Christopher Allan Knowles
Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts
Experience
2010 - Present
WAMPANOAG TRIBE OF GAY HEAD (AQUINNAH) Aquinnah, MA
Serve as the Health Director for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). The position includes the provision of direct clinical services to Tribal Members and any members of a federally-recognized Tribe as well as the administration of the Contract Health Services program for all members of the Tribe who reside in Dukes County. The four grant-funded programs of the Health Department include the Contract Health Services program, the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI), the Public Health Emergency Preparedness program (PHEP) funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the KIDS WIN! program funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide health insurance for all Tribal youth under the age of 18.
2005 - 2010
MARTHA'S VINEYARD HOSPITAL Oak Bluffs, MA
Served as the Special Projects Manager working directly for the Chief Executive
Officer of the hospital. Martha’s Vineyard Hospital is a 24-bed Critical Access
Hospital (CAH) and sole provider of emergency and acute care services on the
Island. Its physical plant consists of two contiguous buildings, one built in
1929 and the other in 1972. The hospital has undertaken a capital campaign in
the amount of $42 million to renovate some of the existing square footage into
office space while building an addition which will house the Emergency
Department and Acute Care, along with the medical technologies required to
support them. The hospital is also the recipient of a federal Rural Health
Network Development Planning Grant which I envisioned, and of which I wrote the
first draft, while employed at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services. The work
of the grant is to create a framework within which all health and human
services providers on the Island can work both cooperatively and
collaboratively to deliver healthcare in the most coherent, efficient and
cost-effective manner.
• Worked in consultation with the hospital’s lawyers, architects, engineers and
senior staff to develop a Determination of Need (DoN) application which the
Massachusetts Department of Public Health will approve, thereby allowing the
hospital to undertake its $42 million construction and renovation project. My
responsibility lies in developing a Community Benefits plan with particular
emphasis on primary care, community and behavioral health.
• Worked with the Project Director of the Planning Grant to ensure that
all community health initiatives undertaken and cooperative agreements entered
into by the hospital are consistent with the goals of the grant while serving
the best interests of the hospital and its patients.
1991 - 2005
MARTHA'S VINEYARD COMMUNITY SERVICES Vineyard Haven, MA
After 2004 served as the Director of Healthcare Finance for the medical and
behavioral health programs of Martha's Vineyard Community Services, a
five-program health and human services agency providing for the health care
needs of all Island residents. Primary responsibilities consisted of the
day-to-day fiscal operation of the medical and behavioral health programs,
including budgeting, financial analysis, and full fiscal control of a $2.00
million annual budget.
• Served in senior management role at the Island Counseling Center (ICC)
following a contentious 2+ year collective bargaining episode reconciling
management and staff.
• Analyzed the operational needs of the Visiting Nurse Service (VNS) and ICC
and prepared a plan for the integration of medical and behavioral health care.
For thirteen years served as the Director of the medical programs, including
the Visiting Nurse Service (VNS). The VNS is a Medicare-certified home health
agency which delivered more than 12,500 visits annually to more than 200
clients. In addition, the VNS held Public Health Nursing contracts with all six
of the towns on Martha's Vineyard. Primary responsibilities consisted of the
day-to-day operation of the medical programs, personnel management, budgeting,
financial analysis, and full fiscal control of a $1.00 million annual budget.
• Lead a Medicare-certified home health agency through transitions in
reimbursement methodologies (Cost Report, Interim Payment System and
Prospective Payment System) and implementation of federally-mandated OASIS and
HIPAA requirements.
• Consolidated the health promotion and disease prevention contracts of six
towns’ boards of health into a unified Island-wide public health nursing
program.
1990 - 1991
THE COALITION OF VOLUNTARY MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES New York, NY
Served as Deputy Director with primary responsibility for lobbying, fiscal
analyses, and public policy formulation at City, State, and Federal levels.
Staffed Regulations & Contracts, Finance & Fundraising, and Managed
Care Committees. Duties included full fiscal control of agency.
• Lead movement to reallocate State mental health dollars from State-run mental
health institutions to community-based mental health programs from 75%-25% to
25%-75%.
• Lobbied State legislature to not make primary care clinicians mental health
gatekeepers for Medicaid dollars.
1988 - 1989
BRONX-LEBANON HOSPITAL CENTER New York, NY
Served as the Associate Director of Finance. As Director of Grants Management
was responsible for fiscal administration of programs funded by Federal, State,
and Local governments, as well as private foundations.
