Senior Healthcare Leaders Launch Newpoint Healthcare Advisors

DENVER, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Veteran healthcare industry consultants Carol J. Geffner, Ph.D., Barbara Ladon, and Joseph R. Lupica today announced the launch of Newpoint Healthcare Advisors, LLC, an independent advisory firm focused exclusively on the healthcare industry. Newpoint's three founders will lead an initial team of a dozen healthcare experts who have worked with health systems, physician groups, public and private health plans, not-for-profit hospitals, government organizations, and universities. The firm includes two physicians, along with former hospital, health system and government officials.  

Newpoint offers a suite of services to help healthcare organizations grow, improve their quality and performance, satisfy their patients, and build long-term value for the communities they serve. 

The firm's professionals have transformed organizations by applying core competencies in managed care, strategic alignment and mergers, performance improvement, clinical value enhancement, patient satisfaction and executive coaching.

Lupica, chairman of the company, described Newpoint's distinctive approach to the services offered by the firm's strategic alignment group. "Industry pundits are wearing out the intimidating phrase, 'today's risky healthcare environment.' It's one of those flavors of the week that spreads a panic that can push independent hospitals into ill-considered sales or mergers. It doesn't have to be that way," said Lupica, a well-respected advisor to not-for-profit and government hospitals and systems. 

"Yes, the environment is rapidly changing, but we think rapid change presents opportunities as never before. This is no time for local hospital boards and county officials to run for the exits. We aim to replace that panic with confidence by showing clients how to capitalize on the latest provider and payer alignment models, regionalizing technologies, and better overall collaboration for the sake of community health," he said.

Geffner, Newpoint's president and a well-regarded expert in strategy implementation, organizational transformation and business process improvement, said, "Hospital and community leaders know their own health systems and markets better than any consultant can, but they often want to complement their knowledge with an outside perspective and judgment that can only be built over years of working with hospitals, payers and communities across the country."

"A common thread throughout the services we provide is our focus on forming a thought partnership with our clients and identifying strategies that achieve lasting and measurable results," said Ladon, who has spent more than 30 years leading business and governmental units that manage, fund or provide healthcare services and will serve as managing director of the new firm. 

In addition to their years of advisory experience, Newpoint's principals and consultants have held executive leadership positions with hospitals and healthcare organizations.

• Carol J. Geffner, Ph.D., president. Geffner has decades of experience advising and transforming healthcare organizations, including integrated delivery systems, healthcare technology companies, governmental agencies, insurance firms, nonprofit organizations, public policy institutions and multidisciplinary medical practices. The former co-founder and chief executive officer of national healthcare management consulting firm ArpegioHealth, LLC, Geffner specializes in strategy development and execution, organizational transformation, major systems implementation and business process improvement. Previously, Geffner was CEO for a revenue cycle management company, COO for a national bariatric healthcare company, and President, Shared Services, for a $2 billion national media company. She earned a B.A. from University of Toronto, a master's degree in public administration from the University of Southern California and a Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University.
• Barbara Ladon, managing director. Ladon has dedicated her career to providing strategic planning, business support and policy development expertise to local, regional and national health plans, hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers and post-acute care facilities. Also a former co-founder and chief operating officer of ArpegioHealth, Ladon specializes in health insurance reform, publicly funded programs, health insurance exchanges and Accountable Care Organizations. Ladon previously directed the Children's Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) for the state of Colorado, which provides managed care coverage for more than 50,000 lives. As Vice-President, Government Programs at United Healthcare, she developed integrated care solutions focused especially on rural and underserved communities. Barbara received her B.A. from George Washington University and a master's degree in urban planning from the University of Virginia.
• Joseph R. Lupica, chairman. A former investment banking executive with Kidder Peabody and Goldman Sachs, Lupica applies an award-winning community objectives process to help not-for-profit and municipal hospitals and systems explore and execute strategic alternatives to strengthen their financial position and service excellence through regional affiliations, physician alignment, mergers, and, when appropriate, advising clients to reject merger proposals and remain independent. Lupica co-founded Newpoint after seven successful years as president of national healthcare advisory firm Stroudwater Capital. Newpoint and Stroudwater have formed a collaborative channel partner relationship to offer expanded service to their respective clients. President Reagan appointed Lupica as Special Assistant for Intergovernmental Affairs on the White House staff and as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He earned his J.D. and B.A., cum laude, from Cornell University.

About Newpoint Healthcare Advisors

Newpoint Healthcare Advisors is an advisory firm that partners with clients to address complex strategic growth, change, and performance issues. Based in Denver, with offices in Los Angeles, Phoenix and Washington, D.C., Newpoint combines a national perspective with an ability to understand local issues. For more information, visit www.newpointhealth.com.

Contact: Erin Lawley
Lovell Communications
[email protected]
615-297-7766

SOURCE Newpoint Healthcare Advisors, LLC