service-first advisors focus on helping you achieve performance improvement and operational excellence.
Kirsti Adams, RHIT
Review Coordinator
Kirsti is a Registered Health Information Technologist with experience as a Medical Records Specialist performing outpatient coding and billing. Ms. Adams supports the case review process at KFMC, coordinating and managing all aspects from processing medical records requests to data entry of review results, to managing the physician reviewer credentialing process. Ms. Adams’ experience ensures a smooth review process from start to finish. Ms. Adams manages all review files, ensuring secure and confidential transmission via KFMC’s SFTP site.
Rebecca Archer
Programmer
Beckie is experienced in web application, report design and development, data translation, end-user training and customer support using a variety of toolsets. She assists in the maintenance and development of both in-house and customer-designed applications. Her current work includes development of intranet and internet sub-sites, forms, and workflows for data analysis and applications development and support. She also conducts information systems and controls security assessments.
Tracy Atkins, LMSW
EQRO Project Lead
Tracy has over 20 years of experience in social work, child welfare, and quality review. She has a wide range of experience including case management, case review, quality review, quality improvement, conducting surveys, project management, Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) and Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) Waivers review, and writing of reports submitted to state and federal agencies that assess quality, timeliness, and access to care provided by managed care organizations (MCOs) to KanCare (Medicaid) members. Currently, she serves as EQRO Project Lead, facilitating review of Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program managed care entities’ compliance with federal and state regulations.
Dana Brito
EQRO Project Lead
Dana comes to KFMC with extensive experience in customer success management, process improvement, and documentation. Having served as the administrator during the life cycle of various projects, she continues her project support role as an EQRO Project Lead. Dana is a member of the Project Management Institute.
Tiffany Burrows, BBM
Quality Assurance Consultant
Tiffany brings over 22 years of health care experience including provider credentialing, quality improvement and risk management within a thirteen-county community mental health center. Her experience also includes resolving consumer complaints and grievances, evaluation and customer satisfaction as well as six years as utilization coordinator for a Managed Care Organization, conducting authorizations of services and facilitating coordination of care.
Kim Byers BSN, RN
EQRO Project Lead
Kim brings over 25 years of health care experience with over 14 years nursing experience in various hospital and clinic settings, both PPS and critical access. She has expertise in infection prevention and employee health. Her background includes experience in emergency preparedness planning, response and grant management, utilization review, OR/PACU, palliative care, orthopedics, sports medicine, family medicine, and ER. She has served on numerous local, state, and regional hospital emergency planning committees and state HAI advisory committee.
Evan Carter, BA
Project Specialist
Evan Carter is a Project Specialist who supports project coordination, report development, and stakeholder communication for health initiatives across Kansas and Oklahoma. He brings experience in program coordination, academic research, and administrative support, along with strong organizational and communication skills. Evan is known for his detail-oriented, service-driven approach and is committed to advancing initiatives that improve outcomes and effectively serve communities.
Ashley Dial
Office Services Specialist
Ashley brings a variety of administrative skills to her position as Office Services Specialist for KFMC. Her background as an Administrative Assistant and Billing and Collections Coordinator in the accounting and health insurance industries are an asset to KFMC. She assists with office administration, record keeping, and report preparation and performs various customer-oriented tasks.
Jamie Doyal
Programmer
Jamie is an experienced programmer, developing and maintaining both web-based and non-web-based computer programming and basic analytic services in support of health care quality improvement activities. Her robust experience includes analyzing, designing and developing applications, developing automated systems for data gathering and manipulation, performance measurement, system validation assistance, and tailored application development.
Tammy Elliott, BSN, RN, CPHQ, CHPSE, CCAP
Client Services Manager
Tammy brings expertise in practice transformation, alternative payment models, health care quality, data analysis, HIPAA privacy and security, and cybersecurity awareness to support KFMC customers in meeting their performance improvement goals. She brings more than 25 years of experience in critical-access hospital and rural health clinic operations, including quality improvement, electronic medical record implementation and support, case management/utilization review, and health information protection.
Her additional credentials as a Certified HIPAA Privacy Security Expert and Certified Cybersecurity Awareness Professional strengthen KFMC’s ability to support secure, compliant, and practical approaches to health care quality improvement.
