A hospital is the embodiment of controlled chaos. Hundreds of patients, each with their own issue that needs observing. Diagnosing. Curing. Discharging. Charting. For hours on end, sometimes overnight. No two days are the same. This is the reality of healing.
Our clinicians are so good at taking care of us. But who takes care of them?
Behind every successful Sound Hospital Medicine or Emergency Medicine practice is a team of dedicated individuals tasked with program operations and the logistics behind patient care. Established in 2024, the newly minted Practice Management Team (PMT) reinvigorated Sound’s site administration strategy. Depending on its size, each program has a dedicated number of Practice Coordinators, Administrators, and Managers to oversee day-to-day operations.
The team has a truly national presence with over 100 PMTs in 88 programs across 29 states. Though they’re spread throughout the country, PMTs meet virtually to share data, review processes, and implement solutions to make their programs the best they can be. We spoke with members of the PMT from across the country to learn more about their role and how they support our clinicians and patients. Below, you’ll hear from:
| Stephanie Perry, Group Vice President of Operations for West Region Maya Tan, Practice Manager at AdventHealth Palm Coast and AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway in Florida Sophia Munoz, Practice Manager at St. Joseph’s Medical Center Stockton and St. Elizabeth Community Hospital Red Bluff in California Mitchell Lee, Practice Manager at PeaceHealth St. Joseph’s in Washington. Amanda Cantave, Practice Manager at Montefiore Nyack Hospital in New York | Cassie Freund, Practice Manager at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission and Lenexa City Center in Kansas Kelly Shepherd, Practice Coordinator at Good Samaritan Hospital in Washington Brittney Jones, Practice Manager at Good Samaritan Hospital in Washington Yashmin Kaur: Practice Coordinator at MultiCare Covington Medical Center in Washington |
What part of your work do you find most meaningful, and what keeps you inspired in a fast-paced environment?
Stephanie: I am blessed to have an incredible PMT. It is the people I have the privilege to partner with and lead that keep me inspired and navigating our complex health landscape. They work tirelessly day in and day out to help support physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) to create a seamless work environment that allows them more time to care for patients.
Maya: The ability to support the people who care for our patients is the most meaningful. Hospital medicine is fast‑paced, but watching our team work together with so much commitment keeps me inspired and reminds me why I love what I do.
Sophia: I always wanted to work in the medical field and help take care of people, but in college, I realized I did not enjoy clinical work at the bedside. Still wanting to find a way to help people, I learned about roles in medical administration that make an impact behind the scenes. Knowing my work still impacts the front lines inspires me to continue. I even get to enjoy encounters with patients via phone and in person.
Amanda: The most meaningful part of my work is knowing that the operational support I provide helps our providers focus on providing quality patient care. When schedules are organized, communication is clear, and issues are resolved quickly, our clinical teams do their jobs more effectively. In a fast-paced environment, what keeps me inspired is problem-solving, staying proactive, finding solutions quickly, and supporting the team so things continue to run smoothly.
What does a typical day or week look like in your role on the Practice Management Team?
Cassandra: My role changes on a day-to-day and week-to-week basis, with my usual tasks sprinkled in. The consistencies of scheduling, payroll, credentialing, and tracking site performance keep me grounded when the unexpected happens or a shift in the program is needed.
Amanda: A typical day in my role varies quite a bit depending on operational needs. Much of my time is spent supporting the hospitalist team. I also work closely with other departments to ensure that processes run smoothly and my providers have what they need. Each week can look different, but the focus is always on keeping operations organized and supporting the team effectively.
Yashmin: Every day is different, and that is what I like about my role! I don’t know what to expect when I walk in. Of course, I have a routine—take care of emails, attend meetings. But there may be a doctor who calls in sick, and it’s my responsibility to find last-minute coverage for them. Our providers work long weeks, and I have to be strategic about how I fill multiple shifts for the week.
How does your work support clinicians and improve patient care?
