TGH Talent Talks

The Roles That Shape Patient Care- Advanced Practice Providers and Medical Assistants

• TGH Talent Acquisition Team • Season 1 • Episode 1

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Dive into the fascinating world of healthcare with this episode of TGH Talent Talks, where we discuss the impactful roles of medical assistants and advanced practice providers. Hosts Shanelle , Michael, and Veronica take you through their unique career journeys, revealing the dedication and passion that drive their work in patient care. From Veronica's transition from a laid-back transplant medical assistant to a bustling primary care environment, to Michael's journey as an advanced practice provider, this episode emphasizes the significance of collaboration among healthcare professionals. 

Listeners will not only learn about the day-to-day responsibilities that these unsung heroes manage but also gain insights into the skills and training that shaped their careers. You'll discover how mentorship has play a crucial role in their growth and the importance of a supportive community within the healthcare system. 

If you're curious about the diverse opportunities that exist in healthcare or looking for inspiration about the various career paths, this episode will resonate with you. Join us as we celebrate the commitment to quality care and patient advocacy that defines the healthcare profession. Don't forget to share your thoughts and experiences—who has been your greatest support in your career journey?

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Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

Hi. So my Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy and welcome back to TGH's newest podcast series called TGH Talent Talks, and we appreciate each of you for tuning in every week. But we are going to have a little bit of fun again today, where we learn about our team members, their unique career journeys and the endless career paths that exist inside healthcare. And, as I said, my Shanelle Rae and I'm the Director of People and Talent Strategy at Tampa General Hospital.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

I'm pleased to be joined by two people who have a very interesting story that they are prepared to share with us. So, when we have a healthcare system as large as ours, we have over 800 positions and titles at any given time, and so we always hear the stories of oh, you work at a hospital, you must be a doctor or a nurse Wrong, at least for me. But we're excited to unpack some of the titles that we have here with us today, and I'm excited to introduce Michael and Veronica, and I would love for the two of you to introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about both of you, and over the next 30 minutes or so, we will get to know more about your story and hopefully help other people understand what it is the two of you do so, Michael why don't you tell us a little bit about you?

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

Yeah, thank you. Thank you for having me on today. So, as Shanelle was was saying, my name is Michael Escobar. I'm one of the advanced practice providers for TGMG. I've been with the company for almost seven years now, really really enjoy everything that I've been able to accomplish and the growth that I've had within the company. So, an advanced practice provider, an APP what we do is very similar to what the medical doctors do, the physicians. We are kind of that point person for providing care to patients. So this can be triaging patients, taking their health, their physicals, doing physical exams, ordering tests, diagnostics, interpreting that and ultimately coming up with a plan of care for these patients. And so the APPs, specifically at TGH, we can have them practicing in primary care clinics. We can have them practicing in specialty clinics bariatrics, surgery, many, many different specialties that we have across TGH and so we're there just like providers. We are there to provide care to them, diagnose, assess them and then ultimately try to get them to better health and or solve their particular health complaint right.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

We're excited to have you here with us and I'm very excited to introduce Veronica and hear a little bit about who you are and what you do.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

My name is Veronica and I'm a medical assistant. I've been with TGH nine years. In December. I have gone through the more laid-back transplant medical assistant to now the very chaotic primary care medical assistant. It is a bit of a challenge. Still, with the training and experience that I have, it can be challenging. You don't get the same patient every day. Everything can be different. Transplant, like I said, is very laid back. You're welcoming, you're triaging, you're getting patients ready for that provider as best as you can. You want to ask as many questions as you're able to to better prepare that provider to come in and assist that patient without any delays in their treatment or care. Ultimately, I do my best to anticipate the needs of my provider, not just my patient, because at the end it gives them a better outcome, better turnaround for their day throughout that day in production and we can maximize our ability to see as many patients as possible. And in doing so it's very gratifying because I'm not just helping patients, I'm also helping my organization by helping my providers continue great quality care.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

If you had to describe what being a medical assistant was like in two sentences, what would that be?

