Company Name:
CoreCivic
Industry:
Healthcare/Corrections
Location:
Brentwood, TN
Services Used:
PEO, General HR Consulting
The Client
Brentwood-based CoreCivic operates a large and complex healthcare provider network across approximately 70 correctional and residential reentry facilities throughout the United States. Within this nationwide network, a dedicated internal team led by Dr. Walkitria Smith, Chief Population Health Officer at CoreCivic, oversees provider recruitment, administration, and clinical coordination for a network of nearly 500 providers.
Because the organization operates facilities nationwide, Dr. Smith’s team works closely with LBMC Employment Partners to support the HR side of the provider experience. LBMC EP helps ensure clear communication, well-documented and repeatable processes, and careful attention to compliance across many different jurisdictions. CoreCivic’s team manages recruiting and initial hiring internally, then partners with LBMC Employment Partners to support providers through onboarding, payroll, benefits coordination, and other HR-related needs. Dr. Smith described the process as a “baton pass,” with responsibilities moving between the internal team and LBMC EP at critical points in the provider lifecycle.
The Opportunity
For CoreCivic, the challenge was building a more coordinated and scalable process for a provider population spread across a dynamic, multi-state operation. The organization needed dependable support for onboarding, payroll administration, benefits communication, corrective action guidance, and state-specific employment considerations. It also needed a partner that could work alongside its internal legal and operational teams rather than outside of them.
Over time, the partnership with LBMC Employment Partners expanded to support those needs more fully. A major recent step was the rollout of a centralized dashboard for providers’ onboarding and payroll, giving providers a more streamlined way to review policies, complete payment enrollment, and manage time-related processes. At the same time, CoreCivic strengthened its working relationship with LBMC Employment Partners through more regular communication and a clearer pipeline for addressing provider issues, documentation, and policy interpretation.
The Impact
LBMC Employment Partners has helped CoreCivic create a smoother, more structured approach to provider administration. With LBMC Employment supporting key HR functions, the organization has improved handoffs between internal teams and external support, strengthened payroll and compliance processes, and created more consistency in how provider-related issues are documented and managed. Dr. Smith noted that standing meetings with her team’s HR Business Partner helped build a stronger working relationship and made it easier to work through corrective actions, policies, procedures, and employee manual updates.
That support has also extended beyond routine administration. Dr. Smith described LBMC Employment Partners as an important resource during offboarding situations, including retirements, transitions, and even unexpected critical events. She shared that after the untimely death of a provider, LBMC Employment Partners stepped in to help the family navigate benefits and next steps, demonstrating a level of care that went beyond process alone. “The LBMC team has been a very integral part in supporting us, especially in those difficult moments that go beyond onboarding,” said Dr. Smith. “I commend that level of service and having the understanding that there are people in it, and it’s not just checking off a box.”
As CoreCivic continues to expand and refine its provider operations, the organization sees value not only in the services it already uses but also in the broader capabilities LBMC Employment Partners can bring to the relationship. That combination of practical support, responsiveness, and strategic partnership has made LBMC Employment Partners an important extension of the team.
“There’s a plethora of offerings. Sometimes you don’t really understand what you need until you understand what is out there. We’ve been able to leverage LBMC in ways that make our operations and processes smoother, and that has been a value-add for us.”
– Walkitria Smith, CoreCivic
