Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has achieved recognition as an Adopter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s PATIENT FINANCIAL COMMUNICATIONS BEST PRACTICES®. As a Best Practices Adopter, Nicklaus Children’s demonstrated that it follows nearly 100 best practices covering all aspects of financial interactions that take place in a variety of care settings.

Dawn Javersack, Senior Vice President and CFO of Nicklaus Children’s Health System, said, “When a child is receiving medical care, patient families want the financial component to be clear cut and easy to understand so that they can focus on their child’s needs. Nicklaus Children’s is committed to ensuring that patients are treated with respect and compassion in financial matters. This recognition confirms this commitment.”

“When people are dealing with health issues, they should be focusing on their health, not trying to decipher confusing financial information,” said HFMA president and CEO Joseph J. Fifer, FHFMA, CPA, in learning of the award. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to ensuring that patients have a good experience when it comes to the financial aspects of their care.”

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital joins a select group of hospitals, health systems, and physician practices that have received this first-of-its-kind, national recognition. A blue-ribbon task force developed these best practices to help improve communication between healthcare providers and consumers about financial matters. The task force included representatives from major industry groups, including the American Hospital Association, America’s Health Insurance Plans, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the National Patient Advocate Foundation, among others. The best practices are part of HFMA’s HEALTHCARE DOLLARS & SENSE® initiative.