Introduction to Risk Management

Karen Goldsmith currently serves as Florida Health Care Association's Regulatory Counsel and previously served as the association's Legal Counsel since 1980. She represents a number of providers of nursing home and assisted living facilities. She is active on the American Health Care Association Legal Committee and served as its chairman for two terms. She is active in the American Health Lawyers Association. She speaks often on health care and legal issues and has written numerous articles.

Michelle Dillehay BSN, RN, GERO-BC has been employed with the Agency for Health Care Administration since 1999. Currently, she enjoys working in the Survey and Certification Support Branch to provide training and quality assurance in Field Operations. She served as a supervisor and preceptor for the Orlando office that includes Orange, Seminole, Brevard and Osceola counties. Michelle was also a Registered Nurse Specialist surveyor and a Quality-of-Care Monitor for nursing homes and assisted living facilities from Daytona Beach to Miami. Michelle received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Kent State University in Ohio in 1988 and has her Certification in Gerontology from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She has enjoyed being a Registered Nurse for 35 years with over 30 years of experience in long term care."

Robin A. Bleier RN, HCRM, LNC , has 40 years of health care experience, 30 of which in long term care. Robin's passion is teaching and training with a focus on risk management as a means to help improve quality and resident outcomes while increasing long term care professional's work satisfaction. Robin worked as a nursing assistant, LPN, RN, DON, regional nurse, CCO, and COO. She now owns and operates RB Health Partners, Inc. (RBHPs) a long term care consultancy firm for the past 20 years. RBHPs employs an interdisciplinary team of subject matter experts and consultants to support long term care providers meet their quality improvement goals.

Kim Broom has been a Registered Nurse for 37 years with 24 years in long term care as a Director of Nursing, Regional Nurse Consultant, and other roles. She is a risk manager and for six years was the administrator of a 68-bed assisted living center with an Extended Congregate Care license. She came to FHCA in May of 2017 and is the liaison to Senior Clinicians Council, Risk Compliance Council, Infection Prevention Council, and the Florida Center for Assisted Living (FCAL) Committee.

Robin received her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Florida State University in Speech Pathology.  Robin’s career has focused on post-acute care initially in Therapy Services.  In 2002, Robin became a Healthcare Risk Manager and has focused her efforts on proactive and response driven Risk Management. Robin is the Vice Chair of the FHCA Risk and Compliance Council.  Robin is currently the Chief Risk Officer for Lilac Health Group supporting 38 Centers across Florida. 

Hazel Mahoney has been a Registered Nurse since 1978, training originally in England, working in the Middle East and then moving to Florida in 1990. She has worked in hospitals, long term care centers and physician provider organizations in various capacities. Hazel completed her BA in Health Administration through the University of Dundee distance learning program in 2012. Hazel has developed, implemented and monitored clinical risk management programs for three long term care companies in Florida, moving into Compliance in 2013. In 2014, Hazel achieved certification in Health Care Compliance and Health Care Privacy Compliance. She has developed, implemented, and now oversees comprehensive Ethics and Compliance Programs for different operating companies which meet OIG guidelines.

Brandi Byrd has been with Agency for Health Care Administration since January 2016. She is a General & Operations Manager for the Complaint and Intake Management Unit within the Division of Health Care Policy and Oversight. The unit oversees every facility reported incident submitted to the Agency from multiple providers, including hospitals, nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, ambulatory surgical centers, and abortion clinics. Prior to her current role, she was a surveyor with Agency for several years. Ms. Byrd is a Registered Nurse with 15 years of professional experience providing direct care and risk management oversight for multiple provider types.