Women in Medicine: Angie Howard
Angie Howard is vice president of Medical Advantage’s Practice Solutions Division, which includes all EHR consultants. She oversees their day-to-day operations as they help practices leverage technology better to improve operational efficiency, maintain compliance, and realize more revenue.
Angie first became interested in healthcare over 20 years ago when she was in college and worked in a cardiology department as a receptionist. After graduation, she was offered a management position. From there, she had an opportunity to participate as a superuser in an Epic implementation project. Since then, she has earned a reputation as an industry leader in EHR implementations, optimization, and consultation. She holds multiple EHR certifications, including Epic and eClinicalWorks.
When Angie joined Medical Advantage in 2015, the EHR consulting division was in its infancy. From the beginning, Angie has enjoyed both the pace and the people on this exciting career path.
“Throughout the years I think the one thing that has kept me invested is not only that every day is different, but that we really have people who care about their job,”
Angie Howard
She adds, “Our consultants care about their clients and we have leadership that supports that.”
Angie’s success can be attributed to a combination of EHR expertise and strong leadership skills – and her ability to adapt. She notes that the pace can be “hectic” with 10 –12-hour days.
She explains, “You’re constantly in different cities and towns and places, but at the end of the day, everybody just really enjoys their work, and they do a really good job.”
“We have to continuously do good work, so clients continue to come back to us; it’s just that pride in this team that they really, truly care about outcomes,” she adds.
However, aside from the fast pace, Angie and her team face additional challenges, including constantly changing healthcare regulations and evolving technology. Fortunately, Angie and her team can rely on one another for collaboration, collective learning, and open communication. She notes that she and her team also have to stay on top of bugs, upgrades, and commercial payer programs.
The feedback that Angie receives from clients confirms that her team is delivering highly valued “elbow-to-elbow support.”
According to Angie, “Clients tell us that our consultants earned their trust right away, which is huge in consulting because you’re not selling something tangible that you can hand them, you’re selling your knowledge.
“And when you can gain their trust, that’s when they come back and look to us for more services,” she adds.
Angie holds several certifications in healthcare process improvement from Michigan State University, and a Bachelor of Science from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. When she isn’t busy with her team at Medical Advantage, she keeps busy with her active family, which includes her husband and two sons – who participate in sports ranging from basketball to baseball and football. She is also an avid reader (at least one book a week!) and especially enjoys historical fiction.
