Now more than ever, healthcare organizations of all sizes and types need competent, reliable financial professionals to help them navigate the turbulence and complexity of the American healthcare industry. In South Florida, one such professional is Jeffrey Kramer, Certified Public Accountant, who has been providing exemplary financial services to healthcare clients since 1987. Kramer is a founding partner of Kramer Weisman and Associates, LLC, an accounting firm located in South Broward County that serves the healthcare, wholesale/distribution, technology, real estate, hospitality and manufacturing industries, as well as not-for-profit organizations.
“Approximately half of my clients are in healthcare,” says Kramer, “and that has been true throughout my career. I enjoy working with healthcare organizations and physicians. By being involved in healthcare, trying to help organizations survive and thrive, I feel that I am helping the community. The healthcare industry affects everyone.”
Kramer’s clients include large and small physician practices as well as hospitals and hospital systems, medical groups, managed care organizations and other “hybrid” health care organizations. He and his partner Lester Weisman and a staff of 10 provide a comprehensive menu of services that includes basic accounting, tax preparation and advice, management of IRS issues, auditing, financial forecasting and projection (for funding and licensing), forensics and litigation, consulting on special projects and due diligence on acquisitions.
Kramer is particularly focused on the challenges facing physicians and physician groups. He favors the development of “mega” physician groups, as a means of empowerment and fortification. “Mega groups offer substantial advantages for doctors. Often, doctors are trying to do business with managed care companies and hospitals – entities that are far larger and have enormous resources, including highly skilled teams of attorneys and CPAs. They are simply unable to negotiate because, by comparison, they lack power. They don’t have the resources to match these huge entities.
“Larger physician groups help level the playing field, with power, numbers and greater resources. The trend is towards larger groups with professional management, and a small independent practice can’t afford that. It’s expensive to hire a highly credentialed, skilled administrator, but you need that skill set to compete. Doctors are starting to recognize this, and to form these larger practices. It’s a transition for them; they are used to being independent, to running their own practices.
“I believe that we need better leadership in healthcare, and that physicians, along with politicians or administrators, should be leading the charge. Physicians are the ones who truly know what is needed to transform healthcare.”
Kramer compares physicians to other small business owners. “Doctors are getting squeezed these days, between rising costs and falling reimbursements. They are quite challenged, and need help like any other small business owner. They have to watch their finances closely and need to have a financial professional that they can trust, someone who can provide sound advice.”
Like many of his clients, including physicians, Kramer is himself a small business owner and can relate to the challenges they face. He started his company nine years ago. “I understand the concerns and challenges that my clients have because I have them too. I tend to develop strong relationships with my clients. They know they can call me, bounce things off me and seek my advice. I’m there for them.”
That is confirmed by client Chris Prestera, owner and Chief Executive Officer of Physician Advocates LLC. “I’m a broker to the healthcare industry for property and casualty insurance, specializing in medical malpractice. I have been a client of Jeff Kramer’s since I opened the agency 6 years ago. Jeff is a very capable accountant, as are his colleagues. At the end of the day, I know I will never have IRS concerns, because of Jeff’s prudence in managing my financials and my taxes. When I started my agency, he gave me excellent advice on how to financially structure the company. I would recommend him in a heartbeat, to anyone, and in fact I frequently have. Jeff is completely competent and trustworthy.”
Kramer is a Miami native who is a graduate of the University of Florida, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in accounting in 1986. He began his professional career as an auditor with PriceWaterhouseCoopers. He is married, with two children, and resides in West Broward County, where he enjoys tennis, photography and traveling.
Kramer is an industry leader who has published a number of articles and lectures on healthcare topics. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (where he has served on the Healthcare Committee), South Florida Healthcare Executive Forum (Board Member), Nova Southeastern University H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship Young Entrepreneurs Council, Healthcare Financial Management Association and Memorial Hospital Foundation Planned Giving Committee (Board Member).