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

I would say your medical assistant is going to be that first person to give you that feedback opinion, or maybe just be the person to just hear you, Because sometimes our patients just want to be heard. There's not really much we can do, but just listen. I think we're just that first person that interacts with them to help give them the empathy that they're looking for and opportunity to help guide them in the right possible direction and to provide them with that open floor whether there's feedback or there's no feedback and the ability to help them move forward with that visit with confidence and the ability to say what's on their mind and also give them the advocacy that they need and making sure that they know that they have a voice in what the decision for their care is perfect.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

Michael, as an advanced practice provider, somebody in the primary care space, what does having a medical assistant mean for your ability to provide care to your patients?

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

Oh gosh, that's my right-hand man, or right-hand woman, in this case my backbone, if I can put it into one word. She's like she mentioned. She's there to kind of get the health care process started for that particular patient, the patient experience right. So she's there greeting the patient, walking the patient back, getting the vital signs and really kind of laying the groundwork for me to get the information I need to begin starting in my own brain kind of internalizing and starting this plan before I even walk in to say hello to the patient. So she's doing a lot of, let's say, the legwork for me in seeing this particular patient. And then, you know, when I come in, I already have a lot of the information at hand which, from a patient experience standpoint, just makes that better because we're not, you know, playing catch up or not having to circle back. Things are just flowing, they're natural, and it allows us to kind of have more of a conversation. So that's, I'm very grateful for that because that keeps us on time, keeps us on pace and allows for that good patient experience. And then, ultimately, when I'm done, when they're going back in there, they're a huge help because they are kind of setting the expectation then for that next visit, whether they're scheduling appointments, kind of recapping everything I just went through with that patient, and for a lot of patients that can be overwhelming because I'm potentially saying some medical words.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

I try not to, I try not to give too much medical jargon, but sometimes, you know, I we do speak in in a kind of a foreign language, right, and so they may be overwhelmed. They may be shy to kind of answer, ask some questions, right. They don't want to be portrayed as not having the health literacy, right, so, um, so they may not feel comfortable off the bat and then so when my medical assistant goes in, they might feel more comfortable and ask, and he or she is there to kind of answer some of those questions, right, so they double-check us. Yeah, they're kind of that front line and also that back line just to keep us in check and double-check us, and we work very nicely in that manner. Like I said, they're the backbone of what we do and really assist us in allowing that patient experience to kind of happen.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

So what I'm hearing is Veronica's in charge. Yeah, pretty much.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

I could not have successful days and great patient care, quality care experience without our medical assistants hands down.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

And Veronica for you, when you think about somebody who knows nothing about medical assisting and what a medical assistant does in terms of tasks and performing an end-to-end visit. If I'm a patient and I'm coming in and I'm seeing you and I'm guilty of this I have done this before. I have seen my medical assistant and I'm like, oh, they're my provider, I'm going to tell them literally everything that they need to know about, but I want you to.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

I want you to tell me everything Right, because then I can dissect that and my provider will have what they need for this visit, and I will give you that expectation that today we may not be able to meet and discuss this, because this is priority. Everything that you bring to me is important, absolutely, because it's what you're concerned about. However, we need to itemize what is the most important, and this is what I feel it is. So let's handle those today and I will ensure that you have a close follow-up with the next available provider, if not your provider, to address those things or those needs that you feel need to be met, and we will meet them, just not today, maybe at a later time, or sometimes, you know, because not everyone is versed well in the medical field. It's well, I need my mammogram and I need to talk to them about my colonoscopy, and I saw my GI doctor. I don't have my colonoscopy results.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

A lot of it is just educating them on the correct pathway of obtaining what you need. So, yeah, you're here for your physical, I'll get you that order for your mammogram. You don't even have to talk to Mike about it. Oh, your colonoscopy. I see the report here. Do you have a follow-up appointment. At that follow-up appointment with that gastroenterologist, they're going to review that with you. However, if after that visit you're not satisfied with what the plan of care is, then we can schedule another appointment. So a lot of it is just questions that they don't truly understand or know the answers to, or no one educated them about it. So a lot of it is giving them that proper education so that they have a more successful, focused visit with that provider.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

Right, and it sounds like to Michael's earlier point around. It makes them more efficient because by the time the patient gets to them, they are aware of. This is what I'm able to talk to my provider about today and this is really what we're focusing on. Everything else is super important to the care continuum, but today, in the time that we have, this is what we're going to address and I think that makes a big difference in the outcomes that we provide to our patients in those times. So we talk about our roles and what we do professionally, but what does it mean for you to have a provider who understands and sees your value?

