“I get my satisfaction inspiring others—in showing people by living it, that
if I can do it, so can you,” says Capella graduate Carmen Pla.
Her academic journey was not without challenges. Along the way, two
daughters were married, she lost four family members, had a couple
of surgeries, and even made it through some hurricanes. And her
perseverance in completing her BS and MBA at Capella has helped others
reach their goals, too.
“I’ve gone on to inspire four others at Jackson Health System to pursue
degrees at Capella. And the best part, for me, is that they then went on to
inspire others,” says Pla.
Keeping health care accessible
Pla’s position as corporate director, revenue cycle services at Jackson
Health System in Miami-Dade County is a demanding one.
The hospital is a public teaching hospital that serves Miami-Dade County.
It is also a safety net hospital for the area—taking on patients who are not
accepted by other hospitals because of lack of insurance.
It’s a constant challenge to balance revenues and expenses so the hospital
can continue to provide services for everyone who arrives on its doorstep.
Pla uses the leadership and financial management knowledge she gained
at Capella to help Jackson Health System remain financially sound.
“Because of things I learned at Capella, we have changed some processes
and recently achieved the highest collection rate ever seen at Jackson.”
Education’s place in life
Years ago, after marrying and having four children, Pla was working in
health care in a director-level position. She knew that others in similar
positions had their bachelor’s degree, so after trying a local college and
an online school, she found success at Capella. She earned her bachelor’s
degree in 2007, and at her commencement ceremony, inspiration struck
again.
“When I looked out at all the people getting master’s and doctoral
degrees, I was inspired. It took my breath away,” Pla says.
So she did something about it. She began her MBA program shortly
thereafter, and earned the degree in spring 2010.
“I try to live by example. The idea that whatever you do in life, do it the
best you can. You may not be excellent in everything you try, but if you do
your best, no one can take that accomplishment away from you,” Pla says.