Aug. 21, 2024 — As the office manager for the Division of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology at the University of Florida College of Medicine, Whitney Moss is the first person young patients and their families see when they arrive to receive care.

These patients often suffer from complex and life-threatening illnesses, and many drive hours to UF to receive care for what is an underserved specialty in the state. As the first point of contact, Moss goes out of her way to be a welcoming and calming presence, establishing a relationship with the families and serving as a fountain of knowledge.

The division — composed of four providers, seven nurse practitioners, and a licensed practical nurse — serves a community of vulnerable and chronically ill children suffering from a wide range of diseases, including juvenile idiopathic arthritis, autoinflammatory disorders, and immunodeficiency diseases.

Moss plays a key role in the coordination of care for these patients, whether scheduling appointments, maintaining accurate and informative documentation in patients’ charts, managing office staff, or interacting with pharmaceutical and insurance companies to secure approval for lifesaving medications. Many patients require expensive prescriptions, some upward of $30,000-$40,000 a dose, and Moss navigates conversations with insurance companies to make sure each child receives the care and treatment they need.

“People do not often know all of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into getting these very expensive and lifesaving therapies, but it really can make a world of difference in a patient’s life,” Moss said. “There is a thrill behind battling to get a lifesaving drug approved, and when you finally get that approval and can tell that very stressed-out parent that everything is taken care of, it is extremely rewarding.”

Moss joined the UF College of Medicine in 2018, beginning as an office assistant before moving into her current roles as office manager and fellowship program coordinator. Over the past six years, she has become a leader and model to other office staff across not only her division, but also the larger Department of Pediatrics. For these efforts, she was recently recognized with a divisional 2024 UF Superior Accomplishment Award.

Leandra Woolnough, M.D., MSCS, a clinical assistant professor and pediatric rheumatologist with the Department of Pediatrics, noted how Moss is always willing to go beyond her assigned responsibilities to assist other units wherever there is a need, including helping the Division of Pediatric Critical Care when there was a manager void.

“Whitney is an amazing leader but can also do every single job in the office,” Woolnough said. “She is immeasurably kind and very patient. If an issue comes up, she is the one who calls patients and handles it. She helps a lot with other folks who do other roles, and she has hands in each of the clinical, education, and fellowship sides. She is absolutely a leader who is in it with you.”

In addition to her role as office manager, Moss serves as the pediatric rheumatology fellowship coordinator, working to bring in new fellowship applicants, organize recruitment days, perform quarterly check-ins, and assist with core competency meetings to ensure each fellow is on track to graduate. Moss also keeps meticulous records and is instrumental in maintaining the requirements for accreditation through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Just as Moss is the face of the division with patients and the families, she is also the first point of contact for prospective faculty, organizing meetings and calling potential candidates. During a recent interview, a potential candidate remarked that while they liked everyone they met at UF, they especially enjoyed working with Moss. 

“It is wonderful to have someone who is so knowledgeable and kind represent our great division,” Woolnough said. “She has been instrumental in communicating and coordinating our recruitment efforts — truly a herculean effort.”

Moss’ roots with the College of Medicine run deep, with her mother and grandmother both previously holding administrative roles with the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. She is passionate about helping others, and says she wants to do all she can to make sure her department can provide the highest-quality care and ensure everyone who interacts with UF has the best possible experience.

“I enjoy being able to help people learn to do this role, mentoring my own office staff, and I also really enjoy all the providers I work with,” she said. “What they do is so important and anything I can do to take unnecessary burdens from them and allow them to focus on serving these patients is very rewarding to me.”