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

It's very gratifying to have a provider that sees my value, understands my value and what I bring to help them. But not just that. It goes a long way when it's gratifying, at the end of the day, to work for a provider that is understanding and empathetic and sympathizing with their patients and doing their best to give them that quality care that they deserve and come to see us for that is very gratifying. It brings great pleasure to be able to go to work and say I work for that provider.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

And I would agree with you on that one. I think you have a good one here. But we will shift for a second into how you got to the place that you're in right now. So I think there's so many pathways to get to one place. I think I would love to hear a little bit about how the two of you ended up together in this place, besides the obvious of you both got a job and took it and ended up together. But how did you end up together? And that begins, I think, with choosing the career path that you took. So, veronica, why don't we start with you?

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

I was very young. Stubborn, I wouldn't. I want to say I'm independent, but the correct word my mother would say is stubborn. And when you're stubborn, you're very independent, and what you want and that's what you're going to get, and that's what you're going to do.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

We'll clip that portion and send it to your mother and say perhaps you were correct. You were right, mom.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

I always knew I wanted to be somewhere in the health field. At my younger age, I'm going to be a nurse or potentially a pediatrician, and it's always been health field for me. But as you get older and you go through things throughout your life, especially as a young woman becoming a woman, from that transition, you dive into different things in life and discover different opportunities. I did initially want to do nursing, but I did see that the quickest way to get into the medical field for me would be a shorter period of time in school would be as a medical assistant.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

Although it may not be at the level of nursing, it still did come with a lot of those skills that are required of you as a nurse, as in being able to identify certain things, assist the provider in a lot of different aspects, draw blood, make sure that things are running smoothly, dissect that patient information whether you're putting in their information from their previous primary doctor or whether you're looking and researching on what's going on, what events have taken place, so that you can better prepare for that provider. So it was just a good start for me to get my foot in the door and then go from there Because once you start in a career field and you're knowledgeable of certain things, later on in life things become easier once you're putting foot forward for that, whichever career it is. So I started off as a medical assistant. I've always liked surgery. I've, like you know, everybody sees Grey's Anatomy.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

You want to be an OR Only if there's a McSteamy there or something.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

So I went ahead and I did my search. I did enjoy it the time that I spent in the OR, in Penn University and in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. However, being a surgical technologist, you don't have that one-on-one that you do with the patient in any clinical setting. They don't even remember who you are, they don't know you were there. So you don't have that relationship. You don't build that rapport, that connection, and that is something that was missing for me.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

So I did end up going back to that clinical setting because that is what I feel I enjoyed and I did was very gratifying for me. So I've been with TGH now going on nine years in December and I do know that being in the clinic setting for me is ideal. So, hopefully, moving towards the future, as I am an employee with TGH, they have, they offer so many different opportunities to help guide you and further your career, whether it's your career and pathways or whether it's going back to school for education. So I do look forward to becoming a nurse and assisting those patients even further, as best that I can, hopefully in a clinic setting, but if not, we'll see where it gets me.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

And Michael, how did you end up here in this lovely podcast studio with me today?

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

Veronica, you made me go through, veronica.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

I did. I know it's a hard act to follow.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

You know my parents were immigrants, right, so they came straight from Columbia. So you know my dad worked two or three jobs, you know, to maintain, you know the bills and stuff, and my mom, because my dad would work. You know my mom was a homemaker, taking care of both me and my brother. So I didn't really kind of have that healthcare experience growing up right Like my mom wasn't a doctor, you know so so forth, up right Like my mom wasn't a doctor, you know so so forth. So, when I was doing pre recs in Hillsborough Community College.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

What I know for myself is I wanted to work in a field that I can communicate and build relationships.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

I love communicating with people and socializing, initially was like, ah, maybe business, maybe something in healthcare, you know, just cause I'm interacting. And then, as I was kind of furthering my education, taking some of those core classes human anatomy and physiology really, I say this not to sound cliche, but that really changed my life, I fell in love with the human body, as, as dorky and nerdy as that sound, it just fascinated me. it was a very, very tough class, but it fascinated me and I was like you know what, I love the body and I'm so nerdy and I want to know kind of all the ins and outs and how this works and how we can continue to improve kind of our bodies and keep our health Right. So I was like, okay, this healthcare, so let's see, ultimately, with that I wanted to do physical therapists. I was a sports guy and injuries and physical therapy, rehabbing, that all just kind of made sense to me.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

