EVERYDAY HEROES. The people you see on this wall are

Transcription

1 The people you see on this wall are EVERYDAY HEROES For nearly 60 years, the people of Kaiser Permanente have been heroes. They gave medical care to workers building the California Aqueduct and those constructing Liberty ships during World War II. It was difficult and unpopular work at the time. They went the extra mile not for glory, but because it was the right thing to do. Today that spirit lives on in our physicians, nurses, and staff in the South San Francisco Area. Some of our Everyday Heroes save lives. Others have provided kindness and generosity when it was needed most. These are the acts of Everyday Heroes. If you tell them they are heroes, they will tell you they were just doing their jobs. If you ask the people who received their goodwill, they will tell you it made all the difference in the world.

2 Cristina David Cristina always goes out of her way to enhance our patients hospital experience. Cristina David may not be a gourmet chef or own a five-star restaurant but she sure has a way with food. Hospitalized patients eagerly await her arrival each day and not just because she orders their meals it s her kindness, concern and patience that helps even the pickiest patient find something to like and get the nutrition they need. If a patient doesn t like what s on the menu, Cristina goes out of her way to find alternatives, says Phyllis Rance, Supervisor of Nutritional Services. If someone asks for something special, she ll stop what she s doing and get it for them. My heart goes out to my patients, says Cristina. I want to bring them some comfort at a difficult time, and food can do that. Cristina delights patients by remembering their birthdays with a cake. She keeps a special list of patient likes and dislikes, so if a patient is readmitted she can quickly order a favorite meal without even asking. She s always on the lookout for ways to improve food choices and service so when patients told her they wanted things like pot roast rather than fancy foods, pot roast soon popped up as a regular menu item. She always shares her ideas to help improve work processes and efficiency. Cristina is wonderful at providing service recovery and seems to have the magic touch in keeping patients calm and happy. Our patients truly appreciate and enjoy the extra touch Cristina brings to every meal, says Phyllis. She does an amazing job.

3 Diane Sapienza-Boundy What Diane does for our patients is far above and beyond her job description. We have a cancellation, can you be here at 2:00 today? The patient breathed a sigh of relief, thrilled that she d be able have her pain management procedure weeks ahead of her scheduled appointment. Thanks Diane, said the grateful patient. You ve made my day! Diane Sapienza-Boundy manages the Anesthesiology Department s pain management schedule with exceptional compassion, always looking for any open time or cancellation that she can quickly fill with patients seeking pain relief. As you can imagine, patients with chronic pain frequently feel desperate to get relief, says Larell Fineren, CRNA, Anesthesiology Department Manager. Patients deeply appreciate how hard Diane works to get them the earliest possible access to care. But Diane does far more than work magic with the schedule. She helps run the department with remarkable efficiency and dedication. She comes to work early to make sure that everything and everyone is in place to care for the day s patients. And throughout her busy day, she s on the phone with patients, giving them extra time to talk about their emotions and listen to their concerns. She regularly follows up with patients to ask if a procedure has allowed them to more thoroughly enjoy a special family event or vacation. Diane is a true champion for our patients, says Larell. I don t know what we or they -- would do without her.

4 William Chung, MD Dr. Chung has established a comfort level with his patients that only come with time and caring. Dr. William Chung s patients love him. Most have been with him for decades, one for almost 35 years. He s such a favorite that many families stay with him through one generation after another. He s even inspired the children of several patients to become physicians themselves. Dr. Chung has been at South San Francisco for 35 years, longer than any other internal medicine physician at the medical center. During that time he has distinguished himself as an outstanding clinician and role model. All his colleagues respect him, says South San Francisco cardiologist Dr. Edward Fischer. He s one of the very best internists in terms of his knowledge and depth of experience. But it s far more than his clinical expertise that endears him to his patients and engenders such fierce loyalty. He takes the time to get to know them personally and talks with them as much about their lives as about their medical conditions. Dr. Chung s staff is just as impressed with his caring ways. He s a great person to work with, says Tess Putney who s been his medical assistant for 22 years. He s very warm and truly enjoys and cares about his patients. Patients are devoted to him, say Dr. Fischer. People who have Dr. Chung as their primary care physician (and I m one of them!) are very lucky.

5 South San Francisco Everyday Hero Team: Bayhill Pharmacy This outstanding pharmacy team always does what s best for our members. The elderly patient knew she d never make it to the Bayhill Pharmacy before closing time. Even though her doctor s office was only upstairs, her legs just didn t move quite as fast as they used to. But much to her delight and surprise, the pharmacy staff had stayed past closing time just for her. That happens a lot with this dedicated team. I don t know how many times I ve called and asked them to wait for a patient, and they always do, says Dennis Nakamura, MD, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. With every prescription this caring team makes a special effort to also dispense a warm welcome, speedy service and quality care. It s no wonder then that the pharmacy is a favorite with patients. Many use it as their primary pharmacy, even though another location is closer to their home or work. The staff is just as helpful and friendly to physicians who call with questions or special requests. They always drop everything to help us out, says Dr. Nakamura. All my colleagues (and our patients!) think this pharmacy is absolutely top-notch. With its customer-friendly approach, superb productivity and efficient service, this Bayhill team has become a regional role model for successful pharmacy operations. This team is terrific in every sense of the word, says Dr. Nakamura. They re a spectacular group.