Samantha Ferencik
Quality Research Project Lead
Samantha has a background in program management, Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid. As a Quality Research Project Lead at KFMC, Samantha facilitates administration of statewide surveys, MCO network adequacy validation, and works with State Agency partners and others in the development, implementation, and evaluation of various projects.
Loretta Fitzgerald, RN, BSN, CIC
Quality Improvement Consultant – Infection Prevention
Loretta is a registered nurse with over 15 years of experience working in the critical access hospital setting. The majority of her experience has revolved around infection prevention, employee health, and emergency preparedness planning. In her current role as Quality Improvement Consultant, she provides infection prevention support to KFMC customers. She works collaboratively with members of advisory committees, health care delivery personnel, and community stakeholders.
Alex Fulk, MA
Health Quality Data Analyst
Alex Fulk has a background in ecology, mathematics, and data analysis with an emphasis on epidemiology. He serves as one of our health quality data analysts and his experience includes peer-reviewed research focused on improving public health and understanding the drivers of the spread of disease.
Brenda Rhoads-Groves, LPN, CDP, CADDCT
Quality Improvement Manager
Brenda has provided operational management and leadership to large scale quality improvement initiatives for Long-Term Care, including designing, supporting, and leading the development of projects and initiatives to facilitate measurable improvement, while overcoming the variety of geographic, resource, and human barriers that Long-Term Care facilities face today. Through her work, Brenda has recognized the value of live training and the impact training has on front-line staff to improve dementia-appropriate care while decreasing incidences of abuse and neglect. For her work, she was recognized as the 2019 National Council for Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP) Educator of the year. Since 2021, Brenda has served on the Board of Directors for Thriving4Life, a non-profit organization in Tennessee. Through therapeutic art and music programs, Thriving4Life makes a positive difference in the lives of individuals living in isolation, with dementia, mental, developmental, or other impairments, as well as those that love and care for them. In November, 2023, she was appointed to a three-year term on Battelle’s Partnership for Quality Measurement, a CMS-certified consensus-based entity, Endorsement and Maintenance Advanced Illness Committee Advisory Group which considers endorsement of quality measures that address post-acute care and advanced illness.
Deirdre Harman
Quality Review Project Lead
Deirdre has a background in project management for public and private health care. Her background involves conducting quality improvement projects, such as facilitating the review of KanCare (Medicaid) contract compliance. Ms. Harman currently serves as Quality Review Project Lead, evaluating overall validity and reliability with methodology and findings regarding Managed Care Entities’ performance improvement projects. This includes reports submitted to state and federal agencies that assess quality, timeliness, and access to care to Medicaid members.
Angie Heiniger
Project Coordinator
Angie supports us, and our clients, as we execute various performance and quality review activities. She coordinates and supports projects for the Quality Review team and our new business development activities. Her skills in project support, facilitation and management ensure we meet or exceed the expectations of our customers.
Tara Jacobs
Executive Assistant
Tara brings a wealth of administrative expertise to her role as Executive Assistant to the CEO of KFMC. Over the last 20 years, she has honed her skills in office administration, contract management, and project coordination. Tara excels at workload management, prioritizing tasks to ensure efficient operations while maintaining open communication among team members and executives. Her background in both corporate and non-profit environments enhances her ability to streamline processes and improve efficiency. In her current position, Tara contributes significantly to office management, record keeping, and meeting planning, making her a vital asset to the organization.
John McNamee, Ph.D.
Senior Health Data Analyst
John has nearly 20 years of experience leading analytics for performance measure validation projects, external quality review surveys, and utilization review initiatives. In his current role as Senior Analyst, he leads analytic functions and support of health care quality improvement conducted in collaboration with healthcare providers and managed care plans, creation of monitoring tools and reports, and systematic analysis of application databases for relevant patterns and trends.
Brandy Meyer, RMA
Review Coordinator
Brandy is a Registered Medical Assistant and has a background working in emergency medicine. She ensures our clinical and peer reviewers have the tools they need to complete timely and accurate reviews. Her extensive experience has prepared her to play a vital role in receiving, organizing, and distributing medical records for review. She coordinates and supports peer reviewers for our Clinical Care Review team through scheduling, recruiting, and license and credentialing verification.
