VC, The Magazine | Issue 43

UNSTOPPABLE WOMEN

March. 2024 | ISSUE 43

EOM EOM EOM Employee of the Month: Carolina Ramirez Page 4

Carolina Ramirez Custodian, Lafayette

Variety Care Hobart Page 8

Fighting Per Pag

riod Poverty ge 6

Teen Clinic Breaks Records Page 7

Welcome to the Team!

Page 10

O M E O M E Carolina Ramirez Custodian, Lafayette

VARIETY CARE | 4

Employee of the Month: Thoroughness Tell us about your family.

Mi familia consiste en mis tres hijas, mis cinco nietos y mi esposo, pero ahora tengo más de 800 en familia de Variety Care.

My family consists of my three daughters, my five grandchildren, and my husband, but now I have over 800 family members at Variety Care.

attentive to her job, if you need her help with anything she will be the first one to be there. Even if you just need a hug to get through the day, I know Carolina will give you that sincere hug.”

Gabriela Calderon, WIC Clerk Lead, Lafayette What motivates you every day to wake up and go to work?

I like working, I've always enjoyed it. My family motivates me. I like it here because everyone is very kind, they've never treated me poorly, they always make me feel good. It's a job where I just open my eyes, look at the clock, and say it's almost time to go to work. I like the atmosphere here, it's very comfortable.

“On December 28, I came into work and right away I smelled a fresh clean smell like our VC office was glowing. I instantly noticed Mrs. Carolina Ramirez was here to bring life back to our old building. She cleaned all 12 exam rooms top to bottom, including our work areas and all the bathrooms. The whole time she was here working she had “Carolina is very energetic! She a smile on her face, and even is someone who can brighten thanked us for letting her someone’s day just by being clean. Mrs. Ramirez is part of around and working while our Variety Care family. She always having a smile on her gives our patients and staff face and a positive attitude. I a clean environment and a am grateful to have Carolina sense of home. Thank you for as part of my Custodial Staff!” your time and dedication to Eddie Orquiz, Facilities Variety Care. Your hard work Supervisor, Admin -Carolina doesn’t go unseen." - Sam Hunter, MA Immunization Coordinator, Yukon What would you like to say to the Variety Care Yukon team, who nominated you for Employee of Why is it important for our Patients to feel at home, the Month? especially when they visit our clinics at Variety They sent me an email and I couldn't reply to them Care? because I don't know much about using the computer So, they can feel relaxed and not experience that to return an email. First, I want to thank them. At stress or fear of what they will be told or done to. that moment when I was saying goodbye to them, This helps both the patient and the provider, as it they thanked me a lot for cleaning for them, and I encourages the patient to open up and communicate also said thank you very much for welcoming me to their feelings, and the provider doesn't feel their clinic and treating me well. I told them thank rejected by the patient or that they're not being you all because none of them treated me badly. And told everything the patient is feeling. This way, I told them that if there was another opportunity, I there's communication between them that feels would be there. Of course, they said the same, but comfortable for both the patient and the provider. the gratitude was mutual.

Mi familia consiste en mis tres hijas, mis cinco nietos y mi esposo, pero ahora tengo más de 800 en familia de Variety Care.

“Since the first day I met Carolina, she has always made me feel welcomed and appreciated. She is very

(Cont. on page 6)

(Cont. from page 5)

When you're there in your day-to-day work, you're cleaning, but I feel you're much more than that due to your coworkers' comments. Your colleagues say you go above and beyond, and that you always want to put a smile on everyone's face, including the patients. Why is it important for you to make that gesture?

I make them laugh so they don't feel fear or apprehension. Or with the moms, I make the kids smile and make the moms feel good so that everyone, the receptionists, nurses, and providers, not only gives attention to the children, but that everyone here gives the moms attention as well.

Anything else you'd like to share with us?

Well, first, I want to thank my bosses. If something is missing, I talk to them, and they immediately come and help me with it. Thank you to Mr. Victor and Eddy. They helped me overcome my fear and feel good about my job. We are like a family. We are a unit. When someone doesn't come, they are missed. I try to give my best to feel good at work and make the people around me feel good.

On behalf of me and my family, I want to thank everyone for this recognition and tell them that every day is a new day, so let's make the most of it.

"Carolina is the definition of positivity. With her warm and welcoming smile, she can make everyone's bad day turn into a good and positive one."

-Brenda Espinoza, Clinical Operations Coordinator, Lafayette

Fighting Period Poverty With Junior League Variety Care is joining forces with the Junior League of Oklahoma City, in a collaborative effort to combat period poverty. Project EmpowHer aims to provide access to menstrual supplies and health education within the Oklahoma City metro.

As part of our collaboration with Project EmpowHer, Variety Care plans to organize feminine hygiene drives to support the ongoing efforts to alleviate period poverty close to home.

These drives will serve to not only benefit Variety Care patients but also advance the conversation on period poverty. You can also click here to aid in the effort by donating products from Project EmpowHer’s Amazon wishlist.

Through this partnership, both organizations aim to promote menstrual equity and ensure that individuals have access to the essential resources they need to manage their menstrual health with dignity. Together, we are working toward a future where period poverty is eradicated, and all individuals can access the menstrual products they require to lead healthy and empowered lives.

1 in 4 people struggle to afford pads or tampons.

