From the Desk of the President July 2024

As the Certified Medical Office Manager (CMOM) program celebrates its 25th anniversary, we delve into conversations with two seasoned professionals, Kiva Lenzy, CMOM, and Judelin Bonares, CMOM, to understand the significance of certification in their careers.  

This year (2024), Practice Management Institute (PMI) celebrates the 25th Anniversary of its Certified Medical Office Manager (CMOM) course and professional credential. Over the past several months, and over the next several, I have and will interview many CMOM professionals. I want to highlight their experience and thoughts to celebrate the credential and provide some perspective to those who are considering enrolling in the course.

Recently, I spoke with two Practice Advisors with Memorial Hermann Physician Network (MHMD) in Houston, TX. Memorial Hermann Health System is the largest not-for-profit health system in southeast Texas, with 17 hospitals, eight cancer centers, three heart and vascular institutes, and 27 sports medicine and rehabilitation centers, in addition to other outpatient and rehabilitation centers.

Kiva Lenzy, CMOM and Judelin Bonares, CMOM both obtained their credential in 2015. Kiva and Jude’s stories are very similar. Before sitting in a classroom, both were very accomplished Office Managers with many years of experience. Both also ran practices for Memorial Hermann Medical Group (MHMG) before joining MHMD as Practice Advisors.

Practice Advisors interact with the independent providers that make up MHMD. In this role they help some practices get established. Others they assist in an overwhelming chaotic world we all refer to as “Healthcare”. HIPAA, coding, reimbursement, contracts, regulations, and policies, just to mention a few. In many smaller practices the provider is the Office Manager as well. Most providers didn’t sign up for the administrative deluge that accompanies today’s environment. Kiva and Jude are great assets to all these offices.

Kiva and Jude were a bit skeptical when MHMG offered/required their managers to obtain the CMOM Certification. Both had worked in management for years and thought they knew all there was to know about the business of healthcare and running a medical practice. It was incredible to hear the praise they both had for their instructor and the CMOM curriculum. Here are some highlights:

• They both quickly realized what they had was only a “basic” understanding of how healthcare worked.
• CMOM provided a “deep dive” into Office Management. Not just theory, but practical application. “You were able to take what was learned in class today and take it back to the practice and implement immediately”.
• Both gained a sense of confidence. Basically, “I got this”. Enough so they felt empowered to take the lessons back to the practice and hold training for the rest of the team.
• Financial planning and budgeting were both incredibly advantageous. Most of these functions were being done by corporate, but having an understanding, we were able to impact our own practice.

Reflecting on their transformative experiences, Jude and Kiva offer words of encouragement for aspiring CMOM candidates. They stress the significance of investing in one's education and professional development, underscoring the long-term benefits of CMOM certification in navigating the complex landscape of healthcare management with confidence and competence.  

To “borrow” a line, both Kiva and Jude said, “just do it!"

David T. Womack  

President / CEO Practice Management Institute