I literally as you were talking, I was like, like sports science.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

I started taking those pre recs, which are very similar to some of the other healthcare pathways.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

And then I quickly realized I was like, ah man, doctor of physical therapy, do I really want to be in school for that long? At 19 years old I was like I just want to get out there, you know, start working helping people connect. I really don't want to be in school for 15 years At least. I thought it was that long at that time. Uh, so I was like you know, and then someone kind of got me hey, you should look at nursing, you know, you know, two year, four year degree. And I was like, okay. So I, I um, looked at the courses and they were kind of similar in terms of pre I completed microbiology and some of the other ones there, I applied to nursing school and, and I got in and I was like, oh, wow, okay.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

So then I was in nursing school and my I can never forget this my first semester was a shock. I didn't realize just how difficult that program was Right from the first test. After I received that grade, I was like, wow, okay, I'm going to really need to buckle in because. Thankfully, I had enough comprehension skills where, okay, I just I know I need to know this and I'll get like a B plus A minus on the test. I quickly knew that I needed to learn everything to be well-rounded and to be successful, right, so so then I completed my two-year degree at HCC, became a nurse and from the get-go I knew, okay, where is the most team environment, where do I see myself making the most impact? And I, so I quickly fell in love with the ER. I had it. One of my rotations was actually in the ER and I loved it. I loved the team atmosphere, working with so many nurses, quickly, with your APP, colleagues and just so, all the different specialties that are involved in in ER and there, and then, obviously, the fast paced environment, right. So, I loved it. I knew that's where I wanted to work. I applied for my first RN position at at Brandon hospital and I loved it. I loved the team, I loved what I was doing, the impact care that I was providing, just trying to help my patients from where they were coming from, why they were here in the ER, and then getting them safely and stable.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

And then I, about a year or so, you know, kind of getting into it, I quickly found myself, well, why is the doctor making this decision for this patient? I don't know if that's the right kind of plan of care for them. And so that's when I started realizing, you know, I kind of want to be the one empowering the patient and kind of making the decision of of what I think is best for the, for the outcome of this patient, the plan and kind of recovering them. So I started seeing where I can advance my career. I would.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

I quickly found nurse practitioners were similar to our physician colleagues in terms of we're providers, we assess, we diagnose, we make medical decision making, and I was kind of already in the nursing track. So I went back to school, got my bachelor's in nursing and then ultimately there I applied for my master's in science at the University of Tampa and then for their family nurse practitioner program. And when I was going through that two and a half year program, I was kind of in between myself deciding do I want to be an emergency nurse practitioner or a family nurse practitioner? And it was TGH that I had a particular rotation with with one of our TGMG clinics and I was in awe. I really was. I was blown away by the team care, the patient outcomes and the continuum of the patient. So seeing that patient taking care of their particular problems for that day, following up, taking care of those problems and there's just ultimately having that, that continuity of care and follow-up that you typically don't get too much with the ER.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

I had an opportunity that presented itself at the very same clinic at TGMG Brandon and I was I'd be dumb to pass that. So I said you know what, I think this might be a time for me to kind of I thought I wanted to be in ER way back when, but I think this is the opportunity to kind of open that door and see you know the what ifs. And then, seven years later, here I am. Great decision I made. It just made perfect sense. Like I mentioned, that continuum of care still having that team that I work with, Veronica being one of them, and then having that opportunity to just that constant follow up with patients, is something that I dear more. You know, when you, when I see you as a patient and you bring your family members to establish with me, I mean, that's the ultimate reward for me.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

What is it? We're all friends here. You just pretend he's not here.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

No, I'm just kidding, but what is the most rewarding part for you for working with a provider who's as passionate as Michael is Knowing that the possibility for my family members to have equal great care it's out there. They don't have to settle for, do this and do that, and that's what we're doing. Knowing that there is somebody out there for each patient that's going to give them, say, in their care and in treatment, to better them in life, and not just, you know, because I come, my background is Hispanic and my grandparents have always been the type. Well, the doctor said and I have to do this because the doctor said and maybe I'm going blind in one eye, but I'm going to keep doing it because that's what my doctor says.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

With providers such as Michael and with our organization, they give those patients the voice that they deserve and advocate for them. Like is this we can do this. Oh, you didn't like that, we can also do this. These are our options. What do you feel is going to be the best decision for you? And knowing that my family has that access as well is very gratifying and I appreciate it.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

Pivoting a little towards your educational pathway. You said that getting a medical assistant, it was your foot in the door into the healthcare system. It was a shorter educational period, but you still got to flex that muscle of patient care that you were looking for. What did school look like for you while you were going through your medical assistant certification?

