I’ve spent the last 13 years working as a consultant in employee benefits focusing on helping clients navigate the complexities of offering health and welfare benefits to their employees and families. I’ve gained experience in educating employees about one of the most important components of their benefit program – health insurance. Navigating plan choices, understanding terminology, choosing the right providers that are in-network – it’s all complex.
I’ve enjoyed my career tremendously with having the ability to educate individuals about these benefits and empowering them to make educated decisions about coverage that is right for their family. I didn’t realize how important the work I’ve been doing was until I faced my own tremendous healthcare needs. In 2019, I found out I was pregnant with Mono-Mono twins. A rare pregnancy that required a long hospital stay beginning at 24 weeks until delivery. At week 28, I gave birth to identical twin girls weight 2lb 5oz and 1lb 15oz. After a nearly 100 day NICU stay, the twins graduated the NICU and we settled in at home.
Up until that pregnancy, I thought I knew it all about health insurance and quite frankly, healthcare. But since having that experience I’ve learned it’s much more. I’ve learned how important preventing falls and infections are. It’s understanding quality and safety and what that truly means. It’s advocating for the care of yourself and your family members. It’s being a good consumer – am I choosing the right option from a quality and safety perspective and not just what is in network?
For several years I’ve been a member of the Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health – the regional leaders in Philadelphia for supporting Leapfrog. Through GPBCH I gained an understanding of Leapfrogs dedication to quality and safety as well as the tools and resources they offer employers and everyday consumers of healthcare. Joining the 2025 Bruce Bradley Leapfrog Fellowship has been an incredible experience to strengthen that understanding around quality of care.
In July, the fellows were provided the opportunity to visit with AdventHealth in Orlando, Florida. We gained knowledge into the strides they’ve made at a number of their facilities to improve their overall quality and safety and what steps they’ve taken to earn an A grade through the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. It was inspiring to speak to individuals who are passionate about providing quality care and impactful and positive care experiences to all of their patients.
My experience as a fellow has been instrumental in my ability to continue to expand on my capabilities as a benefits consultant, participate in supporting Leapfrog through GPBCH, and to continue to advocate for quality and safety of care for my now 6-year-old twins.
Click here to learn more about the Bruce Bradley Fellowship, a year-long education and training program for corporate-health professionals who want to take an active role in steering employees and their families to safer, higher-quality hospitals and health systems.