On Providing Support— “You are helping me deal with a difficult situation that would be more difficult if it weren’t for you.”
Company
An Experienced Team
James Ward, JD
President and Principal
Jim Ward’s unique approach to healthcare and patient advocacy stems from his belief that access to the highest quality healthcare results in greater cost-savings over time. His passion and quest for excellence inspired him to create Patient Advocates in 1995, and set the vision for the company to be a true champion, committed to advancing healthy living and to providing full support throughout a patient’s cycle of care.
Mr. Ward is a graduate of the University of Maine and Boston College School of Law. Mr. Ward has over twenty-five years of experience in providing risk management services to some of Maine’s most prominent employers. His prior experience included six years with an international consulting firm with the last three years as Vice President. Having owned and operated one of the most successful third party claims administrators in northern New England, as well as starting the state’s first two Maine owned managed health care companies, Mr. Ward understands the critical underlying operations necessary to provide the proper mix of claims management and employee services.
Mr. Ward’s role is to develop and maintain a working partnership with clients as well as nurture networking and bench marking among them. Clients can expect frequent contact and immediate access.
Marcia Bartholomew, RN, BSN, CCM
Manager of Advocacy Services
Marcia interacts directly with patients and oversees all aspects of case management and has been the Manager of Advocacy Services in 2002. Marcia joined Patient Advocates in 2001 and brought with her in excess of twenty years experience in the nursing profession. She had previously been employed for seven years by CIGNA/Healthsource Maine as a Managed Care Coordinator. Additionally, Marcia has served as an Emergency Room Charge Nurse at Brighton Medical Center, Portland, St. Andrews Hospital (Boothbay Harbor) and Community General Hospital in Syracuse, New York. Marcia’s other nursing experience includes quality & risk management, home health care, medical, surgical, obstetrical, and oncology nursing.
Sandy Colter, RN,
Unit Leader Disease Management
Sandy works directly with patients to coordinate care and to promote self-management of their own chronic disease conditions to improve their quality of life. She recently joined Patient Advocates and brought over 19 years of clinical nursing experience having worked in intensive care nursing, case management and educational capacities for health management providers and area hospitals including Brighton Medical and Maine Medical Center. She was most recently a Health Coach with Health Dialog out of Portland. Sandy holds a degree in Nursing and is pursuing her certification in Case Management.
Melissa Farinas
Manager - Information Systems & Technology
Melissa is an information technology specialist and systems analyst who heads up the Company’s expanded data management platform including the company’s state-of-the-art custom designed data warehouse. In addition, she is the Company’s health security officer, responsible for maintaining patient records in strict accordance with HIPAA regulations. She has been with Patient Advocates for over two years, and has close to 11 years of experience in operations, systems and data management, previously with Acorn Products for six years as Database Administrator. Melissa holds a B.S. in Management of Information Systems from Fairfield University in Fairfield, CT.
Justin Ward
Director of Client Services
Justin came to Patient Advocates in 2004 and has worked in several areas of the company during his tenure. He currently manages the client services division, working directly with clients to meet their growing needs. Justin was formerly both a High School English teacher and newspaper editor. He has a Bachelor of Arts from Salve Regina University and is currently pursuing a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Southern Maine as well as a Maine health insurance broker license.