Make Pain a Thing of the Past – Patient Care Champions – Physician Partners of America

PPOA Patient Care Champions – Laverna Cole

LAVERNA COLE – INSTRUMENT TECH, TEXAS

Our employees are all patient care champions, but some go the extra mile and we want to give them the recognition they deserve. They embody the PPOA values known as S.I.T.E. – Safety, Integrity, Teamwork, Empathy – which informs our service to patients and the community through high quality health care.

Laverna Cole is an instrument technician at PPOA’s Precinct Ambulatory Surgery Center in Hurst, Texas. For her, it’s more than just a place to work; in many ways, it’s been her her home for more than a decade.

A native of Brownwood, Texas, Cole traveled the world as an “Air Force brat” but returned to West Texas roots after getting her certifications in Oklahoma.

She attended Oklahoma State University for a PCA (Patient Care Assistant) certification. She then attended Foster Estes Vocational School for her Nurse Assistant II certification. She has held several positions in the region, including Baylor Medical Center of Grapevine for 10 years and Specialty Surgery Center for 12 – until it was acquired by Physician Partners of America in 2013. “I’ve been at the same location for 14 years,” she says.

It shows in her command of the place and the way she greets everyone as if she was her own home. Doctors performing surgeries get a hug – or ask for one if she’s distracted. Patients get hugs too, or a gentle touch, and always kind words.

“My grandmother was a nurse and told me, ‘If people don’t walk out different from when they walked in, I’ve only done half my job,’ Cole says. “If I can give them a pat on the back or a hug, it can change their attitude.”  That’s especially important when a patient is facing surgery.

Cole’s grandmother and mother were nurses, as well, which may help explain her caring heart. “I’m a people person,” she says. “But you have to have a heart to be a nurse.” She enjoys helping out her coworkers at the surgery center, pitching in wherever help is needed.

Her supervisor, April Hansard, says Cole is invaluable to the team. “Since I have arrive at Precinct Ambulatory Surgery Center, Laverna has made me feel like family,” Hansard says. “She is very well liked at the facility and goes out of her way to assist when needed.”

Cole is the mother of four grown sons and a grandmother of three. When she’s not working she enjoys going to church, walking six miles every other day, swimming, baseball and tennis. She also loves jazz and theater.

 

 

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PPOA Patient Care Champions – Eric Alvarez

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ERIC ALVAREZ – REGIONAL CLINICAL SUPERVISOR, FLORIDA

Our employees are all patient care champions, but some go the extra mile and we want to give them the recognition they deserve. They embody the PPOA values known as S.I.T.E. – Safety, Integrity, Teamwork, Empathy – which informs our service to patients and the community through high quality health care.

Eric Alvarez is the regional clinical supervisor for PPOA’s Florida division. He oversees staff and practice managers in far-flung areas throughout the state – including Tampa Bay, Jacksonville and Winter Haven. He also has an oversight role in the company’s rehabilitation division, which handles the pain management needs of patients in skilled nursing facilities.

His mail box remains full; his phone never stops ringing. Still, he always makes time for anyone who needs his immediate attention. Polite and unflappable, he makes the job look easy.

“I enjoy solving problems and looking for ways to improve patient care,” says Alvarez, a Tampa native. “I look at all the facts, look at the situation and find a solution that’s the best fit.”

Perhaps his background also has something to do with it: He learned combat lifesaving skills while serving in the U.S. Army’s Airborne Infantry division, and experience that ignited a passion for medicine. Alvarez earned his Associate Degree in Emergency Medicine from Orlando Medical Institute.

He is a certified EMT, paramedic and x-ray technician, as well as a certified medical assistant (CMT) and certified CPR-BLS trainer. Still, it is his interpersonal skills that people notice first.

Not long ago, he was visiting the Winter Haven clinic and helped a senior female patient change her tire – in 90 degree heat.

Josh Helms, CEO of Physician Partners of America, sums it up this way: “Eric is a servant leader who is always willing to roll up his sleeves and help the team. He leads by example and always puts the patient first.”

Says Alvarez, the father of two daughters, “I love helping people. It’s been my passion since forever. Excellent patient care is what keeps us going and I make it priority in everything I do.”

 

 

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PPOA Patient Care Champions – Susan Hoskins

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SUSAN HOSKINS – BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Our employees are all patient care champions, but some go the extra mile and we want to give them the recognition they deserve. They embody the PPOA values known as S.I.T.E. – Safety, Integrity, Teamwork, Empathy – which informs our service to patients and the community through high quality health care.

Susan Hoskins is far more than a business development manager; she also develops talent within the company and nurtures relationships with patients.

On any given day, you’ll find her marketing our physicians, Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury services, and ambulatory surgery centers. You’ll even see her handing out business cards to patients, offering herself as a direct line of communication if needed.

“The most fulfilling aspect of my life is being a servant,” she says. “A servant to my team, my family, our practices and our patients.”

This mother of five and grandmother of five works tirelessly to market PPOA throughout the Merritt Island and Melbourne, Fla. markets, and beyond.

A native of Miami, she earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of South Florida and stayed in the area, working in business development for several medical companies. She was hired by PPOA in April 2017 to develop the Space Coast territory and quickly became a top marketer.

“I love change, and this job has offered many opportunities to change things up. The sky’s the limit,” Hoskins says.