Elizabeth Nech, MA
Director of Quality Review
Bringing a diverse background in public health, cultural and medical anthropology to our customers, Beth currently serves as Director of Quality Review. Her background includes experience in community health, grant management, coalition development, health promotion and prevention, conducting quality review projects, program performance measurement, and academic research.
Bryan Nyp, CPA
Finance Consultant
Brian has more than 17 years in public accounting experience in not-for-profit, governmental audits, and internal control. He entered the accounting profession with Lowenthal Singleton Webb and Wilson P.A. in Lawrence, KS in May of 2003 and has worked for a variety of CPA firms in Northeast Kansas. In May of 2018 he founded a consulting practice Nyp CPA, LLC which has a concentration on correcting accounting issues and support of accounting functions with a variety of clients. He has a heavy focus on data and data flow as it relates to financial processes, budgeting, and reconciliation.
Ghazala Perveen, MBBS, PhD, MPH
Epidemiologist Consultant
Dr. Perveen has been trained in health and disease data analysis. She provides a variety of data analysis services that support public health, program measurement and evaluation activities. She has managed epidemiology, surveillance and evaluation of statewide public health programs and initiatives.
Vi Pham, MPH
Health Quality Data Analyst
Vi Pham brings over 10 years of experience in public health, with expertise in epidemiology, data analysis, and health surveillance. She currently serves as a Health Quality Data Analyst, providing advanced analytics and data visualization to support health care program evaluation and performance improvement. Vi’s work emphasizes data integrity and translates complex data into actionable insights that inform strategic decision-making and improve health outcomes.
Kara Ross, PhD
Health Data Analyst Consultant
Kara supports KFMC’s health data projects through statistical analysis, data quality assurance, and evaluation of program outcomes. She has expertise in agricultural economics, monitoring and evaluation, survey design, and data analysis. Her background includes academic research and applied project work focused on improving food security and reducing poverty and malnutrition in regions such as Ghana, Malawi, and Zambia. She has extensive experience designing surveys, managing large datasets, and translating research findings into actionable insights for partners and stakeholders.
Kasey Sorell, MBA, BSN, RN
EQRO Manager
Kasey Sorell is a Registered Nurse with extensive knowledge of Medicaid program operations, healthcare delivery, and quality evaluation. She holds an MBA and brings a strong blend of clinical insight and operational expertise for our customers. As EQRO Manager, Kasey is responsible for managing EQRO contract activities, including project implementation, staff leadership, and performance monitoring.
Michelle Spanier, RHIT, CCS, CCEP
Director of Review and Corporate Strategy & Compliance Officer
Michelle Spanier, RHIT, CCS, CCEP, is Director of Review and Corporate Strategy and Compliance Officer for KFMC Health Improvement Partners. She has more than 29 years of experience as a certified coder, utilization review manager, and compliance leader with expertise in external and peer review, utilization review, quality improvement, and regulatory oversight.
Michelle provides operational oversight of multidisciplinary review teams and subcontractors, manages workflows across state and private review programs, and oversees timelines, reporting, documentation, and internal controls to ensure high-quality performance and full regulatory alignment. As a Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional, she has extensive experience supporting Federal Compliance Programs, including oversight of adherence to Federal Acquisition Regulations and agency-specific requirements, monitoring subcontractor compliance, and maintaining accreditations, including URAC.
Michelle is a member of the American Health Information Management Association, the Kansas Health Information Management Association, the Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics, and the CMS Region 7 Fraud Working Group.
Kyle Tipton, MD
Medical Director
Dr. Tipton has been practicing in El Dorado as an internal medicine physician since 1993. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Tipton completed his undergraduate education at Kansas State University. He graduated from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and completed his Internal Medicine residency at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita. He has practiced his entire professional career in El Dorado. Dr. Tipton has been a KFMC peer reviewer since 1998 and a member of the Medicine Review Committee for the Kansas Board of Healing Arts since 1996.