Meet the Expert: Kitrina Bleifus

Jun 2 10:53am | Kristin Eggebraaten | @keggebraaten

We’re always excited to provide you with a behind-the-scenes look at our transplant team—especially the dedicated professionals you may not meet in person. One such role is that of our E-Health Assistants.

These team members work remotely and are often your point of contact through phone or online services. They play a vital role in supporting our patients by assisting with forms, coordinating insurance details, obtaining medical records, and keeping patient charts up to date.

Today, we’re highlighting Kitrina, one of our exceptional E-Health Assistants, who will help shed light on the importance of this role and the valuable contributions these team members make to our transplant program.

Describe the tasks of an E-Health assistant and your team’s role as part of the transplant team.

The Transplant E-Health Assistant role consists of a variety of tasks that are completed 100% remotely. We have formed respected relationships with the medical assistants, providers, and nurses to make sure our tasks are completed effectively and efficiently. Our main goals are to help alleviate the workload for clinical staff and assist the patient whenever possible. The Transplant E-Health Assistants tasks include but are not limited to:

  • Enrolling patients into Patient Assistance Programs for medications and assisting with medication prior authorizations
  • Assisting patients with FMLA and disability paperwork
  • Requesting outside materials from other healthcare facilities
  • Triaging incoming and outgoing faxes and patient messages (through the patient portal)
  • Entering labs into patients' charts.

What are some of the most rewarding aspects of working as an e-health assistant?

The most rewarding aspect of working as an E-Health Assistant is knowing that we are a part of making sure patients are getting the best care possible. We can take some of the stress away from patients as we help guide them through processes like disability, FMLA, and Patient Assistance Program paperwork and at the same time take care of this process so that providers and nurses can focus their work on medical concerns.

My specific task as an E-Heath Assistant is to assist with prior authorizations and appeals for medications and enroll patients into Patient Assistance Programs to help them afford their medications. For me, I find it rewarding when I am part of helping a patient receive medication at an affordable price and sometimes even for free!

What are some reasons patients would find themselves in need of your help?

Patients would find themselves in need of our help if their insurance is requiring prior authorization for their medications, if they are not able to afford a medication that they were prescribed, if their family member is in need of FMLA or they need to complete disability paperwork. They would also need our help if outside materials are needed to help with their transplant evaluation. We also have a few members on our team who enter outside lab values into our system, which in turn helps providers and nursing decide what kind of care and/or medications our patients are needing based on lab results.

Specifically in my role patients would find themselves in need of my help if they are prescribed a medication that is unaffordable.  I assist with prior authorizations and appeals to help patients get the insurance coverage they need. I also help patients enroll into Patient Assistance Programs that provide free medications to eligible patients.

What will patients and families find at Mayo Clinic that will give them the best  experience possible?

We understand that going through a transplant is a lot for both patients and their families, so we find it important to make sure that we are doing everything we can to help through the process. We are dedicated to putting the patient’s needs first and foremost and listening to find the best solution.

Is there anything else you would like patients to know about the Transplant e-health team?

We are dedicated to putting the patient first and helping ease any stress that we can. Even though you may not see us in person, it does not change the way we care about our patients and the amount of effort we put in to make sure patients are taken care of. I believe I speak for all my Transplant E-Health Team staff when I say that we truly enjoy what we do and are proud of our work and proud to work in the Transplant Department.

What do you enjoy doing on your time off from work?

I enjoy spending time with my five-year old daughter, going on bike rides and spending time outside. I also enjoy reading, puzzles, and making sourdough recipes.

HELPFUL LINKS

Interested in more newsfeed posts like this? Go to the Transplant blog.

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