On September 13, 2001, a small group of 10 employees gathered around a computer and watched the first Eligibility and Benefits (E&B) transaction come through what is now known as the Availity Portal. Susan T. was one of those people.
Susan, then a release engineer at Florida Blue (formerly known as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida), was part of a pilot team that created a web portal for Florida Blue and Humana to streamline their processes, reducing administrative abrasion with providers. She officially became an Availity associate in 2004 and is one of only four people who have been at Availity from the beginning.
There were only two transactions at that time—claim status and eligibility and benefits, and each required no more than five fields on the screen. As the developers wrote and deployed code, Susan used her quality analyst skills to design and test the Portal and document the process.
As Availity celebrates its 20th anniversary, Susan reflects on the progress Availity has made over the past 20 years, comparing it to watching a baby go from crawling, taking their first steps, and then maturing into a successful adult.
“We started with two transactions in two states, Florida and Kentucky, and now we are connected to nearly every health plan in the nation,” she said.
Today, Susan is the release manager on the Configuration Management team, where she oversees code releases for the Availity Portal. She works with project teams to deploy new updates weekly, as well as one Saturday per month. While it can be challenging to ensure everything is in place before the release, she finds joy in knowing that the teams’ hard work paid off.
So, what is the secret to success after 20 years with one company? “Never stop offering ideas or suggesting new process improvements because you never know the impact that one idea can have,” Susan said.
Often referred to as “Mama” to several co-workers, Susan loves her big Availity family. She is an avid Florida Gators fan, loves taking Fall trips to the north Georgia mountains and always enjoys a nice bottle of wine.
Just for fun
Favorite book – Where the Crawdads Sing (can’t wait for the movie!)
Favorite movie – Pride and Prejudice
Favorite food – Steak and baked potato
Pets – Two 17-year-old cats, Steve and Lilly