When people call Hennepin Health, they might get Trellis Johnson on the phone. Trellis, Hennepin Health’s provider services supervisor, comes steeped with experience. She’s worked in the health care field for 26 years — touching health plan functions like billing, enrollment, and customer service for Medicare, UCare, and Hennepin Health.
“I’ve always been intrigued by the health care field,” says Trellis, “but I’ve never had the stomach to be a nurse.” She laughs. “This is the closest I can go.”
Every day is different in customer service
Trellis joined Hennepin Health Customer Services 8 years ago and says that every day is different. As the lead for the provider services team, she focuses on calls from providers. Together they work through eligibility, benefits, claims, prior authorization requirements, and provider registration.
She’s also the liaison for Hennepin Healthcare and M Health Fairview, meeting with both providers monthly to resolve issues that are too complicated for phone.
Recently, Trellis helped providers navigate impacts from the Change Healthcare cyberattack, working to resolve billing and claims rejection issues and submit corrected claims.
“You establish relationship with the providers,” she says, “There are some that remember me from my whole career.”
When Hennepin Health’s member services team is experiencing high call volume, Trellis also takes member calls. She might help a member schedule transportation to a medical appointment, find an in-network provider, or update their contact information.
For Trellis, helping a member is like helping a family, friend or neighbor. “I was born at Hennepin Healthcare and raised in North Minneapolis,” she says, noting that it’s nearly impossible to take a walk or go out to lunch without running into someone she knows. “I’m passionate about the city and county. It’s very personal to me. We have members who struggle with homelessness, substance use disorder, terminal illnesses. I really like talking to members and assisting them.”
Trellis counts pharmacy related calls as some of her most meaningful interactions. “When a member’s prescriptions are not going through it can literally mean life and death,” she says. “We mark it as an urgent issue and work with other teams to resolve it quickly.”
Good customer service doesn’t change
While every day in customer service looks different – the basic principles of good customer service don’t change. “I always say that customer service is customer service,” says Trellis. “It doesn’t matter who the client is. Whether it’s a member, a provider, or someone else, you still need to provide the same level of care.”
“Be aware of what tone you’re using and be careful when choosing your words,” she says. “People can hear in your voice if you’re passionate about what you do or if don’t want to be there.”
Trellis also stresses the importance of withholding judgment. “We don’t know people’s background or story. You need to treat them as you want to be treated,” she says. “Some of these people are veterans. Some of these people are in situations they never thought they’d be in. Show empathy and patience.”
But most important for Trellis is what’s happening when she’s not talking. “Listen to listen,” she says. “Don’t listen to respond. Sometimes we’re partially listening to give someone a response we’re anticipating. But we’re not listening to what they’re actually saying. Fully listen.”