Lori Zindl, President of OS Inc.
Company address: W237N2920 Woodgate Road, Pewaukee, WI
Website: www.os-healthcare.com
Industry: Healthcare – Revenue Cycle Management
Number of employees: 70
Family: Husband Scott and daughters Allison and Stephanie
What was the smartest thing your company did in the past year?
“We made a significant investment in developing efficientC, our own state-of-the art claim processing technology. Because efficientC has helped us increase revenue and reduce expenses for both our clients and our own company directly, it certainly is a differentiator for us in the marketplace.”
What’s new at your company?
“We are currently doing a bit of office restructuring. We want our work environment to be more collaborative and engaging for our staff. In fact, these latest changes stem from a recent employee survey we conducted. It feels good to institute real change and show our employees they have a voice in how we grow together as a company.”
Do you plan to hire any additional staff or make any significant capital investments in your company in the next year?
“Yes, definitely. Because we are committed to maintaining efficientC as the go-to technology for claim processing, it’s critical we invest in its continued evolution. And as we expand the number of hospitals and clinics we serve, we will also have to find the right people to fit our unique corporate culture.”
What will be your company’s main challenges in the next year?
“Simply put, we have to stay sharp. Technology and healthcare are always changing. Because we serve hospitals, and because we do so with our own recently developed technology, we truly play in both spheres. It’s a challenge we embrace.”
What’s the hottest trend in your industry?
“Change.I say that because 2012 brought a series of HIPAA-related administrative, claim and billing changes that many hospitals weren’t quite prepared to handle. It helped them open their eyes to their existing processes and question why they weren’t working as efficiently as they once believed. As such, progressive hospitals and clinics are now open to new technologies and solutions that are measurably superior to what had once been the status quo.”
Do you have a business mantra?
“Because I’m such a proponent of corporate wellness, I’ve long maintained that a happy and healthy workforce equals a productive workforce. I believe OS inc. is a testament to this philosophy.”
From a business standpoint, who do you look up to?
“My husband. He started his own business before I did. I remember early on wondering why he did it and thinking he could earn more money and have less headaches working for someone else. When he convinced me to start my own company, I finally understood. When you are passionate about your business, it’s not about the money and it’s not a headache – it’s just fun. And if you do it right – taking care of your clients and employees – profits tend to work out on their own.”
What was the best advice you ever received?
“You have to respect employees and clients in equal measure. Putting the needs of one above the other will doom them both.”
What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you in your career?
“Many years ago, we first ‘outsourced’ our patient statements to a vendor. Due to a programming glitch on the vendor’s part, the first batch of letters went out with the wrong hospital name. That was NOT funny. The funny part was it ended up being one of the best accidental collection tactics ever.All of the calls coming in– chances to talk to patients to straighten out their bill. Amazing how many people sent their check in saying, ‘I don’t know what this is for, but here is my payment!’”
What do you like to do in your free time?
“I like to have fun in my free time! We have many great friends and neighbors with very active social calendars. We are all big sports fans, so lucky to be in Wisconsin with great teams to follow. My daughters and I have taken some cooking classes out in Napa recently, but we still would much rather try a new restaurant in town over cooking a meal any day!”
