Experienced Physician, ACEP Board Member, and Dedicated Advocate for Fair Physician Reimbursement Will Further Enhance Ventra’s Emergency Medicine Capabilities
DALLAS – July 16, 2024 – Ventra Health (“Ventra”), a leading business solutions provider for facility-based physicians, announced today that it has appointed James L. Shoemaker, Jr, MD FACEP, as a Strategic Advisor for Emergency Medicine, focused on reimbursement advocacy. Dr. Shoemaker joins a team led by Darshan Patel, a respected Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) executive.
Steven Huddleston, CEO of Ventra, said, “I am delighted to welcome Dr. Shoemaker to Ventra as we continue to invest in Emergency Medicine and deliver white-glove service to our clients. Emergency physicians face continuous pressures as costs rise and payment structures are redefined. His advocacy for fair compensation will help ensure that physician voices are amplified when both governmental and third-party payers enact future reimbursement guidelines.”
A distinguished Emergency Medicine physician, Dr. Shoemaker has more than 25 years of clinical experience. He is also a well-known government advisor who has spent decades shaping physician reimbursement policy and legislation at both the Federal and state levels. He currently serves as Director of Quality at Elite Emergency Physicians, Inc. in Elkhart, Indiana and will continue to practice medicine alongside his new role at Ventra.
Dr. Shoemaker is on the board of American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), a leading advocate for Emergency physicians, their patients, and the public, where he also serves as a fellow and Vice President of Membership. In 2019, he was selected as one of the inaugural David McKenzie ACEP reimbursement fellows, an honor that allowed him to complete an 18-month in-depth program covering all aspects of reimbursement from the micro to the macro level. In addition, he is an appointed member of the RUC (The American Medical Association Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update) committee of CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services), which works to help set Medicare reimbursement rates for physicians. He holds an MD in allopathic medicine from Indiana University Indianapolis and completed his residency training in Emergency Medicine at Western Michigan University.
“This is a time of enormous disruption in the medical payments industry, and Ventra understands that only when doctors feel whole and supported can they continue to provide the excellent care that patients and communities expect and deserve,” commented Dr. Shoemaker. “I believe in Ventra’s vision of partnering with physicians to solve complex business issues while delivering exceptional client service, and I am eager to contribute to the strong team culture.”
Mr. Huddleston continued, “In addition to his commendable advocacy work, Dr. Shoemaker has led efforts to help educate his colleagues – both established physicians and new residents – on the nuances of reimbursement and importance of accurate documentation. His insistence that ‘knowledge is power’ helps doctors build thriving practices, and his insights will be a vital bridge to our physician partners.”
Ventra, which supports more than 300 Emergency Medicine locations across 35 states, is a portfolio company of Varsity Healthcare Partners, a leading healthcare-focused private equity firm.
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About Ventra Health
Ventra is a leading business solutions provider for facility-based physicians practicing Anesthesia, Emergency Medicine, Hospital Medicine, Radiology, and Pathology. Focused on Revenue Cycle Management and Advisory services, Ventra partners with private practices, hospitals, health systems, and ambulatory surgery centers to deliver transparent and data-driven solutions that solve the most complex revenue and reimbursement issues, enabling clinicians to focus on providing outstanding care to their patients and communities.
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Jenifer Bush
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Ventra Health
Jenifer.Bush@VentraHealth.com
