National Health Center Week 2017
SPOTLIGHT on Health Center Employee Brie Garner
Position at Health Center: Cancer Patient Navigator at Bread for the City
Length of time working at Health Center: Two years
Most memorable moment working at Health Center: I think that the most memorable moments have come from accompanying my patients to their appointments. Though a crucial part of my job is to help our patients navigate the increasingly complex health care system and help coordinate their care, a sometimes more important part is simply being another person in the room to ask questions and listen. These visits have helped me to better connect with my patients, allowing for silly moments like joking about which flavor of a snack food is better.
These strong relationships that I have been able to form with my clients have not only helped me grow professionally but personally as well.
One thing you hope can be accomplished in the coming year at your Health Center:
I hope that this year we can continue to expand our trauma-informed practices, providing care to our community in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. Trauma-informed care is a strengths-based framework that is grounded in an understanding of and responsiveness to the impact of trauma. When I have accompanied my patients to their appointments, I have seen the positive impact that coloring can have on a patient while they wait to be seen. A simple goal that I have is to incorporate pens, paper, and coloring sheets in our waiting area and exam rooms. This allows patients to jot down in any questions they may have for their provider, or simply help ease any stress as they wait.
SPOTLIGHT on Health Center Employee Dr. Michael Serlin
Position at Health Center: Medical Director
Length of time working at Health Center: 3 months
Most memorable moment working at Health Center: Meeting with Mayor Bowser when she came to Family and Medical Counseling Service to learn about our efforts to reduce adverse healthcare outcomes in Washington.
One thing you hope can be accomplished in the coming year at your Health Center: Improving patient flow through the clinic and processes to ensure quality care.
SPOTLIGHT on Health Center Employee Sara S Koslosky
Position at Health Center: Quality Director, My Health GPS
Length of time working at Health Center: almost 2 years
Most memorable moment working at Health Center: The most memorable moment is not a moment, rather a culmination of processes and hard work that have led to improved team-based care delivery for our patients. Over the last several years, under the direction, guidance and vision of clinical staff in the QI, Wellness, Social Services and Nursing departments, we have implemented Care Management and Care Coordination among all of our PCMH teams. We have trained nurses and social service staff together, helped formalize relationships so staff can better co-manage chronically ill patients, and have begun actualizing the role of care coordinators on the teams. The goal of this work is to help decrease the burden on providers and improve patient health outcomes by improving team functionality and helping to address some of the social determinants of health We are shifting away from volume-based care, relying on episodic appointments, to really truly providing patient’s access to an entire interprofessional team to help address their goals and barriers to achieving improved care.
One thing you hope can be accomplished in the coming year at your Health Center: In the next year I would like to measure improved health outcomes and enhanced team-based access to demonstrate and articulate that our model is working and that patients are in fact getting the care they need.
Spotlight on Health Center Employee: Kate Milone, MHA
Position at Health Center: Director of Quality and Compliance
Length of time working at Health Center: 2.5 years
Most memorable moment working at Health Center: Opening day of our new health center in DC and being greeted by the smiling faces of our patients in the community. They thanked us for building a brand new center for them. It was the greatest feeling to be so appreciated!
One thing you hope can be accomplished in the coming year at your Health Center: Elevating our PCMH recognition!
SPOTLIGHT on Health Center Employee: Inna Scurtu
Position at Health Center: Cancer Patient Navigator
Length of time working at Health Center: less then 1 year
Most memorable moment working at Health Center: Such a great opportunity to work at this health center , Community Of Hope. Through DCPCA, Community of Hope patients have the opportunity to get the cancer navigation care and cancer screening.
One thing you hope can be accomplished in the coming year at your Health Center: I hope this project will continue with the same success and be applied at the third Community of Hope health center Marie Reed. This location will be open hopefully January 2018.
SPOTLIGHT on Health Center Employee: Tommy Zarembka
Position at Health Center: Chief Operations Officer
Length of time working at Health Center: 3 years
Most memorable moment working at Health Center: Walking into MetroHealth after completing our full renovation.
One thing you hope can be accomplished in the coming year at your Health Center: Providing primary care on site at Community Connections.
SPOTLIGHT on Health Center Employee: Dr. Carla Henke, MD
Position at Health Center: Chief Medical Officer at Community of Hope
Length of time working at Health Center: 5 years
Most memorable moment working at Health Center: One of my most memorable moments was when a patient who was suffering from a painful chronic condition came for a follow up visit after her recent hospitalization, bringing her daughter along for support. At the end of the visit, her daughter told me she was pregnant and asked if I could see her as a patient as well. It is 4 years later, and I continue to see the grandmother, mother, and her child. I am proud of the trust our patients have in our services at Community of Hope and our ability to take care of the whole family.
One thing you hope can be accomplished in the coming year at your Health Center: I hope to increase the percentage of visits that patients have with their Primary Care Provider at Community of Hope. Continuity of care not only promotes patient satisfaction, but also builds trust and encourages a collaborative relationship between the provider and the patient, all while enhancing the quality of care patients receive.
SPOTLIGHT on Health Center Employee: Marcia Hinkle, LPC
Position at Health Center: Assistant Director, Social Services: Behavioral Health
Length of time working at Health Center: 4 years
Most memorable moment working at Health Center: I do clinical work two days a week. Many of the patients I see have never been in therapy before, so there many moments that are emotional, transformational, and inspiring. Simple external things can reflect the positive changes that are going on internally. So - my memorable moment was getting a screenshot of a patient’s graduation certificate from her training program, with the message, “I never thought I could do this – without your help, it wouldn’t have happened. Thank you thank you!”
One thing you hope can be accomplished in the coming year at your Health Center: We received a grant to expand the number of primary care providers who can provide medication assisted treatment for opioid addiction; our integrated behavioral health staff will be working side by side with our providers to lower stigma, encourage patients to begin the program so they can establish and maintain a healthy recovery.