CHRISTELL ELLIS

Chicago, IL 60611 cellis0730@yahoo.com 312-643-0084(H)

HEALTH LAW PROFESSIONAL

Regulation and Compliance ~ Healthcare Business Strategist~ In-House Counsel
Accomplished legal and healthcare professional with over a decade of in-depth experience concerning regulation and compliance, litigation, and healthcare policy development. Quick-study skilled in handling multiple projects simultaneously, thriving in a fast-paced and multi-faceted environment. Seasoned public speaker with exceptional organizational and management skills offering guidance and subject matter expertise for high-performing teams. Regulatory Compliance Litigation Conflict Resolution Strategic Planning Policy Development Training/Development Cost/Benefit Analysis Presentations P&L Reporting Client Relations Business Development

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Northwestern Memorial Hospital Chicago, IL 2009-2010 One of the premier, non-profit academic medical centers in the country with over 5000+ employees and state-of the art medical facilities. Student Extern, Office of the General Counsel and Physician Services Dept. Led research and review efforts for implementation of policy and procedural changes relating to physician referrals and other physician-related documentation. Advanced professional relationships with non-profit vendors and clients of Northwestern Memorial Hospital through needs assessment, issue troubleshooting, and superior customer service. Amended the Business Associates Agreement to reflect changes in the security and privacy rules of HIPAA and private health information (PHI) under the HITECH Act. Researched and complied information for preparation of the Recovery Audit Contractors (RAC), ensuring hospital was in compliance with current regulations and that no overpayments were made from the organizations Medicare billing practices. Revamped the hospitals physician referral agreement to adjust and accommodate for long patient wait times. Recommendations resulted in re-allocation of resources to shorten patient-waiting times and make hospital admittance and patient referral more efficient. Investigated miscellaneous matters relating to ethics and physician practice, compliance with other regulatory matters, Medicare reimbursements, and impact of the Affordable Care Act on overall care efficiency. MedSpa Womans Healthcare/Angels Touch Spa Michigan City, IN 2004-2009 Full service OB/GYN medical clinic and medical spa offering physician care and nursing services on the medical side and laser hair removal, pedicures, massages, and other health and wellness treatments on the spa side. Vice President of Operations Spearheaded inception, growth, and development of 8500 sq. ft medical clinic and spa facility, catering mainly to female clientele. Played active role in daily operations of the business including marketing, leasing of medical equipment, negotiating vendor contracts, HR administration, and accreditation from various insurance providers. Guided growth of two successful start-up businesses, including development of business plans, instituting innovative marketing campaigns, and presentation of business offering for prospective clients. Successfully drove business growth and profit performance while minimizing risk and assuring compliance. Established best practices for sustained growth, developed policies and processes for integration of patient records and billing information, and managed company-wide financials and budgets.

Continued

CHRISTELL ELLIS
Page Two cellis0730@yahoo.com 312-643-0084(H) Lake County Prosecutors Office/Huelat & Gardner/Baker & Daniels/Kopka, Pinkus & Dolan Rotational litigation experience through several private and public sector law firms throughout the state of Indiana. 2000-2004

Supplied legal and project management expertise necessary to serve client needs and positively contribute to financial success of the practice(s) Conducted legal research and devised exceptional legal strategies for complex and/or sensitive client issues. Drafted legal documents while overseeing document recording and proper filing procedures with local and state court systems. Resolved conflicts proactively including civil litigation and court pleadings involving motions for summary, default judgments, and settlement offers. Instrumental in preparing and trying various criminal court cases within the Lake County Prosecutors Office.

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

Master of Laws (LL.M) in Health Law Loyola University School of Law, Beazely Institute of Health Law Chicago, Illinois Juris Doctor American University Washington, D.C. Master of Business Administration DePaul University-Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Arts Northwestern University- Evanston, Illinois

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
Indiana State Bar Association Reciprocity with State of Illinois Bar Association

ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS

LaPorte Service League Superior Family Health Services Stepping Stone Abused Womens Shelter Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys