When SRHO—a national consortium representing more than 250 hospitals—was selected for a USAC Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) audit, their leadership knew it would be a detailed and prolonged process. But with a trusted partner already in place and a foundation built on years of proactive preparation, they approached the challenge with confidence.
“USAC wanted to check in to see if everything was up to par—and luckily with FG on our side, I didn’t have to worry about it,” said SRHO COO Matt Harr. “We knew it was being handled.”
A Collaborative Model Rooted in Operational Excellence
Founded in 2016, SRHO’s mission is to drive value for its member organizations by improving financial performance, identifying shared opportunities, and increasing clinical quality across member systems. With a leadership team grounded in hospital operations, SRHO understood early on the need for a strategic approach to HCF and telecom management.
That’s where their longstanding partnership with FG began—built on a shared commitment to proactive management, transparency, and long-term impact.
From Audit Notification to Execution
The HCF audit process spanned nearly two years, with delays, affiliate follow-ups, and documentation requests requiring continuous coordination. When an initial finding arose due to a missed virtual site visit, FG quickly stepped in to resolve the situation—coordinating with USAC and auditors while ensuring nothing slipped through the cracks.
“The FG team was appropriately persistent,” said Harr. “They had a multifaceted approach that ensured responses came in and the process moved forward.”
Throughout the audit, FG’s proprietary tracking platform played a critical role. Every affiliate filing, communication, and document was stored and easily accessible—making it simple to retrieve exactly what USAC requested. That level of organization not only accelerated the audit process but also helped demonstrate SRHO’s credibility and compliance.
A Clean Result and Full Confidence
Despite early concerns, the audit concluded with zero findings.
“We thought there might be one finding early on, but there ended up being none,” said CEO Mark Tribbett. “FG was tremendous. They handled the entire process, delivered every document, and made sure it was all done right.”
For SRHO, this experience reinforced the strength of their approach and deepened their trust in FG as a strategic partner.
“The communication, the transparency, the professionalism—FG was there with us every step of the way,” Tribbett noted. “They made sure we were audit-ready long before we were even selected.”
Lessons for Peers: Prepare Early, Partner Wisely
Both Harr and Tribbett are quick to offer advice to other health systems considering HCF participation or facing an audit.
“Start the process right from the beginning with someone who knows how to do it right,” said Harr. “You don’t want to scramble once the audit starts.”
They emphasized that while bandwidth is often a barrier for health systems, FG’s approach removes 90% of the workload—freeing internal teams to focus on care delivery and operations.
In the end, the audit became more than a compliance milestone—it became a testament to the power of proactive planning and partnership.
“It’s refreshing to know we both have each other’s best interest in mind,” said Tribbett. “Over time, our collaboration has evolved into a strong and seamless partnership—one that consistently delivers measurable results for our hospitals and positions us for long-term success.”