Stephanie: The Practice Management Team is the heartbeat of our programs, consistently beating and driving our teams forward. We support the clinician teams by managing and coordinating the people, programs, and processes that administratively support their work every day. Whether it’s building schedules, managing budgets, or being a shoulder to lean on, PMT members are problem solvers always willing to lean in wherever needed. If we are doing our job right, the clinicians should have a seamless work environment, allowing them to spend more time face-to-face with patients. It is a privilege to lead such an incredible group of leaders, innovators, and drivers!
Kelly: We take care of the behind-the-scenes administrative work such as clinician scheduling, onboarding, and keeping track of credentialing so they can focus on their patients.
Brittney: I support the people that take care of the patients. I make sure we are staffed appropriately to ensure clinicians aren’t rounding on an unsafe volume of patients. I make sure clinicians feel appreciated in ways that make sense for them (for our team, it’s keeping them fed). I review payroll to ensure they’re being paid appropriately and communicate with them in advance if there is anything they should expect.
Sophia: My work supports clinicians by creating a safe and positive environment for our team. The work our physicians do is not always easy. My coordinator and I make sure we celebrate everything, big and small. Sometimes I bring treats and host lunches. A small thing we do that makes a big impact is decorating our halls and team office for all holidays—New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, Easter, and more! The team expresses how nice it is to see the decorations and how they specifically come to the team office to complete their work because the vibe in the office is so positive.
Can you share a recent project or initiative you’re especially proud of?
Maya: Recently, we improved our provider scheduling and communication workflow. We streamlined the process for shift changes, cross‑coverage, and daily updates, which reduced confusion and last‑minute gaps. It helped our clinicians spend less time dealing with logistics and more time focused on patient care. Seeing how much smoother our days run now—and how much more supported the team feels—has been incredibly rewarding.
Mitchell: Partnering with the hospital’s Utilization Management (UM) department, we worked to quickly identify upgrade opportunities and reduce observation length of stay (LOS) hours, back and forth communication between clinicians and UM team, and unnecessary status changes. The project was successful, with marked reductions in unneeded communications and status changes and an LOS decrease from around 50 hours to less than 30 over a six-month period.
Amanda: One initiative I’m particularly proud of is strengthening communication and coordination across our hospitalist team and supporting departments. The environment is fast paced, so I’ve focused on being proactive with scheduling adjustments, documentation needs, and operational updates so that providers and leadership stay aligned. It’s rewarding to see how these efforts help reduce delays and keep things running smoothly for the team.
What advice would you give to someone considering a role on the Practice Management Team?
Mitchell: Being flexible is the most important thing. Healthcare is always changing so being able to adapt is key to success. Hospital priorities can change rapidly, and Sound provides a lot of tools to be prepared to meet their requests.
Cassandra: Working as a PMT is rewarding and an excellent way to be involved in the healthcare field! If you enjoy working closely with physicians and playing an important role in their day-to-day operations, it’s perfect. Stay organized, ask questions, utilize your PMT co-workers, and chances are, someone, somewhere, has created the exact Excel spreadsheet you’re looking for and will allow you to use it for your site!
Stephanie: If you enjoy a fast-paced environment where every day is unique, then Practice Management is for you. Operations have their hand in multiple areas and are seen as the go-to problem solvers for anything and everything. It is rewarding to be seen as the problem solver of the team.
Amanda: I would encourage someone to approach the role with a strong sense of teamwork and adaptability. The Practice Management Team plays an important role in supporting providers and ensuring operations run efficiently. Being proactive, staying organized, and maintaining clear communication with providers and leadership are essential.
Does this sound like a role for you?
Our PMTs are invaluable to our mission. Their work empowers clinicians, strengthens partnerships, and supports patient care. They are the true embodiment of what it means to be a care catalyst. Interested in exploring PMT roles with Sound? Check out open roles: https://careers.soundphysicians.com/