Coming from a billing background in the healthcare industry, Jeannie Saunders first joined Spectrum Health Systems in 2016. She had been unsatisfied with her previous position and a friend that worked at Spectrum had encouraged her to apply. Jeannie followed the recommendation, and the next thing she knew, she was starting at Spectrum as a Collections Coordinator. Looking back, she’s glad she made the change. “It’s the best place I’ve ever worked,” she said simply.
In her time at Spectrum, Jeannie has worked on all aspects of the billing cycle process. Now a Revenue Cycle Specialist, she feels bittersweet about her coming retirement in May. “I hate the thought of leaving,” she said. “I feel like it’s my baby.”
Bringing Experience to the Spectrum Team
What makes Jeannie such an exceptional employee is not only the experience and expertise she brings to the Spectrum team, but also the fact that she once left before (quickly) returning to the organization. Sometimes referred to as “boomerang employees,” workers like Jeannie are widely considered to be beneficial hires because of the familiarity and understanding they bring (back) to the team.
When Jeannie left Spectrum, it was three years after she’d initially begun there. She accepted a position at an organization that was closer to her home, feeling that a shorter commute would better accommodate the work-life balance that she sought. Soon after, though, the COVID-19 pandemic began, and many employees started working from home.
Like Coming Back Home
Meanwhile, Jeannie was left feeling like something was missing from her new job. “It didn’t have the same management and support,” she said. She found that she missed the close-knit culture that Spectrum provided, and just two short months after leaving, she came back. When she returned to Spectrum, work-from-home structures had been put in place, so she ultimately found the shortened commute she was looking for when she left.
As she thinks back on her years with Spectrum, Jeannie feels gratified by the times she’s assisted clients with their billing issues and takes pride in the skills she’s developed at diagnosing and correcting problems that arise in the revenue cycle. She’s also glad to see that the stigma surrounding addiction has continued to fade over the last few years. “It could happen to anybody,” she said. “It’s just about having the compassion to meet people where they are and help them move forward.”
Making a Difference
She’s helped and spoken with many of Spectrum’s clients over the years, and she’s glad to have assisted so many people on their way to long-term recovery. Working for an organization that affects positive change holds real value for her. “You feel like you’re contributing to something that matters,” she said. “You know the work you’re doing is making a difference in peoples’ lives.”
For information about working at Spectrum Health Systems and available job opportunities, visit the careers page on our website.