A tragic and unexpected change – the sudden passing of Business Development Director Jerome Jackson in July – recently altered her path. Susan Hoskins found herself promoted to team lead, developing new territories and providing support for all Florida reps.

“An ordinary team would have crumbled, but Jerome left a legacy for us to follow,” she says. “He was a great leader. He taught us to be independent and yet rely on one another, and that’s what we have done. Our team has pulled together and is truly amazing.”

Hoskins credits her counterpart in Texas, Daniel Ucheoma, and the rest of the Business Development team for their drive and passion for excellence.

“I have never worked with such a unique group of individuals, people with such extraordinary talent,” she says. “They all bring so much to the table.”

COO Josh Helms adds, “Susan Hoskins is an asset to our organization and we feel very blessed to have her on our team. She leads by example and is a true Patient Champion.”

 

 

 

 

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PPOA Patient Care Champions – Enrique Covarrubias

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ENRIQUE COVARRUBIAS, PRACTICE MANAGER – FRISCO

Our employees are all patient care champions, but some go the extra mile and we want to give them the recognition they deserve. They embody the PPOA values known as S.I.T.E. – Safety, Integrity, Teamwork, Empathy – which informs our service to patients and the community through high quality health care.

 

Enrique Covarrubias is the practice manager of our Frisco, TX pain management location. He is universally known for delivering compassionate care to patients and helping the office run smoothly.

“Enrique has been an integral part at our Frisco clinic team for the last four years,” said Dr. Prasad Lakshminarasimhiah, the physician Enrique works with. “During these years he has demonstrated commitment to the success of our clinic in many, many ways.”

“I went into the medical field because I love helping people,” says Enrique, a Los Angeles native.

His decision, however, is rooted in tragedy. He witnessed his best friend shot to death on the notoriously rough streets of South Central L.A. He moved to Texas shortly after that.

After graduating from high school in 2000, Enrique went on to earn his CMA and X-ray technician’s license. He worked as a laboratory manager for a large company for five years, earning his location a franchise of the year award in 2011 and a consistent no. 1 or 2 ranking out of 150 locations. “I’m pretty competitive,” he says.

That drive and a superior ability to solve problems caught the eye of PPOA in 2014. He began his career here just six months after Dr. Gari opened the first clinics in Texas. “Back then, we were called clinical coordinators,” he says.

“Enrique is always the first to respond on any and everything that is presented by the company. He always has a go-getter personality and is always willing to help a patient or the staff,” says Terica Cox, Regional Clinical Supervisor.

One recent example: a patient was waiting for a procedure, but the doctor was delayed. Instead of sending the patient home, Enrique tracked the doctor down at the surgery center and made sure the patient was taken care of right away.

“He goes the extra mile in every situation for the best possible outcome for our patients,” Dr. Prasad says. “He coordinates extremely well with other staff and departments with the ultimate goal of providing the best care for our patients, and at the same time making it very easy on them. We appreciate him for all the effort he makes to maintain a positive attitude even under challenging situations.”

PPOA COO Josh Helms agrees. “Enrique defines what good service and dedication look like at PPOA. We are blessed to have him on our team and appreciate his dedication and empathy toward the patients we serve.”

For his part, Enrique says he enjoys his coworkers and being part of a high-growth company like PPOA.

“My time here has been amazing,” he says. “There’s been a lot of growth and a lot of changes. It’s exciting to be a part of it.”

 

 

 

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PPOA Patient Care Champions – April Hansard, RN

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APRIL HANSARD – CLINICAL ADMINISTRATOR OF TEXAS AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTERS

Our employees are all patient care champions, but some go the extra mile and we want to give them the recognition they deserve. They embody the PPOA values known as S.I.T.E. – Safety, Integrity, Teamwork, Empathy – which informs our service to patients and the community through high quality health care.

People are what make Physician Partners of America a special place – employees like April Hansard, RN.

The clinical administrator for our Texas ambulatory surgery centers, April never says “no” to helping out wherever needed. That includes taking part in this year’s American Heart Association Heart Walk in Dallas Sept. 4.

Most recently, she assisted PPOA’s new minimally invasive spine surgeon, Phillip Kravetz, M.D., in setting up his procedure suites in Frisco and Hurst, Texas. In December, she will come back to her home base in Florida to help open the surgery center inside our new Orlando Medical Pavilion.

“April is one of those people who, when you meet them, you know they’re special,” says Josh Helms, Chief Operating Officer of Physician Partners of America. “She is someone who leads by example and values the importance of servant leadership.”

Not only does she give her all to the company, she is known for her compassion with the people who walk through her doors for treatment. “I treat patients like I would want my family members to be treated,” she says. “When you treat patients with dignity and respect, the thank-yous you get in return make your day.”

A native of Pennsylvania, April earned her Bachelor’s in Nursing from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. She has been a nurse for 37 years, 35 of them in the operating room.

She and John, her husband of 31 years (as of Oct. 10), have a grown son, Eric, who is in the U.S. Air Force at Eglin Air Force Base, and a daughter, Erin.

April says being engaged with family, community and workplace keep her young. “Yes,” she declares with pride, “I will be turning 60 next month, but 60 is the new 50, right?”

We at PPOA wish this Patient Care Champion many more years of service, and many more thank-yous from all of us.

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