Source: 2018 U by Kotex survey conducted with YouGov

Teen Clinic Breaks Records!

In February, Teen Clinic achieved remarkable success, with a record-breaking 81 appointments and 380 services provided. This represents a significant leap from the previous year, with appointment numbers nearly quadrupling and services more than doubling.

Director of Adolescent Health Education and Teen Clinic Services Kali Sexton thanks her team, saying, “The education you are providing in the schools, on TC social media platforms and on the TC text hotline is making a difference! The education and information provided to students is translating into outcomes in the clinics!”

This milestone reaffirms Teen Clinic's commitment to delivering essential health care services tailored to the unique needs of teenagers in our community. Great job, team!

VARIETY CARE | 7

Variety Care Hobart is now open!

Located in Hobart, Oklahoma, this clinic is the newest addition to our three other rural sites. Through a collaboration with Hamilton Health Box, this clinic will offer a hybrid care approach, merging top-tier clinicians with cuttingedge telehealth technology to provide hands-on primary care to communities that face challenges in accessing comprehensive health care.

VARIETY CARE | 8

Talk to your patients about their screening options today

to our team America Aguilar

Edis Alvarado

PSR I, Britton

Shakayla Baker

PSR I, Sequoyah

Cynthia Calderon

Medical Assistant Float, North Care

Pharmacy Clerk, N. Portland

Renee Ercanbrack

Kristina Rodriguez

Dental Assistant II, Straka

Keilah Manous

Medical Assistant II, Yukon

Fernanda Avila De Loera PSR I, Reno

Phuong Do

Network Administrator, Admin.

Chuck Longacre

Clinical Services Medical Float, PAC

HIV Prevention Advocate, Sequoyah

Alejandra Padilla

Krystal Regino Muniz

Pharmacy Clerk, Lafayette

Medical Assistant I, N. Portland

Maria Rubio Jimenez PSR I, Baptist Portland

Giselle Sanchez PSR I, N. Portland

Soledad Yajaira

Patient Access Specialist, PAC

MEET OUR NEW

Provider

Education: Maryville University Specialization: Pediatrics April Keith, CPNP-PC, sees herself as a resource for children and their families. Outside of her professional life, Keith enjoys spending quality time with her children and dogs. Additionally, she has a passion for shopping and dreams of exploring more travel opportunities.

April Keith, CPNP-PC NW 10th

MARCH Anniversaries 10 + YEARS OF SERVICE

SAIRA BONILLA OROZCO, STRAKA, 10 YEARS KIMBERLEE BRAZEAL, NORMAN FP, 10 YEARS KATIA G. FERNANDEZ, STRAKA, 12 YEARS ALICE GUZMAN, STRAKA, 12 YEARS MARIA RAMIREZ, ADMIN, 12 YEARS ARMIDA TINOCO, STRAKA, 15 YEARS

5+ YEARS OF SERVICE

ASHLEY J. GONZALEZ, NORMAN FP, 5 YEARS FAVIOLA GUERRA, STRAKA, 5 YEARS TIANA NUNEZ, PAC, 5 YEARS YESENIA A. RAMIREZ, PAC, 5 YEARS CLAUDIA GARCIA, STRAKA, 7 YEARS DEBRA JOHNSON, STRAKA, 8 YEARS BRIANNA N. ROBERTS, STRAKA, 9 YEARS MARTA CARRENO, STRAKA, 9 YEARS

4 YEARS OF SERVICE

ANA J. RIVERA, LAFAYETTE VALERIE A. RIVERA, STRAKA

3 YEARS OF SERVICE

LINNZI DRUMMOND, PAC HALEY F. ROBINSON, SEQUOYAH ELISANAI DE LA ROSA, BAPTIST PORTLAND BRENDA L BREWER, ADMIN GABY MIRAMONTES, ADMIN BRENDA G WILSON, ADMIN

2 YEARS OF SERVICE

DANIEL CLINKENBEARD, RENO ANDREA SMITH, PUTNAM WENDI E. GUERRERO, PAC ULANI I. CHAVEZ, PAC ZAHIRA ATILANO, PAC

1 YEAR OF SERVICE

JENNIFER ALVAREZ MORONES, BRITTON JESSICA V. ALMAGUER, ADMIN CHAD BUTLER, ADMIN MARI TORRES, STRAKA SHERILYN D. JOHNSON, STRAKA MARLENE DE SANTIAGO, PAC ASHLEY D. FANTROY, PAC PARKER HULIN, PAC KRISTEN J. REYNOLDS, PAC

You are

APPRECIATED! Thank you to Dr. Clinkenbeard for helping the dental team when they had a water leak, he stepped right in to help and find a temporary resolution to stop the problem while he was in session. He demonstrated teamwork and was exemplary.

Daniel Clinkenbeard, MD

Nathan Kadavy, PA-C, MHS

Thank you to Nathan for his help and participation in the Reach Out and Read program, for taking the lead to ensure providers take the educational training needed, and for his willingness to encourage providers to give out and track books. I appreciate his leadership and support with this.

Thank you to Phil for his willingness to learn more about operational change and his adaptability and support with change. I really appreciate him helping me encourage the team for anything new we are working on.

Phil Burke, PA-C, RHIA

Lorena Saucedo -Practice Administrator, Reno/Sequoyah