Archive for category: Employee Spotlight

National Social Work Month

March is Social Work Month and a time to acknowledge the work that this profession has contributed to our society and across the globe. The profession has grown and evolved from very humble beginnings. This year’s theme is “Social Workers: Generations Strong”. As we enter the new decade, let us honor the impact that the profession has had on our community for generations.

According to the National Association of Social Workers (2019), there are approximately 680,000 social workers in the United States who are actively employed. Social work is one of the fastest growing professions in this nation. This is due in large part to the versatility of the general practitioner.

The social work profession has been in existence for more than 100 years. Social workers are encouraged to advocate for the most vulnerable and oppressed members of society and must adhere to the most stringent professional code of ethics.

We salute our social workers, Cecilia Ponce, LSCSW and Amy Gray, LSCSW!

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National Dental Assistant Week, March 1-7

 “A 20/20 Dental Assistant – Looking Toward the Future” is this year’s theme and acknowledges the growing importance of dentistry’s role in health care and the responsibilities of dental assistants.

There are approximately 346,000 dental assistants in the United States. In Kansas, there are approximately 2,600 dental assistants.

Dental assistants wear many hats in a dental clinic! They greet patients, review medical histories, take X-rays, perform dental charting during the dentist exam, assist the dentist chair-side during procedures, polish teeth, review post-operative instructions and schedule patients.

In Kansas, dental assistants are not required to be certified. However, The Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) is the nationally recognized certification organization for dental assistants. Certification is a source of pride for dental assistants and provides professional advantage and potentially greater earning power.

Thank you to our HPC dental assistants, Katie Hickman, Kaycee Mayfield, Marta Reasoner and Stephanie Rojas!

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National Dentist Day, March 6

National Dentist Day was created as a day to say thank you and show your appreciation for your dentist. It is celebrated annually on March 6.

Do you know?

• There are approximately 188,200 dentists who are professionally active in the United States. There are 1,392 active dentists in Kansas, of which 278 are specialists
• The education and training of dentists typically includes four years of college, four years of dental school and two to three years of residency training if a specialty is chosen.
• There are two different but equivalent degrees dentists may earn: Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD).
• Dentists ranked number two out of the 100 best jobs according to the U.S. News & World Report. Two dental specialties also placed in the top 10: number four, orthodontist and number nine oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
• In the United States, nine specialties are recognized by the American Dental Association.
  • Orthodontics
  • Dentofacial orthopedics
  • Pediatric dentistry
  • Periodontics
  • Prosthodontics
  • Oral and maxillofacial surgery
  • Oral and maxillofacial pathology
  • Endodontics
  • Public health dentistry
  • Oral and maxillofacial radiology

Special thanks to our dentists, Emily Day, DDS, Nader Rastgoftar, DDS, and Richard Viloria, DDS, for providing top notch patient care!

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National Doctor’s Day, March 30

National Doctor’s Day is celebrated on March 30 each year in the United States to honor physicians for the work they do for their patients, in their communities and for society.

• There are over a million physicians in the United States.
• The education and training of physicians typically includes four years of college, four years of medical school, three to five years of residency training in the chosen specialty and one to three years of additional training for sub-specialists.
• There are two different but equivalent degrees doctors can earn: Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).
• The training years are difficult with long work hours of often 80 hours per week, low pay and many overnight shifts in the hospital. In addition, the highest levels of professionalism, conduct and ethics are expected of doctors.
• Areas of practice include the primary care specialties such as family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics. Other specialties include surgery, obstetrics and gynecology and psychiatry. There are well over 100 specialties and sub-specialties in the United States.
• The specialty that sees the most patients during office visits is family medicine.

Thank you to our HPC physicians, Emily M. Bush, MD, Hibba A. Haider, MD, Kare Lyche, MD, Ahmed Maher, MD, and Wael S. Mourad, MD, MHCM, FAAFP, for their hard work and dedication to the clinic. We appreciate all that you do to support and serve our patients.

By Catherine Rice, Vice President of Marketing/Outreach

In November, we added a new member to our Behavioral Health team, Christina L. Menager, Ph.D., LP, psychologist, and she’s hit the road running. Her passion is empowering patients to help them grow and succeed in life.

According to Tristen Winston, MA, PsyD, LP, LCAC, Behavioral Health Director, Dr. Menager’s experience with psychiatric testing will allow HPC to increase access to this much needed service. “Her expertise with children and adolescents is a wonderful addition to our pediatric clinic and school-based health services,” she noted.

“In addition, with past work experience at the VA, we are excited to add her to the team as we serve our military service members, veterans and their families,” Dr. Winston added.

Dr. Menager is a licensed psychologist.

She earned her Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degrees from the University of Kansas, in Lawrence, Kan.

Dr. Menager completed her postdoctoral psychology residency with the Kansas City VA Medical Center, in Kansas City, Mo., and her postdoctoral psychology internship with the Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center, in Leavenworth, Kan. She served as a graduate health clinician at the University of Kansas Medical Center, in Kansas City, Kan.; as a graduate health clinician and graduate clinical supervisor at the KU Psychological clinic, in Lawrence, Kan.; and as a graduate health clinician at the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, in Lawrence, Kan.

In addition to extensive academic teaching experience, Dr. Menager has been involved in multiple research studies – many involving treatment of depression. She has been practicing since August 2019, and she specializes in treating depression and working with veterans, children, and teens.

