Healthcare Management Solutions, LLC (HMS) offers the following pre-approved contract vehicles to help government clients obtain our services in an expedited manner. What is your primary NAICS code? A: Under certain IT-related NAICS codes, we are a woman-owned small business (WOSB). HMS is a woman-owned large business for other, non-IT NAICS codes.
HMS Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
POLLY WEAVER
Validation Operations Director and Acute Care Subject Matter Expert
Polly has over 20 years of management experience in a state healthcare agency, coordinating with stakeholders to review and revise policies and processes used to regulate a variety of healthcare providers. As State Operations Director, she provides management consultation to state survey agencies in support of several contracts. Before joining HMS, Polly was the Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Division of Health Quality Assurance, Agency for Health Care Administration, and the State Survey Agency Director for the State of Florida, where she was responsible for over 500 staff members and the associated management of all survey and certification activities.
Polly is well known nationally by both her peers and among regulatory agencies for her proven ability to drive projects that result in positive outcomes for customers. Polly co-chaired the Florida coalition to individualize dementia care in nursing homes with the Florida QIN-QIO. She also served as president of the Association of Health Facility Survey Agencies (AHFSA) and worked closely with other states and CMS to facilitate improvements and consistency in the implementation of survey and certification processes nationally. Polly holds a Bachelor of Science degree in medical technology.
NADINE RENBARGER, MA
State Survey Agency Senior Advisor
With over 40 years of healthcare experience, Nadine is an expert in Medicare quality and safety oversight policy. As Senior Advisor, her primary role is to provide technical assistance to state survey agencies.
Prior to joining HMS, she spent 30 years working for CMS’ Quality, Safety, and Oversight Group, most recently as the associate regional administrator for the Midwest Division of Survey & Certification, overseeing Regions V (Chicago) and VII (Kansas City).
Nadine led a team of 63 staff who conducted federal monitoring surveys, processed certification of new providers and suppliers, and took enforcement action against providers and suppliers based on state and federal survey outcomes. She also served as a technical advisor and health quality review specialist at CMS, with a focus on providing survey and training support at intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IIDs) and psychiatric hospitals in Region V. Nadine has a Master of Arts in clinical psychology.
CHRISTINA “CHRIS” COMPHER, MHS
Epidemiologist/Principal Researcher
Christina has spent the last 20 years leading and supporting programs and projects aimed at improving health among various population groups. Chris now supports multiple HMS contracts, providing expertise on project components that are research-based and data-focused. This includes leading data analysis and reporting on several contracts and serving as principal investigator in assessing and revising the state performance standards system (SPSS). During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chris supported the State of Texas developing data collection processes and systems, collecting, and analyzing COVID-19 data, conducting contract-tracing, and providing education and guidance to the public. Her familiarity with quality of care and outcomes research (QCOR), CMS datasets and systems, and analytic methods continues to benefit HMS’ customers, as Chris is able to identify trends and make recommendations for future priorities. Chris develops study designs, manages data, conducts data analyses, performs environmental scans and literature reviews, writes reports, trains staff, and develops survey and interview instruments. She has a Masters of Health Science in epidemiology from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
MARY ELLEN PALOWITCH, MHA, RN
Validation Operations Director and Acute Care Subject Matter Expert
Mary Ellen Palowitch is an experienced healthcare professional with regulatory, managerial, and clinical expertise. In her current role as Validations Operations Director and Acute Care Subject Matter Expert at Healthcare Management Solutions (HMS) LLC, Mary Ellen provides coordination and oversight of healthcare facility survey activity in support of federal and state contracts. Prior to HMS, she worked as a member of the Health Care Group at Dentons, a large international law firm, providing regulatory and policy support to healthcare clients and colleagues.
From 2010 to 2020, Mary Ellen worked at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the Quality, Safety & Oversight Group (formerly Survey & Certification Group), Division of Continuing and Acute Care Providers. As the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) Technical Lead, she served as a national advisor to federal, state, public, and private entities. Mary Ellen’s expertise was in EMTALA and other acute care federal regulations including Medicare conditions of participation and coverage, related healthcare policy, and certification requirements. She has experience working in leadership and clinical nursing roles in emergency, trauma, critical care, ambulatory surgery, and medical-surgical settings. Mary Ellen is a Registered Nurse with a Master in Health Administration degree.
