The Georgia Scroll will be spotlighting a long-time member
of HFMA in each Member Spotlight Issue who has made many
significant contributions to the organization during his or her
time of membership. Our first selection is Bobbie Jarrett who
will be retiring on June 27th after working in the healthcare
industry for thirty-five years. We want to highlight her career
and her many contributions to healthcare in Georgia.
When Bobbie married Jimmy Jarrett, "Georgia's most sought-after teenager," she pictured spending her life as a baseball wife, sitting around the pool. After all, Jimmy was pitcher for the Chattanooga Lookouts, a professional baseball team. She hand no idea at that time of the impact she would have on healthcare both nationally and in Georgia, nor of the many changes she would see during her careen
Bobbie Jarrett has been an active member and participant in the Healthcare Financial Management Association for the past 29 years. She has held many positions in the Chapter, including secretary, president-elect, and was Chapter president during the 1989-1990 year. She has also been on the Board of Directors and chaired HFMA patients accounts committee. She has served on the Advisory Council, HFMA National Publication and The Patients Accounts newsletter. She was voted the most valuable HFMA member in 1984. She served on the HFMA National Matrix, Patient Financial Services and Publication in 1990.
In addition to her work with HFMA, she has served on the Georgia Hospital Association Council on Financing Management. She is also a member of the Health Insurance Association of America (HIAA) and the Hospital Relation Committee, which published insurance claims audit guidelines.
Ms. Jarrett was the Director of Patient Financial Services at Kennestone Regional Health System from 1962 to 1993. She then held that same position at Promina Northwest Health System until 1995.
Currently she is the Regional Director of Patient Financial Services for the Promina Health System.
Ms. Jarrett states that one of the biggest changes she has seen in her career was the start of the Medicate program because of its lasting impact on provider reimbursement.
Ms. Jarrett also says that the consolidations and affiliations between healthcare providers that are currently taking place will continue to impact all aspects of healthcare. She believes everyone needs to be prepared to handle all of the changes that accompany these consolidations.
As successful as she has been, Ms. Jarrett is careful not to take credit for her accomplishments. She feels that she has had a "charmed" career, and credits her success to the people with whom she has surrounded herself. One person in particular she mentions is Glenn Black, who she claims made the difference in her involvement with HFMA. She says he was already an active member and he encouraged her to become involved.
| I’m basically a worrier. As I think about the
last 25 years of my career, I've worried about a lot of
things. While that's not a characteristic that I'm proud
of, it's unfortunately pretty obvious. One aspect of our
jobs that I haven't ever worried much about is Patient
Financial Services. There's a simple explanation for that
. . Bobbie Jarrett. Bobbie's one of those rare, once in a
career kind of people that enrich your life and others
around them. She's spent 35 years proving that difficult
assignments (and directing the patient financial services
function is one of the most challenging in our business)
can be accomplished with distinction. That's not flattery
- that's sincere appreciation. Bobbie's a very special
person. Glenn Black |
Ms. Jarrett feels very strongly about the opportunities for professional development within HFMA and believes that the members need to take advantage of them. She states that she wouldn't have been able to advance in her career without the exposure she had to the many educational topics offered at the workshops and institutes.
After her retirement, Ms. Jarrett plans on taking a well-deserved vacation for the entire summer spending time with her husband, three children and five grandchildren. She then plans to work in a consulting role, using her knowledge and experience to help hospitals and related organizations She still plans to attend some of the HFMA institutes and workshops.
We wish Ms. Jarrett a happy retirement and we thank her for her many years of service to Georgia HFMA.