• Developed budgets for $30+ million in grant-funded programs.
• Ensured adherence to reporting requirements of funding sources and submitted
periodic reports in a timely manner.
1988 - 1988
HOSPICE CARE OF LONG ISLAND New Hyde Park, NY
Retained by Hospice Care of Long Island to take organization from its status as
unincorporated Planning Committee to first state-licensed Medicare-certified
hospice program on Long Island. The hospice became incorporated on 29 June,
1988. Served as founding Executive Director, responsible for day-to-day
operation of the agency, personnel management, full fiscal control, and
computer systems applications.
• Wrote 450+ page Policies and Procedures Manual which was submitted to New York
State Department of Health on 14 July, and qualified program for licensure on
30 September, 1988.
• Remodeled former elementary school space as medical facility, hired all
personnel, and created staffing patterns to meet the needs of Nassau and Suffolk
County hospice patients.
1987 - 1988
ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE New York, NY
Served as Director of Finance and Administrator of Comprehensive Family Care
Center of Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The Center was part of the Bronx
Ambulatory Care Network, provided more than 48,000 encounters annually, and
operated on a $3.7 million annual budget. Programs included a Pediatric
Resource Center and Mother-and-Infant Program funded by the City of New York, a
Medically Indigent Program, WIC Program, Prevention of Unplanned Pregnancy
Program, and Hypertension Program funded by the State of New York, and a U.S.
Public Health Service Community Health Center. Primary responsibilities
consisted of the day-to-day operation of the facility, personnel management,
full fiscal control, and computer systems applications.
• Implemented $250,000 computer system.
• Implemented electronic medical record system.
1986 - 1987
MONTEFIORE HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER New York, NY
Served as Manager of Fiscal Affairs for Family Health Center of Montefiore
Hospital Medical Center. The Center was part of Montefiore Ambulatory Care
Network, provided more than 36,000 encounters annually, and operated on a $2.5
million annual budget. Primary responsibilities consisted of full fiscal
control of facility and computer systems applications. Functioned as lead
member of management team in Administrator's absence.
• Implemented a $250,000 computer system.
• Implemented electronic medical record system.
1985 - 1986
HACKENSACK MEDICAL CENTER Hackensack, NJ
Served as Director of Business Operations and General Administration for the
Home Health Services Department of Hackensack Medical Center which included
both the home health agency and hospice. Duties included full fiscal control of
department's $6.25 million annual budget and computer systems applications.
• Analyzed financial data for multi-site hospital-based home health agency and
hospice for efficiencies and economies of scale.
• Implemented organizational restructuring including reassignment of staff and
responsibilities.
1983 - 1985
HOSPICE OF CENTRAL IOWA Des Moines, IA
Served as Director of Finance and Assistant Director of organization which
became first JCAHO-accredited Medicare-certified hospice in the nation. Primary
duties consisted of full fiscal control of agency's $1.75 million annual budget
and computer systems applications. Also chaired Finance and Fundraising
Committee for, and served as Chief Lobbyist on behalf of, Iowa Hospice
Organization.
• Incorporated Hospice of Central Iowa Foundation (a 501(c)(3) organization).
• Published two lead articles in The American Journal of Hospice Care on
financing of hospice care and hospice Medicare benefit.
Education
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES, FORDHAM UNIVERSITY New York, NY
Began a curriculum leading to a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Economics.
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES, DRAKE UNIVERSITY Des Moines, IA
Attended Drake University as a Graduate Fellow under the auspices of the U.S.
Department of Education. Began a curriculum leading to a Master of Public
Administration degree. The program, offered through Drake University's
Institute of Public Affairs and Administration, included coursework in
Administrative Theory, Personnel Administration, Budgeting and Finance, and
Intergovernmental Relations. Graduation date was 15 May, 1982.
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA Lincoln, NE
Received degree of Bachelor of Arts. Majored in Political Geography with a
minor in Political Science. Graduation date was 19 December, 1975.
Previous college coursework included 29 semester hours at The
University of Virginia, 35 semester hours at Georgetown
University, and 12 semester hours at The University of Hawaii.
Academic Honors
On 18 January, 1976 was inducted into Pi Sigma Alpha, The National Political
Science Honor Society. On 11 December, 1981 was inducted into Pi Alpha Alpha, the National Honor Society for Public Affairs and
Administration.