PAMELA “PAM” METS, MBA, MSN, RN
Pam Mets is a seasoned surveyor of 35+ years with significant clinical experience, including direct care as a staff nurse in both long term care and the hospital setting, as well as Director of Nursing in long-term care. Pam is responsible for all survey activity under state and federal contracts. These responsibilities include oversight of the survey schedule, HMS surveyors, Quality Monitors, and quality assurance personnel and activities. Pam collaborates and coordinates with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ central office, CMS locations, and state survey agencies (SAs) on survey needs; identifying appropriate survey team members for assignments; and ensures surveyor participation as required.
Pam meets regularly with project managers to share survey progress and to address challenges or emergencies. Prior to joining HMS, Pam managed a large district office for the SA in Ohio, where she was instrumental in the development of a computerized, centralized scheduling model for her SA. She is a registered nurse with a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in nursing.
POLLY WEAVER
Polly has over 20 years of management experience in a state healthcare agency, coordinating with stakeholders to review and revise policies and processes used to regulate a variety of healthcare providers. As State Operations Director, she provides management consultation to state survey agencies in support of several contracts. Before joining HMS, Polly was the Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Division of Health Quality Assurance, Agency for Health Care Administration, and the State Survey Agency Director for the State of Florida, where she was responsible for over 500 staff members and the associated management of all survey and certification activities.
Polly is well known nationally by both her peers and among regulatory agencies for her proven ability to drive projects that result in positive outcomes for customers. Polly co-chaired the Florida coalition to individualize dementia care in nursing homes with the Florida QIN-QIO. She also served as president of the Association of Health Facility Survey Agencies (AHFSA) and worked closely with other states and CMS to facilitate improvements and consistency in the implementation of survey and certification processes nationally. Polly holds a Bachelor of Science degree in medical technology.
NADINE RENBARGER, MA
With over 40 years of healthcare experience, Nadine is an expert in Medicare quality and safety oversight policy. As Senior Advisor, her primary role is to provide technical assistance to state survey agencies.
Prior to joining HMS, she spent 30 years working for CMS’ Quality, Safety, and Oversight Group, most recently as the associate regional administrator for the Midwest Division of Survey & Certification, overseeing Regions V (Chicago) and VII (Kansas City).
Nadine led a team of 63 staff who conducted federal monitoring surveys, processed certification of new providers and suppliers, and took enforcement action against providers and suppliers based on state and federal survey outcomes. She also served as a technical advisor and health quality review specialist at CMS, with a focus on providing survey and training support at intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IIDs) and psychiatric hospitals in Region V. Nadine has a Master of Arts in clinical psychology.
CHRISTINA “CHRIS” COMPHER, MHS
Christina has spent the last 20 years leading and supporting programs and projects aimed at improving health among various population groups. Chris now supports multiple HMS contracts, providing expertise on project components that are research-based and data-focused. This includes leading data analysis and reporting on several contracts and serving as principal investigator in assessing and revising the state performance standards system (SPSS). During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chris supported the State of Texas developing data collection processes and systems, collecting, and analyzing COVID-19 data, conducting contract-tracing, and providing education and guidance to the public. Her familiarity with quality of care and outcomes research (QCOR), CMS datasets and systems, and analytic methods continues to benefit HMS’ customers, as Chris is able to identify trends and make recommendations for future priorities. Chris develops study designs, manages data, conducts data analyses, performs environmental scans and literature reviews, writes reports, trains staff, and develops survey and interview instruments. She has a Masters of Health Science in epidemiology from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
MARY ELLEN PALOWITCH, MHA, RN
Mary Ellen Palowitch is an experienced healthcare professional with regulatory, managerial, and clinical expertise. In her current role as Validations Operations Director and Acute Care Subject Matter Expert at Healthcare Management Solutions (HMS) LLC, Mary Ellen provides coordination and oversight of healthcare facility survey activity in support of federal and state contracts. Prior to HMS, she worked as a member of the Health Care Group at Dentons, a large international law firm, providing regulatory and policy support to healthcare clients and colleagues.
From 2010 to 2020, Mary Ellen worked at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the Quality, Safety & Oversight Group (formerly Survey & Certification Group), Division of Continuing and Acute Care Providers. As the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) Technical Lead, she served as a national advisor to federal, state, public, and private entities. Mary Ellen’s expertise was in EMTALA and other acute care federal regulations including Medicare conditions of participation and coverage, related healthcare policy, and certification requirements. She has experience working in leadership and clinical nursing roles in emergency, trauma, critical care, ambulatory surgery, and medical-surgical settings. Mary Ellen is a Registered Nurse with a Master in Health Administration degree.
