Innovation

Michael Earl Knapp, M.D. Physician, Diagnostic Radiology

Nominated by Laura Gryder, Navigation Coordinator We had a patient that was sent from our mammogram department to Covenant Lubbock for a breast biopsy of a suspicious area. When the patient presented to the facility, she was told that the area did not need to be biopsied after a repeat mammogram was performed. The patient was extremely worried due to having a family history of cancer and she called Nor-Lea asking for guidance on next steps. I contacted the Radiology Manager, Alyssa.

Had he not reached out to his colleague, this patient could be walking around with cancer and not be diagnosed until her next mammogram appointment. I am thankful to work for a provider such as Dr. Knapp who is willing to advocate for what’s best for our patients.

Nominated by Alyssa Byrd, Radiology Manager I received information from Laura Gryder regarding a patient we had sent for a breast biopsy. The patient felt like she could reach out to us because she had such a great experience with Nor-Lea and she trusted that we would care for her. Dr. Knapp graciously reviewed the films again and still felt like the patient needed a biopsy. He consulted with another radiologist that he knows at another facility and the patient was referred to that facility for a biopsy. Dr. Knapp also called and consulted with the ordering provider here at Nor-Lea to make sure they were on the same page regarding the patient’s care. Dr. Knapp then spoke with the navigator at the other facility to make sure the patient was scheduled with the radiologist he consulted with. The biopsy was performed. It turns out the patient needed surgical consultation.

There are many things I could say about Dr. Knapp and how he embodies all our iCARE values. He went out of his way to hear the concerns of the patient and made sure that the patient’s voice was heard. He believed in doing what was right. He works hard for all our patients here at Nor-Lea. Even though he is busy he took time to make phone calls and review this case to make sure she was taken care of.

Compassion

Anastasia Newman Patient Service Representative, Professional Physician Center

Nominated by Paige Ramirez Professional Physicians Center Manager Anastasia came to my office a few weeks back when it was raining and expressed concern for a patient that couldn’t get to her appointment with Dr. Duba because of the rain. She explained that the patient was in her car headed to the clinic for her appointment when sprinkling turned into a downpour. This patient did not have windows in her car. The patient was stuck at the Stripes on Main Street and was already running late but could not continue to drive. Anastasia asked permission to go pick up the patient so they would not have to miss the appointment due to him being booked out till the end of the year. I gave Anastasia permission to do so, and not only did she go get the patient, she even took them back after the appointment to their car. This is a true act of compassion on Anastasia’s part, not only did she show her friendly spirit, but she also displayed servant attitude, and demonstrated genuine concern for this patient.

Accountability

Ana Erica Valdez, RN Registered Nurse, Nor-Lea Cancer Center

Nominated by Laura Gryder, Navigation Coordinator We recently had a hematology patient that had been referred to San Antonio in July for possible transplant. This patient was in the hands of their facility until recently. Last week the patient was presented to our facility and had progressed to the point of no longer being a candidate for the transplant if we were not able to coordinate care as soon as possible. Erica was notified of this urgent request and quickly went into action. Due to the nature of the patient’s insurance, her options of facilities were limited. Erica found a facility in Colorado that would coordinate the particular type of therapy and transplant that this patient needed. Erica called daily and left numerous messages to gather information for the center and after a week of tedious work, she finally received a call back from Colorado. By middle of this week, Erica had not only coordinated to have the patient accepted, but she was also able to facilitate the induction therapy schedule, transplant blood workup, and coordinate financial review of the patient’s insurance. Had it not been for Erica’s tireless efforts for this patient, her entire treatment options could have changed, and this could have potentially led to the patient’s demise. When the patient was finally accepted and all care was coordinated, Erica voiced to us how she had lost sleep over this patient, and she could finally rest peacefully knowing that patient would be receiving the care that she deserved. Erica is the epitome of the Nor-Lea values and deserves to be recognized for her tireless work for this patient and all the other patients that none of us even know about.

Accountability

Esmeralda Aguirre, MA Medical Assistant, Nor-Lea Cancer Center

Nominated by Laura Gryder, Navigation Coordinator There was a Cancer Center patient who was presented to the clinic with a possible clot. The provider ordered a STAT doppler and it was confirmed that the patient did in fact have a clot and needed to start a new medication for it. The prescription was sent to the pharmacy in Hobbs. We received a call late the next day, from the family in a panic, voicing a $700 copay for the medication. The message was forwarded to Esme for guidance. Esme took it upon herself to find assistance for the family although it was time for her to clock out and go home for the day. She was able to obtain a free month’s supply for the patient. She called the pharmacy directly and provided the copay assistance card information and confirmed the $0 copay for the month. Esme called the family and communicated all of this. This process ran Esme over her regular scheduled time, and she didn’t even flinch. She was willing to stay late to ensure that all of this was taken care of, and that the family was eased of their concerns. The next morning, Esme followed up with the patient’s family to make sure that there were no issues in obtaining the medication with no cost. The family was so thankful for all her assistance. Had Esme not worked so hard, the family would have more than likely attempted to pay the $700 just to make sure that their loved one had the medication that they needed. It was amazing to watch Esme go above and beyond in caring for this patient and take accountability for helping them in the best way that she possibly could. I am so proud to work alongside someone like Esme who truly has a servant’s heart.

Respect

Christy Porras, Sleep Lab Manager, Nor-Lea Sleep Lab

Nominated by Manuel Barriga, Bio Med Coordinator Christy stood up to be a patient advocate for a patient that had a very hard time scheduling a sleep study appointment. This patient had worked very hard to rearrange their own schedule to be able to have their sleep study. IT department was requesting a scheduled outage on the same day the appointment was scheduled. Christy respectfully refused and said no to the schedule outage. She advocated for the patient even though this patient had no idea she had. Due to Christy advocating for her patient, IT changed their scheduled downtime to another day. She was like a brick wall with tons of steel and rebar to reinforce her stance!!! I am very proud that she stood her ground. This is what NLHD does for their patients, this is a great example of iCARE!!!

Empowerment

Busdarin Belle Miller Business Informatics Specialist, Nor-Lea Hospital District

Nominated by Erica Valdez Colleauge We had a cancer patient that was due for treatment. The pharmacy was out of his medication. Belle and Monica contacted different Cancer Centers to have the medication transferred to our facility and to ensure there was no delay in the patient's treatment. After finishing work, Belle drove to Las Cruces to pick up the medication. She even took personal time to do so. She made it back in time for us to administer the medication. Working in the Cancer Center can be challenging at times, as not all of our patients can be cured. In this particular case, this patient has the potential to be cured, but a delay in his treatment could have potentially affected his outcome. Because of Belle we were able to avoid any delays and the patient received his treatment. Had Belle not done this, his care would have been delayed, risking progression of disease that could be life changing. We are so fortunate to have employees that care. Thank you, Belle, for being our hero.