Publications
Knowles, CA. The Role of a Director of Finance in a Hospice; Experience of an
Iowa Facility. American Journal of Hospice Care 1983; Vol.1, No.4: 12-14.
Knowles, CA. Reimbursements and the Medicare-certified Hospice; A User's Guide
to the Federal Register, HCFA Guidelines and Insurance Company Manuals.
American Journal of Hospice Care 1985; Vol.2, No.5: 15-21.
Knowles, CA. Nikolai Kondratieff and the Long Economic Cycles in Capitalist
Economies: Their Validation, Predictive Ability and Explanation. Conference: A
Journal of Philosophy 1991; Vol.2, No.1: 49, 50. Fordham University, Bronx, New
York.
Knowles, CA. Applying the Principles of Total Quality Management and Continuous
Quality Improvement to the Financial Management of a Home Health Agency.
Knowles Econometrics, Tisbury, Massachusetts, 1994.
Presentations
Knowles, CA. Applying Concepts of Total Quality Management (TQM) to Fiscal
Management. American Public Health Association 122nd Annual Meeting,
Washington, DC, October-November, 1994.
Knowles, CA. Applying the Principles of TQM and CQI to the Financial Management
of a Home Health Care Agency. Home and Health Care Association of Massachusetts
Spring Conference, Marlborough, Massachusetts, May, 1995.
Knowles, CA. The Principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) for Health Care
Financial Administration. National Association of Community Health Centers'
26th Annual Community Health Institute, Chicago, September, 1995.
Knowles, CA. In Pursuit of a Community Health Center: The Martha’s Vineyard
Experience. American Public Health Association 126th Annual Meeting,
Washington, DC, November, 1998.
Knowles, CA. Community Benefits Programs: Agents for Community Health and
Economic Development. New England Rural Health Roundtable 10th Annual
Symposium, Nashua, New Hampshire, October, 2007.
Knowles, CA. The "Greening" of Martha's Vineyard Hospital. National
Organization of State Offices of Rural Health Annual Meeting, Williamstown,
Massachusetts, June, 2008.
Continuing Education
1993 Region I Conference, National Association of Home Care, Newport, Rhode
Island.
1994 Region I Conference, National Association of Home Care, Portland, Maine.
American Public Health Association 122nd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, 1994;
Presentation: Applying Concepts of Total Quality Management to Fiscal
Management.
Home and Health Care Association of Massachusetts 1995 Spring Conference and
Trade Show, Marlborough, Massachusetts; Presentation: Applying the Principles
of TQM and CQI to the Financial Management of a Home Health Care Agency.
1995 Region I Conference, National Association of Home Care, Framingham,
Massachusetts.
National Association of Community Health Centers 26th Annual Convention and
Community Health Institute, Chicago, Illinois, 1995; Presentation: Principles
of Total Quality Management (TQM) for Health Care Financial Administration.
1996 Region I Conference, National Association of Home Care, Newport, Rhode
Island.
American Public Health Association 124th Annual Meeting, New York, New York,
1996.
1997 Region I Conference, National Association of Home Care, Newport, Rhode
Island.
1997 Annual Meeting of the National Association of Home Care, Boston,
Massachusetts.
1998 Region I Conference, National Association of Home Care, Newport, Rhode
Island.
American Public Health Association 126th Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, 1998;
Presentation: In Pursuit of a Community Health Center: The Martha’s Vineyard
Experience.
American Public Health Association 127th Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois,
1999.
American Public Health Association 128th Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts,
2000.
American Public Health Association 130th Annual Meeting, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, 2002.
American Public Health Association 132nd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, 2004.
New England Rural Health Roundtable 8th Annual Symposium, Stratton Mountain,
Vermont, 2005.
New England Rural Health Roundtable 10th Annual Symposium, Nashua, New
Hampshire, 2007; Presentation: Community Benefits Programs: Agents for
Community Health and Economic Development.
National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health Annual Meeting,
Williamstown, Massachusetts, June, 2008; Presentation: The "Greening"
of Martha's Vineyard Hospital.
New England Rural Health Roundtable 11th Annual Symposium, Nashua, New
Hampshire, 2008.
New England Rural Health Roundtable 12th Annual Symposium, South Portland, Maine, 2009.
New England Rural Health
Roundtable 13th Annual Symposium, Meredith, New Hampshire, 2010.
Please post your
comments, questions or suggestions here.
Return to Christopher Knowles' Home Page
Web Site Author: Christopher Allan Knowles
Last Updated: 05.16.2011