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

Being a single mom. At the time it was very difficult. Sometimes, you know, there were times where you're like I can't do this, I'm done, I'm just going to go work at Walmart or something. But always wanting to be better and always keeping that faith that it's going to be better at the end of the day really paid off because I truly enjoy what I do. I enjoy everything that I learned in school to apply to what I do in my every day. Even becoming a surgical technologist has bettered me as a medical assistant, because I know that cut, cut, they're going to cut. You know they want the clamp clamp they're going to cut. You want the clamp clamp they're going to cut. So I anticipate the needs of my providers in clinic. Everything that I've learned in other fields, even as a mom, I'll apply to the job that I do on a daily basis, because it's patients that they had COVID. They did an at-home test Okay, when did you test? What are your symptoms? Do you feel anything now?

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

Everything that I learned, even if I struggled, even if I took a break and was like I give up, I'm not going to do it. It helps you later on in life. Yeah, it can be trying. You do the anatomy, you do the physiology Terminology I think for me was one of the most difficult because it's like, wait, that's not how we say it in English and they're not going to understand. So you know even the medical terminology.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

Everything that came with the hardness, the certification test, everything that came with it at the end of the day, is beneficiary to what it applies to in a daily basis in your setting. Whether it's, I don't know, there's some medical assistants over at TGH that work in the pre-op portion, bariatrics. It's going to go. It goes a long way, even when you think it's not, oh, I'm never going to like when you're in elementary, oh, I'm not going to use that in my everyday life. We do. We use it in our everyday life. There's a lot of I don't want to do it anymore, but it can be very gratifying, especially when you're in that clinic setting and oh, here's where that applies. I'm glad I didn't give up and here's where I am today and it's helped me be a better person and shape who I am, not just in my daily life but as a patient advocate.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

And so most medical assistant classes or certifications take about 15 weeks, some a little longer, some a little less, depending on what it is that you do.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

Yes, that seems like a long time when you're really thinking about it in reality, and the younger you are. Yes, and you're like 15 weeks.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

What am I going to do? I could be doing so many other things during that 15-week period.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

It is worth it, though the time you put into it and the focus you put into it, the time goes by faster than you think.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

So today it's oh, I got 15 weeks. Tomorrow it is oh my gosh, it's already Christmas. If you see it in that perspective, it's going to fly by. It's definitely worth dedicating your time and growing that education and molding yourself to learn those things.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

Before you know it, you're walking the stage and you're receiving that diploma of completion, and it's even more gratifying when you finish your certification, because now you can go on to bigger and better things and you learn more and you'll be able to go on to your next chapter, your next career, whether it's a search tech, nursing, pediatrician, you have a start to start that. You're opening that funnel of knowledge, so everything's just falling in there and you're learning and you're growing and you can apply it to a lot of different things, a lot of different choices that you make in life, whether it's a nurse, an APRN, a provider, maybe 20 years from now, maybe 10 years from now, maybe, who knows. It's all what you put into it and the drive that you have for it, if, at the end of the day, it's what you want, regardless of it's seven months, three weeks, you'll get there.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

You'll get there. So the two of you obviously work a patient workflow together often. What does a perfect day or a perfect day in the clinic look like for the two of you?

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

Everybody comes in for what they said. They're coming.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

Even better.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

They're scheduled for what they said they want to see, because that's my first thing. So I see you're here today for your physical. Is there anything? I shouldn't, but I do because I don't want my provider to be surprised or caught off guard. Is there anything else that you would like to discuss with your provider today? Any other concerns? As a matter of fact, I saw my best friend the other day and they're on Ozempic. They've lost like 40 pounds, you know.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

So now, here, you know, and a lot of things goes into these new weight loss medications that a lot of patients are not aware of because they're not in this setting, they don't know, they don't have that education. Okay, so what is your insurance? Do you? Are you covered on your insurance? Oh, yes, they cover it, but did you get specifications? What do you need to? What is the criteria they need you to meet to provide you with that medication? And they're like oh, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't know, yeah, I, oh, okay. So most of the times they don't ask the provider because now they have the education they need. And sometimes they still do ask the provider, but in a magical world they're scheduled for what is on the notes and that's it.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

That's it, Michael. What about for you?

