Siloam Health - March 2022 Newsletter

MARCH NEWSLETTER | 2022

Prioritizing the

Patient Experience

Prioritizing the

Patient Experience Over the 7 years I practiced medicine in India, I saw firsthand what it meant to have to learn and navigate the systems of a culture very different from the one I grew up in. Though challenging at times, the experience was one of the most rewarding of my life and only deepened my appreciation for the opportunity to care for the immigrants and refugees who call Nashville home.

Once I returned to the United States, I set out to emulate the health care ministry I had been doing abroad – a journey that led me to Siloam’s old clinic in the Edgehill community. I remember being so moved by how the staff interacted with their patients, many of whom hailed from other countries and had to overcome cultural and language barriers just to be cared for. Viewing those interactions let me know I’d found just what I was looking for because I saw people treating others the way they would want to be treated if they needed health care in an unfamiliar country.

From that moment nearly 17 years ago, I have proudly helped Siloam care for the underserved and culturally marginalized members of our community.

Over the last 30 years, supporters like you have helped Siloam be specially equipped to serve those who were born abroad. As our health care ministry expanded from that small Edgehill area clinic to become a comprehensive, whole-person health care organization, so did our capacity to serve even more neighbors from many nations. In addition to leaning on the love of Christ as our example of service, our growth is also due in great part to the development of a diverse, multilingual

staff, partnering with a dedicated community of churches, donors, and volunteers, and becoming a trusted health care provider to immigrants and refugees by prioritizing the patient experience.

In the following pages, you will learn more about some of those patient experiences including how Siloam’s on-site social worker and behavioral health consultant help anchor our whole-person care model to address patients’ physical, social, emotional, and spiritual health needs. As you read, we hope you not only see how grateful we are to provide health care transformed by love, but also just how vital your prayers and support are to how we’ve been able to do it for over three decades.

In Christ’s love,

Jim Henderson, MD Chief Medical Officer

SOCIAL WORK SPOTLIGHT SOCIAL WORK SPOTLIGHT

Rebecca Swift, LCSW & Rebecca Swift, LCSW & Kate Ferrell, LCSW Kate Ferrell, LCSW March is National Social Work Month! To celebrate March is National Social Work Month! celebrate the positive difference they make in theTo patient care the positive difference they make in the patient care experience, we talked with Siloam's licensed clinical experience, we- talked with Siloam's licensed social workers Rebecca Swift & Kate Ferrell. clinical social workers - Rebecca Swift & Kate Ferrell.

WHY IS SOCIAL WORK IMPORTANT? WHY IS SOCIAL WORK IMPORTANT? Rebecca: As advocates for people whose Rebecca: advocates for people by whose voices are As made to feel minimized our voices are made to feel minimized by our culture, we are often cultural brokers between culture, we aredon't oftenmake cultural brokers between systems that sense to some and systems that don't make sense to some and listen to people who don't feel heard. listen to people who don't feel heard.

Kate: We help vulnerable people and Kate: We help people then and communities see vulnerable their strengths, communities strengths,to then empower them see to usetheir those strengths help empower them to use those strengths to help themselves. themselves.

WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU WISH EVERYONE WHAT ABOUT IS SOMETHING WISH EVERYONE KNEW SOCIALYOU WORKERS? KNEW ABOUT SOCIAL WORKERS? Kate: We’re multifaceted professionals who Kate:work We’re multifaceted professionals can with different kinds of peoplewho in can work with different kinds of people in different settings - from counseling to different insettings - from and counseling advocacy schools, hospitals, beyond. to advocacy in schools, hospitals, and beyond.

Rebecca: Everybody assumes we only work Rebecca: Everybody only work for the Department of assumes Children’swe Services, but for the Department of Children’s Services, but our licenses are equivalent to a licensed our licensescounselor are equivalent to a & licensed professional or a marriage family professional counselor or a marriage & family therapist. therapist.

REFLECT ON A POWERFUL MOMENT. REFLECT ON A POWERFUL MOMENT. Rebecca: From refugees who have Rebecca: theFrom refugees endured challenges that who come have with endured the challenges that come with fleeing from their homelands to resettle in fleeing from their homelands to resettle in the United States to those who have faced the United States to thoseI've whohad havelots faced unimaginable hardships, of unimaginable hardships, I've had lots of people tell me things they've never told thingsbeing they've people tell anyone.

It’s me beautiful ablenever to saytold to anyone.

It’s beautiful being able to say to someone, “I don't think anyone's ever told someone, “I don't think you this, but it’s not youranyone's fault." ever told you this, but it’s not your fault."

Kate: I often connect people to resources Kate:help I often connect people to resources and them navigate complex systems, and help them navigate complex systems, but one day a woman came and profusely but one day cameher andmask profusely thanked me. a woman Underneath she thanked me.

Underneath her mask she was flashing a new set of dentures saying, was flashing a newI'm setso of happy!” dentures “Look at my teeth!

