For so many people, healthcare doesn’t begin in an exam room - it begins with anxiety.
From the very first phone call, patients are often navigating fear, uncertainty, and vulnerability. They may be worried about a diagnosis, concerned about cost, or simply unsure of what to expect. In those moments, the tone of a voice on the phone or the warmth of a greeting at the front desk can shape their entire perception of care. FULL STOP.
Healthcare is both a calling and a business. And while we don’t like to think of it in business terms, the reality is that patient experience matters deeply- not just for the practice’s success, but for outcomes, trust, and emotional well-being. A rushed scheduler, a dismissive receptionist, or confusing communication can heighten stress. On the other hand, compassionate interaction can lower defenses and build confidence before a provider ever walks into the room.
Exceptional care is never delivered by one person alone. It’s delivered by a team.
- The call center representative, who listens patiently and explains next steps clearly.
- The front desk staff member, who greets patients by name and makes them feel seen.
- The medical assistant who offers reassurance while taking vitals.
- The billing specialist who explains charges with empathy instead of indifference.
- And yes, the provider who diagnoses and treats.
Every touchpoint matters. Every role contributes. Every interaction has the power to either increase fear or restore calm.
When the right people are in the right roles (people who understand that healthcare is as much about human connection as it is about clinical expertise), the experience becomes something transformative rather than traumatic.
Several years ago, Practice Management Institute (PMI), in partnership with Washington County Community College developed the Patient Services Representative (PSR) Certificate Program. The program was created to provide transitional skills pathways for Maine workers seeking meaningful employment in the healthcare industry, as well as for individuals currently working in or pursuing a front desk or launch-pad role within a medical practice or other healthcare setting.
Its goal is to deliver comprehensive exposure to, and an understanding of the many subject areas encountered throughout a typical healthcare workday.
The PSR Level curriculum covers foundational topics including the basics of healthcare, medical office receptionist skills, medical practice front desk success, optimizing the patient experience, government oversight, regulations, compliance, and includes the PMI Medical Front Office Skills Certificate program. Furthermore, the curriculum expands on the overview of healthcare as an entity, and includes insurance basics, Medicare Part A reimbursement guidelines, medical office accounting and finance, medical terminology, an introduction to medical coding, HIPAA and OSHA compliance, and personal development. Together, these modules provide a well-rounded education designed to prepare learners for success in a healthcare office environment.
Now offered nationwide, the PMI PSR Certificate program is widely recognized as one of the most comprehensive and progressive training series available. It is specifically designed to guide individuals new to medical office administration from beginner-level knowledge through advanced-level competency, preparing them for success in today’s dynamic healthcare environment.
Enter Katie Kratka.
Katie’s story begins long before she ever held a job title in healthcare.
She was just ten years old, maybe younger, when she first became a caregiver. A family member had been diagnosed with depression and the illness lingered, part of a family history of mental health struggles that stretched back generations. Childhood, for Katie, came with responsibility. She grew up quickly, learning how to read moods, anticipate needs, and step in when someone was hurting. Caring for others wasn’t something she chose-it was something that shaped her.
In 2005, after graduating high school, Katie followed that instinct into massage therapy school. Healing through touch felt natural, but once she completed the program, something inside her still felt unsettled. She needed more. Someone suggested she pursue CNA training before becoming a registered nurse, to gain hands-on experience. It felt like the right step- after all, her mother had once worked as a CNA.
Katie worked as a CNA in nursing homes, in the emergency department, and even in her local high school. She thrived in the pace and purpose of healthcare and began taking prerequisite classes for nursing. But life had other plans. Shortly after she started school, her grandfather suffered a stroke. Without hesitation, she left her studies to become his full-time caregiver. She stayed by his side until he passed away in 2010.
By then, Katie had hit caregiver burnout. Years of pouring herself into others had left her drained. She needed a change of pace, something that still allowed her to heal, but perhaps differently. She returned to massage therapy and became a licensed massage therapist, working on and off for more than 12 years. During COVID, she stepped away and even ran a commercial cleaning business in medical buildings for six years. As she grew older, she began to see the need for financial stability for her family and a routine paycheck, something steady.
