Comprised of MBA’s, Certified Medical Practice Executives, Information System Technologists, Nationally Certified Coders and Certified Compliance Staff, MedaPhase has skilled individuals who have much healthcare business experience in a comprehensive set of fields.

Chief Executive Officer:
W. Rick White, MBA, FACMPE. With over 20 years of management experience, Mr. Rick White has a broad background in healthcare business functions. A former Executive Director of several large multi-specialty medical clinics, he has experience in financial management, managed care, operations, human resources, and information systems. Mr. White has facilitated practice start-ups, mergers, and acquisitions. He holds a BBA from North Texas and a Master of Business Administration from Texas A&M Commerce. He is a member of MGMA and a Fellow in ACMPE. He is also a member of HFMA.

Director of Accounting:
Forrest Smith, MBA, FHFMA. Mr. Forrest Smith has over 25 years of healthcare experience, including 10 years as a military healthcare comptroller and more than 15 years with acute care hospitals, physician practices, and research organizations. Mr. Smith graduated first in his ROTC class at Arkansas Tech University, earning a BS in Accounting. He received his Master of Business Administration from Trinity University. Mr. Smith is a recipient of the Legion of Merit award and is a Fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). He is a former Delegate for Division III B of the Texas Hospital Association and the former Secretary and Treasurer of the Coastal Bend Area Council of Hospitals.

Acting Director of Coding:
Lynne Kottman, CCP, CHBME. Ms. Kottman is a member of the Healthcare Business Management Association Ethics and Compliance Committee. As a member of that committee, she worked with the H.C.F.A./D.O.J. liaison to help develop and refine the Model Billing Company Compliance Plan. She also serves as member of the Board of Directors for the Emergency Department Practice Management Association.

Director of Operations:
Carlos R. Flores. Mr. Flores has more than 20 years of highly diversified experience in the healthcare industry. He has extensive healthcare management operations expertise derived from a long term association with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Texas. He managed various operational business units in the Medicare Division and his operational responsibility included ongoing interaction with CMS, Information Systems, and Management staff in integrating regulatory changes for the Medicare contract in Texas. Mr. Flores has also served as a partner in a Dallas based medical management consulting firm providing services to medical schools, hospitals, clinics, physicians, billing services, and software companies. He has been Vice President of Sales and Marketing for a national healthcare information management company specializing in coding, transcription, and software focused in Emergency Medicine. As Associate Director with UTMed Financial Services, he was responsible for accounts receivable and coding and reimbursement support for the Practice Plan at UTMB Galveston. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University @ Commerce with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree.

Director of Human Resources:
Maureen J. Niestroy. Ms. Niestroy manages all employee issues and benefits. She is responsible for reviewing and revising personnel policies and procedures where needed and creating new ones if necessary. Ms. Niestroy evaluates changing demographics, technical developments, and compliance with regulatory and legal requirements to ensure the department conforms to established guidelines and goals. She maintains strict confidentiality in regards to employee compensation, benefits, and disciplinary actions and provides management assistance to all supervisory personnel as needed. Ms. Niestroy has a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio and has over fifteen years management experience with the last five being in the medical field.

Director of Information Systems:
Steven L. Erhardt. The Director of Information Systems for the Kitty Hawk office, Mr. Steve has been at this location since his retirement from the USAF in 1994. He is in charge of management, maintenance, operations, and implementation of all computer, software, and telephone systems for the Kitty Hawk office. He conducts complex analyses, designs customer requested reports, and implements all interfaces with clients, their hospitals, and support people. He is also the security manager for all access to data and systems within. Mr. Erhardt has a Masters Degree in Computer Science from the University of Virginia, and he has worked as systems manager, analyst, and computer programmer for over 30 years.

Medical Director, Legislative Advocate:
Robert W. Kottman, MD, FACEP. Dr. Kottman has worked full-time as an emergency department physician in San Antonio since 1977. Dr. Kottman has previously served as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Emergency Dept. of a five-hospital system. He has served as a member of the ACEP Coding and Nomenclature Advisory Committee and as a member of the ACEP Reimbursement Committee. He is a member of the Texas College of Emergency Physicians, has served on the Board of Directors of TCEP, and was at one time Chairman of the TCEP Reimbursement and Practice Management Committee. Currently, he is the Vice-Chairman of the TCEP Government Affairs Committee. He has been involved in direction of EMS systems for over 20 years. He is a member of the TMA Council on Socioeconomics and a Delegate to the House of Delegates of the TMA. Dr. Kottman is Secretary of and serves on the Board of Directors for the Bexar County Medical Society. He serves as a member of the Texas Medicaid Physician Advisory Committee and Regional Advisory Committee. Dr. Kottman provides expert advice, physician medical records documentation training and is involved in the development and writing of educational materials for coders and physicians.

Corporate Compliance Officer, HIPAA Privacy Officer, Legislative Advocate:
Lynne Kottman, CCP, CHBME. Ms. Kottman is a member of the Healthcare Business Management Association Ethics and Compliance Committee. As a member of that committee, she worked with the H.C.F.A./D.O.J. liaison to help develop and refine the Model Billing Company Compliance Plan. She also serves as member of the Board of Directors for the Emergency Department Practice Management Association.

MedaPhase, Inc. service lines are designed to assist providers in managing administrative, clinical, financial, and operational information. We specialize in assisting clients with many services in the realm of healthcare consulting, including: application hosting, accounting, accounts payable, payroll, accounts receivable management, billing and collections, reimbursement analysis, medical coding, professional coding, documentation audits, physician in-service, physician management, physician fee analysis, physician billing, (doctor office billing), physician documentation, physician audits, credentialing applications, group practice formation, managed care contract review and negotiations, practice assessments, hospital contract negotiation, compliance plans, project management, and fast track / urgent care start-up.