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

In a perfect world, everyone's on time 15 minutes early, two hours late.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

I want to be seen.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

We'll reschedule. So no, I would say kind of kind of what she was alluding to, just making sure we're going through the day. The clinic days can be very, very busy, seeing a lot of patients, you know, addressing many of their health concerns. Clinic days can be very, very busy, seeing a lot of patients, you know, addressing many of their health concerns. And we, as providers, you know, we're just we're counting on our backbones, right, Like I mentioned earlier, our medical assistants, as well as our front desk specialists, our office supervisors, just to keep that clinic flow.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

I think is crucial and they support us by maintaining that clinical flow, right. So you know, there's always going to be a little wrench in the wheel, that happens. But just knowing how to kind of pivot, be flexible and then kind of getting back into that flow, you'll have some visits that are faster, some visits that are a little longer, right, and that's just kind of the ebbs and flows of the day. But just staying on flow and taking care of the patients you know their concerns and getting them scheduled for those follow-ups, getting them kind of being that health navigator to get them to where they need to be, is the most important thing for a lot of them.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

At myself as I'm running to the clinic. I'm like my appointment starts in three minutes and I'm six minutes away. I'll be there. But I think the point of a podcast like this or the things that we do is to help people kind of aspire to be what they can't see or what they don't understand. So if you have somebody watching this, or you wish that you were watching this when you were 17, 18, 19 years old, making the decisions for someone who says, well, maybe medical assisting is for me, what is something that you would want those people to know?

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

Don't give up. You can do it, whether it's, you know, something you're going to do for 45 years and you'll retire, or whether it's something that's your stepping stone where you're going to begin, because everything you learn in life ultimately helps you in your daily, day to day, whether you believe it or not. It helps you be more empathetic, it helps you continue to be humble and just always want the best for other people, regardless of the discernment that they come with, because not every patient is easy. Not every patient is happy. We want them to be happy when they leave, of course, but not everybody is happy when they come in.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

And it can be challenging and learning new things and learning a whole new way of doing things can be scary and hard, it is going to take time and it is new. Sometimes a lot of us don't like new things. We don't like to do new things and change the way we do things, but sometimes it's necessary. I would say just keep pushing, keep trying and even if you need a break, take a break, come back but keep going?

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

And of all the places that you could be a medical assistant, why do you choose to be one at Tampa General Medical Group?

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

I've worked for a lot of different organizations. I will be honest and say there is potential to where my earnings could be better. However, that being said, I've stayed with TGH as long as I have because of the way they have shown me their support. They've always been there to help me. When I started with TGH, I was a single mom. I didn't have the great husband that I have today and I've, little by little, learned all the amazing things that TGH does to support their employees and help them and guide them. My cars caught fire here at TGH before and the TGH Employee Emergency Fund helped me through that. And I was a single mom at that time, just relocating back from New Jersey and it was hard. It was hard, but they were there for me In my greatest time of need. They've always been there for me.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

My children are my priority in life, no matter how old they are, and TGH has always supported me in that. I've always had the ability to insure them and make sure that they have the insurance and the health care that they need. I've always had the guidance that I need to better help them. My mental health has never always been great, I don't know, especially in these days after COVID nobody's is, but they've always been there to help me in the best way that they can and ensure that I still have my employment and my education that I want to further in if that's my choice.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

There's so many different options and useful things that TGH comes with, aside from what they're paying you hourly. They're there for you as a community. They're there to help you. They're there to support you, but also give you an employment. But they, I will say they, are there for their employees in their greatest time of need. All you have to do is just speak up and let them know that right now is not a good time. And what can I do? How? How can you help me?

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

They're always willing to help you, we're just as lucky, thank you.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

And Michael, I think for you, in a provider position that you're in, whether it's someone who is currently a medical assistant or someone who's seeking a career to be in. They may be an MA right now and they may want to be a nurse, or they may want to go back to school, or they may say well, the provider that I work with right now doesn't value me, so maybe I should go back to school and maybe I should further my education so I can get some respect. You are a provider very clearly today that we see that your team value you and the way in which you work with them. What advice would you give to anyone MA, non-MA, APP, aspiring what advice would you give them about the position that they're in right now and how do they map those next steps for themselves?

