SHELTON, WA – Mason Health is proud to recognize Bridget O’Shea, Financial Clearance Supervisor, as the Employee of the Month for May 2025. O’Shea’s journey to health care leadership is as inspiring as it is unconventional, marked by global experiences, career pivots, and a deep commitment to patient advocacy behind the scenes.

Growing up, O’Shea and her mother lived in countries such as Ireland, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia due to her mother’s work as an internationally traveling nurse. Ironically, O’Shea had no interest in health care. Instead, she pursued a degree in computer science from Virginia Commonwealth University and began her career in administrative roles within the interior design industry. Her professional path later led her through graduate studies in anthropology and a decade in corporate America as a business consultant and regional manager.

In 2008, O’Shea returned to Washington to support her family after her stepfather was diagnosed with an illness. “I was at a point in my career where I wanted to shift gears,” she said. That shift led her to caregiving, and eventually, to a new calling in health care. She explored the clinical side by attending school to become a certified nursing assistant and later transitioned into administrative roles, starting as a Diagnostic Imaging scheduler at a hospital in Olympia.

O’Shea’s curiosity and drive led her to Patient Access, where she quickly rose to interim supervisor. In March 2021, she joined Mason Health as Supervisor of Patient Access at Mason General Hospital. By February 2024, she stepped into her current role as Financial Clearance Supervisor, leading a team of 10 in a department dedicated to pre-registration, insurance verification, and prior authorization —ensuring patients are not surprised by unexpected bills.

“This work is incredibly rewarding,” O’Shea shared. “There’s a lot of detective work involved, and I love diving into problems and really dissecting them. We make sure everything with the patient encounter is good to go.”

Her team recently moved into a shared office space, enhancing collaboration and camaraderie. 

“It feels good to be together,” she said. “I absolutely enjoy this and really love this side of things.”

O’Shea belongs to the National Association of Healthcare Management and the Healthcare Financial Management Association. She recently obtained her Certified Healthcare Access Manager certification and is working on her Certified Healthcare Financial Professional certification, while also attending Western Governors University for a Master’s of Healthcare Administration.

Outside of work, O’Shea is an adventurer at heart. She’s skydived and piloted planes, is taking sailing lessons and has and traveled to destinations like Machu Picchu, the Galápagos Islands (where she went deep-sea diving) and the Isle of Skye.

Mason Health, Public Hospital District No. 1 of Mason County is ISO 9001 Quality Management System certified by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and is a licensed and accredited acute care hospital with a level four emergency trauma designation. Mason General Hospital and Mason Clinic are ENERGY STAR® certified and Mason Health is the recipient of one Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Award, three Partner for Change Awards, two Greening the Operating Room Awards, the Making Medicine Mercury Free Award and the 2025 Emerald Award. To learn more about Mason Health’s sustainability efforts, visit https://www.masonhealth.com/about/sustainability-environmental-stewardship. There are more than 100 physicians on staff in 19 specialties. For more information or to find a health care provider, visit www.masonhealth.com. To learn more about DNV, visit www.dnv.com/healthcare.

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