Joe Shutts and Company

The debt collection industry is one that experiences high rates of attrition among its front line employees. It’s just the nature of the business. So it is refreshing to see collection agencies that go the extra mile to keep employees happy. This was the basis of our decision to launch the “Best Places to Work in Collections” program.

National Patient Account Services (NPAS) was the top-ranked company in the large company category. The company is the collection division of hospital operator HCA. Although we announced the Best Places to Work winners back in February, we ran a spotlight piece on NPAS last week (“Best Places to Work in Collections Winner Profile: National Patient Account Services,” March 23).

We spoke with Joe Shutts, chief operating officer of NPAS, about what makes his company such a special place to work. The medical collection agency goes out of its way to make the office feel like a second home. Communication is open and honest and the successes of employees – both professional and personal – are shared with peers. Interesting programs to get coworkers involved with each other, combined with top-notch benefits and compensation packages, landed NPAS at the top of the list.

With so many collection agencies so willing to stab their competitors in the back to get ahead, we think it’s encouraging to note when companies are focused on making their workplaces desirable and comfortable. To find out what it takes to appear on upcoming "Best Places to Work in Collections" lists, please see a piece written by insideARM Publisher Stephanie Eidelman that details some of the key data in the inaugural survey: What Makes a Collection Agency a Best Place to Work?