There are no gold medals or television moments of glory for those who work in the
Immediate Care Centers of Southeast Georgia Health System. They will never be called Olympians,
even though they were tested to the limits of their endurance for the
last two years.
“Our team members give their best even when working 12 or more hours
a day. At times, they are overwhelmed, but come back the next day with
smiles, to give their best to our patients,” says Department Support
Coordinator Gina Pyles. She serves as the front office coordinator for the
Glynco and
St. Simons Immediate Care Centers (ICCs).
The Right Place at the Right Time
Her team doesn’t perform ski jumps or triple axels, but their performances
are equally impressive. They mend broken bones, cuts, scrapes, strains
and sprains. They perform the EKGs and
COVID-19 tests that could save someone’s life. As Clinical Team Leader Cindy Butler,
BBA, R.T. (R)(QM) says, “My technical skills can impact a patient’s
life – from assisting with diagnosing
COVID pneumonia to broken bones. There have been many instances of being in
the right place at the right time that proved to me I am in the best location
for my skill set.”
While it’s fulfilling to use her technical skills, what really matters
to Butler is uplifting others. “A smile, laugh or kind word can
do wonders for an individual who is sick, worried or could use a boost.”
The Smallest Thing
Tasha Marion-Williams, RMA seconds that opinion. The registered medical
assistant helps out at all three clinics. “The smallest thing you
say or do could make a positive impact on s omeone’s life. You never
know what a person is going through.”
Like a professional athlete, these women cultivate a mindset that withstands
emotional and physical exhaustion. “Each day, we walk in the door
preparing for another busy day. We do it together, giving 200 percent,
staying positive. At the end of the day, no matter how tired we are, we
try not to let patients see us fatigued,” Marion-Williams says.
Olympians set high standards for themselves. So, too, does the Immediate
Care Center staff. “My primary goal is doing my job to the best
of my ability. The example I set helps everyone,” says Medical Office
Assistant Andrea Jackson. She values her team’s ability to “work
together to ensure the best outcome for the patient.” Jackson does
operational support and administrative duties, but she shares the medical
team’s philosophy. “Approaching the patient with kindness
and understanding, and accommodating their state of mind, is crucial to
providing the highest level of care.”
Keeping Everyone Safe
The team, led by
Daniel Miller, M.D., Manager Beth Hall, R.T.(R), and Pyles, played a pivotal role helping
the Health System and community navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. For the
last two years, they focused on caring for patients infected with the
coronavirus, while still treating other medical issues. “The ICCs
take the stress and overwhelming pressure off primary care practices when
it comes to caring for COVID patients, allowing other departments and
team members to focus on non-COVID related illnesses and conditions. Less
COVID exposure in other departments gives us the opportunity to keep everyone
safe to the best of our ability,” Marion-Williams says.
She recalls an exhausted, dehydrated patient so sick with COVID he could
barely walk. He had not been eating or drinking at home and refused her
offer of a wheelchair when he arrived. “I immediately grabbed a
Gatorade and expressed how important it was to hydrate,” Marion-Williams
says. The patient greeted her advice with a look of indignation. When
his wife told Marion-Williams her husband would not drink the Gatorade,
the contrarian patient looked at his wife, grinned, and started drinking.
“His wife said she needed me at their house because he does not
listen to her. We all laughed, and they thanked me. After two weeks, his
outcome was amazing. It was joyful to see his recovery,” says Marion-Williams.
Never Too Busy to Care
Those successful interactions make up for the long hours, added stress
and fatigue. Despite pressing demands and supply shortages, this team
still prioritizes the human side of medicine. Pyles talked a patient through
a distressing situation, and in the process, might have averted a disaster.
“The patient lived out of town, wasn’t feeling well and was
distressed and lost looking for the emergency room. I suggested they come
to our clinic ASAP and stayed on the line until they arrived. I met them
in the parking lot with a wheelchair and assisted with paperwork until
a nurse came. Based on the circumstance and their distress, the patient
may not have arrived to the emergency room without having an accident.
I could not bear the thought of being too busy to assist her in a time
of need.”
Knowing they can rely on each other, the team achieves together what they
could not do alone. It’s a performance worthy of gold, but it goes
on, day by day, with little fanfare. “It is rewarding to serve our
community. We look forward to giving our best to patients in their time
of need,” Pyles says.