Detailed Study Notes from Live Session with Matt Sausa

Guest Introduction

  • Matt Sausa, experienced nurse informatic and executive nurse informatic at Cigna Healthcare

  • Overview on his role

    • Market clinical lead for South Florida

    • Responsibility starts with disease management program using systems like iCMS and HealthyView

    • Collects information from claims and predictive modeling

Overview of Cigna Healthcare

  • Industry context and role in insurance

    • Cigna is a large insurance company

    • Administers services to clients who pay for these services

    • Ensures patients are receiving preventive care, managing conditions, and claims are paid

  • Systems used:

    • Utilizes platforms like Cerner to collect claims information

    • Disease management programs and HealthEview platform for connecting health coaches and clients

Matt’s Career Journey

  • History at Cigna

    • 15 years with Cigna

    • Started in disease management program and evolved into a clinical consultant role

  • Transition from a familiar role to a challenging one

    • Initially thought he understood everything, faced difficulties switching roles

    • Emphasis on continuous learning and adapting to new responsibilities

Key Responsibilities and Skills

  • Brief on responsibilities in current role

    • Work with patient data, ER visits, and actionable reports

    • Coordination with analysts to understand disease types and ER visits

  • Importance of data skills in healthcare

    • Understand health data to propose strategies for client wellness and effective communication with teams

    • Critical to transform data into actionable steps and convey findings effectively

Learning and Adapting in New Roles

  • Key themes of self-awareness

    • Understanding you may not know everything and seeking further education/training

    • Importance of continuous feedback and communication with managers about training needs

  • Adaptability is essential for success in roles

    • Need to remain open to feedback and willing to learn new systems

Professional Growth and Contribution

  • Becoming a valuable team member by taking additional responsibilities

    • Importance of not just completing assigned tasks but actively engaging in projects

    • Makes oneself indispensable to the organization

Mentoring and Helping Others

  • Matt’s role as a mentor within the company

    • Guides individuals in lower bands about satisfaction in their roles and finding growth opportunities

  • Engagement with various roles within the organization

    • Understanding different roles and challenges helps foster a conducive learning environment across teams

Technical Communication Skills

  • Challenges in communication within teamwork

    • Importance of using "we" instead of "I" to foster a team spirit

    • Need to address feedback constructively and improve interpersonal dynamics within teams

Ongoing Education and Career Development

  • Emphasis on continued education and certifications

    • Essential for climbing the professional ladder and adjusting to healthcare innovations

  • Reflecting on the value of experiences over years and how they contribute to overall professional development

Lessons Learned and Reflections on Career Path

  • Personal journey in nursing and informatics

    • Overcoming language barriers and challenges in entering the workforce

    • Importance of following one's passion and finding satisfaction in career choices

  • Engaging with evolving healthcare systems keeps work interesting and rewarding

Conclusion

  • Importance of resilience and continuous learning as healthcare continues to change

  • Acknowledgment of the value of feedback and adaptation

  • Taking pride in career progress and celebrating milestones

  • Audience engagement and Q&A reflections, sharing of personal challenges and overcoming those

Q&A Session Highlights

  • Matt's enjoyment and the rewarding aspects of being an informaticist

  • Challenges of constant updates and change in healthcare

  • Valuable moments and achievements reflecting growth in his role

  • Emphasis on communication practices and building teamwork