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

Yeah, yeah, I think just trying to establish, having kind of that internal conversation with themselves. You know, are they passionate person, do they love connecting with people, do they love helping people? Um, then you know, if those kind of check off, I would say they're in the right field, and if so, if they want to kind of hire their education, then that's the perfect opportunity. One of the other things that I would highly recommend for someone who's maybe you know, as a medical assistant, as an early nurse or, you know, nursing assistant, is to have kind of that mentor. Right, that's been huge for me having that mentorship. And that's what TGH is all about.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

Not to follow up Veronica's response, because that was powerful, that's way too hard to follow up, but TGH's family culture is second to none, right, their opportunity, their support, second to none. Kind of having that mentor that you can look up to to kind of help guide you. If furthering your advancement in your career, professionally, personally, is something you want to do, then it just just makes sense. But it kind of, you know, is this something that you really want and if so, does that make sense for you to advance? And then kind of getting some of that information and that input and that constructive feedback to kind of getting you there, right so?

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

Perfect. Well, we are going to end our segment with a fun game that we like to play, and it's probably going to be fun for you and not so much for him, but this game is called blind ranking, so it's a game where we rank the current item without knowing what the next item is. So we are going to rank things one through five, but you don't know what's coming next. So, with that being said, as a medical assistant, one through five, most irritating to least irritating, without knowing what's coming next, right? So the first one on the item is your provider adds another two patients to the schedule, one being the most annoying, five being the least annoying.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

You can only use that number once, right.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

Correct.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

I'm going to give it. I don't mind, because sometimes it's necessary. I'm going to give it a three.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

Okay, okay, that's, I like that. I like your approach. Your provider is currently 30 minutes behind schedule and decides that now is the perfect time to take a lunch break.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

I don't think my providers would do that, but I would say a four. That must have been a very exhausting conversation.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

We are at the end of the day, but necessary. Oh, but necessary. You're at the end of the day, but necessary, you're at the end of your day. Every patient has been seen. Your provider has left. You're looking at the schedule for tomorrow and you see that he is having an administrative day and forgot to tell you before he left and you now have to reschedule all of his patients.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

Oh, that's a number five. That's a number five, even better.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

Even better. You have a patient that you've just triaged, that you've gotten them ready, you have everything prepared for your provider comes in and the patient has changed his mind. It's a completely new appointment.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

Oh, that's a number one.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

Number one. Number one we can all go home. Now we can all go home. That's number one. No, which leaves the number two spot for for no, it's not that bad that you have come in. Your schedule is full. You're ready to go. All of your patients have forgotten every single medication that they were on, so you have to spend an additional 30 minutes going over their medication management. So that's number two, I'll take that at a number two, even better.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

Because it's going to me going over it. It's worth it for their next visit. We've got everything in line.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

Whether or not they can remember if they still Eliquis or or not.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

I'm mailing you a list, honey, right.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

We're mailing it. We're mailing it Well. I appreciate both of you taking the time to spend some time with us and educate us a little bit about what you both do and inspire the next generation of people who are entering the workforce to really consider it, and is there anything that we haven't covered or anything you would like to say?

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

Thank you for dealing with my hard days, my hard times, my difficult times that aren't few, and when you're here to support too, right when your podcast career takes off after this.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

We'll remember it happened right here. These are the roots.

Veronica Pimentel, Sr. Medical Assistant:

I'm very grateful to work for the team that I work for and it's very gratifying. At the end of the day, our patients leave satisfied. Very few are not happy, but we can't always say yes to everything.

Michael Escobar, Mgr Advanced Practice Services:

Michael for you, I would say, you know, for all the first and foremost, thank you for having us both. You know it's been our pleasure sharing our kind of stories. And you know, for all the personnel out there, who who hopefully this inspires and you know if they're kind of on the fence about you know, do I pursue a career? Do I, you know, elevate my career? Just, you know, go for it. You know, go for it. Connect with people, get that information and and, yeah, just go after it.

Shanelle Rae, Director People and Talent Strategy:

Yeah, Perfect, Well thank.