VC, The Magazine | Issue 31

March. 2023 | ISSUE 31

PROVIDING SUPPORT

Employee of the Month: Maria Meza Page 4

Rave Reviews in Yukon Page 10

Department Spotlight Refe Pag

Black Histo Page

t: Medical Records and errals ge 6

Parent Caregivers Page 8

ory Month e 12

St. Patrick's Day Page 13

Maria Anita Meza Garcia WIC Certifier Dental Receptionist

VARIETY CARE | 4

Employee of the Month:

Patience

You were nominated for exemplifying the character core of patience, because of your ability to calmly and thoroughly train new employees. What does patience mean to you?

Patience is giving grace to others (even people that aren’t easy to get along with) and loving them even when they make mistakes. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other.

How does it feel to be recognized as Employee of the Month?

To be recognized as the employee the month I feel honored not only for myself but for my work that is being acknowledge by those around me.

How long have you been working at Variety Care?

I have been working with Variety Care for seven years, soon to become eight years this upcoming October of 2023.

What do you hope your teammates learn from you?

I hope my teammates learn to acknowledge every person around them, speak kindly and do their job with passion, and to simply care for one another.

What are some things you love about working for Variety Care?

What I love about working with Variety Care is that we get to experience different challenges and how this job has allowed many people to be seen at an affordable rate with all of the different departments to choose from.

ALWAYS BE HUMBLE AND GENTLE.

What is the most interesting thing about your work at Variety Care?

The most interesting thing about -Maria working for variety care WIC is being What has been the most able to change a person's life and rewarding part of your job? perspective with simply helping with The most rewarding part about working here Nutritional Education and benefits to provide is having coworkers understand and see each for their family. other as one.

Tell us about your family.

I have been married to my husband for nineteen years, I have two boys the oldest is at the age of sixteen and my youngest is three years old and I enjoy to be at home and endure all of the growing together.

What makes you so willing to take new teammates under your wing?

I was once in the position my teammates were in, I came into the WIC program with absolutely no experience whatsoever. With time, more knowledge came and I was able to show those around me and help expand the learning progress and grow together.

Describe yourself in three words.

To describe myself in three words I would choose strong, consistent and caring.

Margaret Holloway VP of Patient Engagement and Projects VARIETY CARE | 6

Department Spotlight: Medical Records & Referrals

They are the ones working behind the scenes to make sure day-to-day operations run smoothly.

You don’t often see their faces or hear their names, but they are working diligently and putting in extra hours to master the new processes that came with the Epic transition.

“We have had staffing challenges and are working to build our team as we continue to grow with new providers and clinics,” says Margaret Holloway, VP of Patient Engagement and Projects. “The referral team gets over 1,200 calls a month and medical records gets over 500 calls a month, so that’s almost 2,000 calls a month.”

around 1,000 specialists in the community, so that is a lot of people to connect with.

These departments also rely on connecting with staff inside each clinic as well. “With medical records and referrals, we really depend upon collaboration with the clinic MAs and providers,” Holloway says. “So having us support each other and communicate is critical for the ultimate success.”

WITHOUT THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION She reminds us that while OF OUR TEAM the initial transition to a new MEMBERS WE system is difficult, we should hopeful about the WOULD BE IN A remain direction we are headed. “With MUCH TOUGHER Epic, with Care Everywhere, SPOT that’s already helped with

medical records, but it will “We are also developing help with referrals,” Holloway expertise levels outside of predicts. “The transition has primary job function and impacted us because it’s -Margaret helping them learn different taking us longer to do our areas to help with retention and job satisfaction, job, but in the long run it’ll be a big win.” cross training, and overall efficiency,” she explains. Level 3 staff have been trained to And even during a short interview with help medical records when call volume has Holloway, it’s evident just how much pride and gone down, and likewise, the medical records appreciation she has for everyone. “Without department has been helping the referral the hard work and dedication of our team team. “There’s a lot of synergies, a lot of members we would be in a much tougher spot,” communication between the team members she explains. “We are not where we want to be, that provides better support to the clinics and but we are working every day to improve our better care to our patients,” Holloway says. new workflows and provide the best support possible to the clinical teams and our patients.”

She estimates that between medical records and referrals, the departments are receiving 24,000 faxes and about 5,000 referrals each month. Holloway notes that while it’s easy to send a referral out, there are a lot of steps that need to be taken to get a patient scheduled. Variety Care works with

Parent Caregivers “Some evenings, it just kind of happens. Dinner will end and then it gravitates to board games and wrestling on the floor with the kids and the dogs, and just having a good time with no issues…no challenges,” Jacob Epperson reflects on day-to-day life as a father to a special needs child. “Just fun and calmness from beginning to end, and that would beat a trip to Disney World any day of the week.”

Let’s face it – regardless of what your family might look like, parenthood is one of the wildest, scariest, and most exciting rollercoasters you might ever experience. But for families with special needs children, all of those feelings can be amplified – the triumphs and the tribulations.

tired we are until we’re falling asleep in the middle of whatever,” Epperson says. “Or until you have a meltdown yourself because you are emotionally exhausted,” Oelke adds.

Oelke says that parents often don’t take care of their own needs, especially parents of special needs children. She describes a triumphant day as one where everyone is happy, mellow, and getting along. But for the days that don’t end so peacefully, Oelke says it’s important to find people you can connect with and vent to.

EVERY notes that it’s easy to TIME THE Epperson relate to someone when they PHONE open up first, but it’s hard to be and tell others when RINGS, vulnerable are struggling. He says he and WE HOLD you his wife like to carry around a small OUR “Every time the phone rings, we stack of Starbucks gift cards to lift hold our breath waiting to hear the spirits of parents they see out BREATH what the other person says,” in public who may be having a

Epperson explains. “It could rough time. “We just quietly walk be, ‘don’t forget the bread,’ or up to the parent and give them it could be ‘it’s an emergency, the gift card,” Epperson explains.

-Jacob we’ve got to go.’” He says there is that small moment of panic every Director of Integrated Health and Services Sally time the phone rings or a text comes in.

Kerr says that caregivers can face emotional, financial, or physical strain, often resulting in As another parent to special needs children, anxiety, depression and other health issues.

Sarah Oelke echoes similar sentiments, She says the most important thing we can do “The phone ringing – I get that from the as healthcare professionals is just make sure school because one of ours has sensory they are managing their own healthcare needs. issues and gets overwhelmed, and my other kiddo has a neuromuscular disorder.” Oelke Kerr says that Variety Care’s Integrated emphasizes, “You always hold your breath….”

Health Services Department can help patients in need of additional support resources.

Epperson and Oelke say that in families with special needs children, these occurrences can become so “normal” that parents often don’t realize they may need a little help. “It is very hard to realize how physically and emotionally VARIETY CARE | 8

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Rave reviews in

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Honoring Black History Month

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