And the desire to help never left her.
Katie applied to local hospitals, hoping to transition into a different kind of healthcare role- one less physically demanding, but still meaningful. Repeatedly, she was turned away. The feedback was always the same: not enough office experience.
Unsure where to begin, she visited the CareerCenter in Hinckley, Maine. Searching online for programs and training, she came across the Patient Services Representative training offered through Washington County Community College and Practice Management Institute. The program was free, supported by the Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce.
At first, she admits, it felt “a little hokey.” The books arrived quickly, and she wondered if it was too good to be true. But living near the Alfond Youth & Community Center in Waterville, she knew the Alfond name and their legacy of generosity. She decided to trust the opportunity- and herself.
The program reignited her confidence.
With nearly 20 years of healthcare experience as a CNA, chiropractic assistant, ED tech, massage therapist, and most recently a certified Personal Support Specialist, Katie found that the coursework both refreshed and expanded her knowledge. Insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid systems became clearer. Medical terminology, even terms she had never encountered before, was broken down with visuals and diagrams that suited her hands-on learning style. HIPAA training served as a valuable refresher. Customer service principles felt like coming home. But perhaps the most meaningful lesson wasn’t technical.
Katie has long described herself as a “fixer”- someone who sees a problem and immediately wants to solve it. The program reminded her that sometimes patients don’t need solutions. They need to be heard. An empathetic ear can be just as powerful as any treatment. A kind voice can relieve stress, even when illness cannot be cured.
Having leveraged her experience and PSR training, Katie was recently hired as a Patient Services Representative in the Orthopedics Department at MaineGeneral Health, where she currently fields calls, routes concerns to providers, and schedules and confirms appointments. “It may sound simple, but when your office receives nearly 60,000 calls in six months, the responsibility is anything but small.” She understands that the voice on the other end of the line may belong to someone scared, frustrated, or in pain.
To her, phone etiquette is as important as face-to-face interaction. “We are the business card for the community,” she says. The way patients are treated matters. It sets the tone for their entire experience. She lives by the Golden Rule: treat everyone the way you would want to be treated.
Katie believes deeply in patient experience because she understands what it feels like to need help. We are all patients at some point-physically, emotionally, mentally. When we are vulnerable, we don’t want to feel like a number or a burden. We want kindness. Patience. Compassion. Sometimes, the Patient Services Representative is the only friendly voice someone will hear all day.
Healthcare is in Katie’s heart. She knows she will always be part of it. One of the things she loves about MaineGeneral Health is the opportunity to grow, to move within the organization, and to learn new skills. When asked where she sees herself in five years, she smiles and says, “Here. With my five-year pin.”
And perhaps teaching? Once she hesitated at the thought. Now, she says, “Why not?” If she could complete this program and reinvent herself again, she can continue to grow and maybe even guide others. Experience is a great teacher.
Katie knows she would not have been able to take this training if it hadn’t been offered free to the community. She thinks of the CNAs, nurses, Patient Support Specialists, kitchen staff, janitors-so many people in healthcare who are burned out but still want to serve. This program offers a bridge, a new direction without abandoning a calling.
For Katie, the Patient Services Representative Certificate program was more than a course. It was an answer to a prayer. And as she answers the phone each day, she carries with her the little girl who learned to care for others early in life only now, she does so with training, confidence, and a steady belief that even the smallest kindness can change someone’s day.
Like other organizations which have great pride in the power of a product, PMI is thrilled to weave our PSR program into a story that tells not only about its content, but about its power in tapping into someone’s passion and providing a pathway toward success.
In the end, the exceptional patient experience isn’t an option- it’s a necessity. It’s foundational. It starts long before the care is received and lasts long after the visit. It’s Katie Kratka.
We need more Katie Kratka’s.
Congratulations Katie! From all of us here at PMI!