The 2022 Top Consultants: LaTonya O'Neal

LaTonya O'Neal has spent her entire 30-year career focused on her passion for healthcare. She brings unique perspectives to addressing health care challenges as a result of working in both acute health care systems as well as consulting.

LaTonya is a Principal at The Chartis Group, the nation's largest independent healthcare advisory firm. She is a leader in the Revenue Cycle Practice, where she helps clients address their most complex problems and achieve sustainable improvements.

What has motivated you to excel over the course of your career?

As a natural-born fixer, my motivation has always been to find new avenues for positive action and influence. I chose to work in the healthcare industry at a young age because I felt compelled to help those in pain. I stayed in healthcare because, in my consulting role with Chartis, I found a way to truly make a difference.

There is so much work to do to improve healthcare, and the reality is that our work will never be done. Over my career and in my personal life, I have seen some of the best and some of the worst that healthcare systems have to offer. Consulting has given me access to firsthand insights on healthcare delivery, and access to decision-makers all over the country. I try to use my seat at those tables to learn and make positive changes for a better healthcare system.

I am endlessly grateful for the mentors that have encouraged and supported me along my journey, and they've inspired me to work hard every day toward the healthcare system I want to see, understanding that while the changes might not come quickly, the work I am doing will ultimately make a difference.

Lastly, I am fortunate to work with The Chartis Group, a firm that embodies my goals to materially change healthcare in the world. My Chartis team motivates me every day to make an impact.

What do you enjoy most about your career in the consulting industry?

I started my career in healthcare as an EKG technician, and one day an elderly Black woman was coding in the ICU after a tooth extraction gone wrong. While the clinical team was trying to stabilize her, they were making disparaging and racist comments about the patient and laughing about what they were going to do for lunch. While my first thought was "why is someone dying from a tooth extraction?", my second thought quickly became "I wonder if her race is the reason she's dying." In that moment, I decided I wanted to become a voice for the voiceless, so nobody has to wonder if their race is the reason for their health outcomes.

I started my career in a hospital because I wanted to help people, but it didn't take me long to realize that I didn't have any power to make any change in my role. I remember having a group of consultants perform a project at my hospital. I thought to myself "there's a profession where you can figure out the root cause of a problem and fix it? Sign me up!"

Healthcare organizations have the smartest and most talented professionals leading them. In my consulting role, I love being their trusted advisor in finding the best ideas for solving their issues or identifying new paths for success for not just their organizations, but their communities as well. I love seeing the positive impact we can have on patients and families by helping healthcare organizations improve.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

It's simple – the best advice I've ever been given is to always do my best and not focus solely on the final outcome.

When I was a child, my parents used to say that to me "as long as you did your best, we are proud of you and you should be proud of yourself." It was tough to understand how they could be proud of me for receiving a bad test grade or not winning a match. But over time, I got it. You have to free yourself to bring your best to the situation and not get distracted by what might go wrong. If you focus solely on the outcome, you don't give your full attention to the process – and that's what really matters.

And in truth, when I cut corners, the likelihood of not accomplishing the thing I'm aiming for is much higher. It's not to say that doing my best always results in the outcome I want, but having a plan, trusting the process, and learning from the things that didn't go as planned is just as powerful.

This advice continues to show up in my life, whether it's crafting a meaningful anti-racism commitment, delivering a board message, or perfecting my tennis swing. You have to put in the time to do your best, and you have to know when to ask for help. In doing so, the results will follow.