Tosaying, me, a “Look at my teeth!

I'm so happy!”

To a dental referral is a simple task, butme, this dental referral a simple reminder task, but that this patient was a isbeautiful patient wasthing a beautiful every small I do has anreminder impact. that every small thing I do has an impact.

Kate and Rebecca are true servant leaders Kate help and Rebecca true servant leaders who the wholeare Siloam team give our who helpthe thechance whole Siloam our patients at hopeteam and give healing patients at hope and healing that they the don’tchance get anywhere else. that they don’t get anywhere else.

Prioritizing the Patient Experience One of Siloam Health's core values is to exceed expectations in quality, whole-person care. This means not only providing care that is accessible and affordable, but we are constantly trying to improve and serve our patients in the most culturally competent ways. Below are translated quotes from some of our patients who shared about their experiences at Siloam.

This place is an oasis in the middle of the desert. They have bilingual staff, which makes you feel calm and less tense because one already comes to Siloam with pain. It is very nice because as a patient, I can talk to people here.

- Woman, patient of Siloam Health for 12 years.

For years, Siloam has been caring for me and my daughter. They have never rejected us, and always gave us great attention. Sometimes, it makes me want to cry because I previously had nowhere else to go due to my immigration status.

- Woman, patient of Siloam Health for 18 years.

At Siloam, you are one of them. The staff is very kind, welcoming, and they treat patients with love. It is beautiful.

- Man, patient of Siloam Health for 1 week.

They are saving lives here in every way. I had a clot in my heart and a tumor. If it were not for Siloam, I would not be alive.

- Woman, patient of Siloam Health for 18 years.

Prioritizing the Patient Experience One of Siloam Health's core values is to exceed expectations in quality, whole-person care. This means not only providing care that is accessible and affordable, but we are constantly trying to improve and serve our patients in the most culturally competent ways. Below are translated quotes from some of our patients who shared about their experiences at Siloam.

This place is an oasis in the middle of the desert. They have bilingual staff, which makes you feel calm and less tense because one already comes to Siloam with pain. It is very nice because as a patient, I can talk to people here.

- Woman, patient of Siloam Health for 12 years.

For years, Siloam has been caring for me and my daughter. They have never rejected us, and always gave us great attention. Sometimes, it makes me want to cry because I previously had nowhere else to go due to my immigration status.

- Woman, patient of Siloam Health for 18 years.

At Siloam, you are one of them. The staff is very kind, welcoming, and they treat patients with love. It is beautiful.

- Man, patient of Siloam Health for 1 week.

They are saving lives here in every way. I had a clot in my heart and a tumor. If it were not for Siloam, I would not be alive.

- Woman, patient of Siloam Health for 18 years.

LEARN LEGACYTHROUGH THROUGHOUR OUR LEARNMORE MOREABOUT ABOUT SILOAM'S SILOAM'S LEGACY 30TH VIDEO SERIES. SERIES. 30THANNIVERSARY ANNIVERSARY VIDEO VISIT SILOAMHEALTH.ORG/30 THE QR QR CODE CODETO TOWATCH: WATCH: VISIT SILOAMHEALTH.ORG/30 OR OR SCAN SCAN THE

MICK P.A. MICK ANTANAITIS, ANTANAITIS, P.A. Co-founder Mick Mick Antanaitis genesis of of Co-founder Antanaitisshares sharesabout aboutthe the genesis Siloam Health.

Health. One Church in in Siloam One conversation conversationininBelmont Belmont Church 1989 led to three decades of health care ministry.

Mick 1989 led to three decades of health care ministry. Mick said the the founders founders asked through said askedGod God"what "whatisispossible possible through Siloam?"

Scan the QR code to hear about how Siloam Siloam?" Scan the QR code to hear about how Siloam took shape. shape. took

MORGAN WILLS, M.D.

MORGAN WILLS, M.D.

Siloam Health President & CEO Dr. Morgan Wills reflects

Siloam President & CEO Dr. a Morgan Willsof reflects on hisHealth experience stumbling upon community onunderserved his experience stumbling upon ahe community oflived in peoples from nations had no idea underserved peoples from nations hehow hadformative no idea lived in Nashville. Scan the QR code to hear Nashville. the QR to as hear how formative learningScan at Siloam wascode to him a medical student. learning at Siloam was to him as a medical student.

BERENICE OLIVA

BERENICE OLIVA An immigrant herself, Senior Community Health Worker Berenice Olivaherself, originally cameCommunity to Siloam Health in Worker 2007 to An immigrant Senior Health seek care.Oliva Scanoriginally the QR code to to hear how her journey Berenice came Siloam Health in 2007 to from patient to champion for community health started seek care. Scan the QR code to hear how her journey with a life-changing encounter at Siloam. from patient to champion for community health started with a life-changing encounter at Siloam.

Siloam Health’s mission is to share the love of Christ by serving those in need through health care.

Siloam Health’s mission is to share the love of Christ by serving those in need through health care.