Dr. Menager currently serves people of all ages in our Olathe Clinic, 407 S. Clairborne Rd., Olathe, Kan.

We are very excited to highlight one of our most valuable assets, our employees! Each month, get to know the HPC team in a fun new way.

Name: Teresa Najera

Department: Medical

Title: Medical Assistant

Primary work location: Olathe

How long have you worked at HPC? Five years.

How did you get into your field of work?

I became interested in the medical field when I was a senior in high school. After I graduated, I enrolled in a medical assistant program.

Do you speak any other languages? If yes, which ones?

I speak Spanish but I would love to learn Chinese.

Do you have a favorite quote? If yes, what is it?

“Impossible is just an opinion” – Paulo Cohelo

What values are important to you?

Values that are important to me are honesty, loyalty and respect.

What is something about you that would surprise people?

I was a Patient Services Representative (PSR) when I first started working at HPC in 2013.

What is on your “bucket” list?

I would like to travel to Italy and China.

What is your favorite food?

My favorite foods are Chinese and Mexican.

What is your favorite movie?

“Titanic”

What is your favorite hobby?

My favorite hobby is spending time with my two daughters and my husband.

Are you an animal lover?  If yes, how many pets do you have and what kind are they?

I don’t really like animals but thanks to my oldest daughter I’ve had a few pets. In the past we have had a turtle, hamster and fish. The only pet we have now is our loving dog, Cookie.

Written by Catherine Rice, Vice President of Marketing, Health Partnership Clinic

For Navy veteran Lee Champion, RN, the experience of working on airplane engines was a precursor to what became a lifelong commitment to health and healing. Today, Lee serves as Health Partnership Clinic’s Clinical Director and brings more than 20 years of nursing experience in administrative, leadership and organizational areas. Her Navy experience has played a huge role in who Lee is today.

What do aircraft have to do with the human body and health?

A lot according to Lee. “Think about it…there’s a lot of similarity to body parts of an aircraft and body parts of a human,” she says. “The heart is the engine, the struts are the legs, the wings are the arms, the hydro fluid is the body’s blood, the pilots are the doctors, the mechanics are the nurses, the numbers are the pressures (i.e. blood pressure) and avionics is likened to neurology. Both are sciences of sorts. For me transitioning from aircraft to nursing was a logical step and looking back, one of the best decisions of my life.”

Early Years

As a teenager, Lee volunteered in the Cardiac Department at the VA Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. That experience ignited an interest in becoming a cardiologist. However, she was equally interested in car mechanics and was an avid race car fan. Although girls weren’t allowed to enroll in Shop class that didn’t stop Lee. Her stepfather, retired military and self-taught mechanic, handed her a wrench and taught her the ins and out of car repair.

Following high school, Lee opted to work instead of college. She continued to hone her technical and mechanical skills while having on and off conversations about a military career.

Anchors Aweigh

“At 21 I decided to join the Navy—without telling my parents,” she reflects. “I remember my mom was very upset but eventually came around, and my stepdad was all smiles. With my high Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASFAB) score, he knew I would have many opportunities and the military would make me a self-sufficient woman, which both became true.” The ASVAB test is used to determine qualification for enlistment in the United States Armed Forces.

During the 80s, men greatly outnumbered women in the military, and there were limited ratings (jobs) for women. However, with Lee’s high aptitude for technical and mechanical skills, she was accepted into aircraft mechanic school. Before aircraft training, she successfully completed a 16-week boot camp in Orlando, Fla.

“I’m not going to say I was looking forward to it or it was easy, but I survived,” Lee says. “After bootcamp I headed to A School “Aircraft Mechanics” in Memphis. The next 12 months I learned all about airplane repair and then attended more training in San Diego.”

Lee also underwent air crew training and was finally assigned to the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) carrier. Women were not allowed to be “stationed” on a ship, so her squadron flew on and off the carrier. “There was one of me and 249 males, but I was a holy terror and could hold my own.”

During this time, she flew a E2 Hawkeye and was assigned to rescues and scouting for drug runners. “My main job was to keep the airplane flying,” she adds. “One of the more memorable missions was when me and my crew were involved in the Libyan airstrikes.”

Although many ratings (jobs) were closed to women, Lee persisted. She quickly moved up the ladder earning her Air Crew Wings and eventually being promoted to Aviation Warfare Specialist.

Fair Winds and Following Seas

After more than nine years, Lee decided to resign her position as a E6 Petty Officer 1st Class. She married her husband Bob and went to Nursing school where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Mary, Kansas City, Mo. She later returned to receive a Master of Science in Nursing Administration. During the intervening years, she and Bob had four children. Today, her children are married, and she enjoys eight grandchildren, most of them living nearby.

“As I look back, the intense training and education received from the Navy prepared me for the next chapter in my life, nursing and later graduate school as well as being a wife and mother. Thanks to my experience in the Navy I have been able to finetune so many of my skills…understanding the importance of respect, taking directions, following through, communication, working with people from all difference backgrounds, leading people, being flexible and teamwork.”

She adds, “In the Navy it’s life and death. You had to rely on your shipmates if you didn’t want to die. In the medical or health field, it’s the same—we’re talking about the lives of our patients. It’s a team effort. The provider, nursing, support staff and administration are all there to provide lifesaving care.”

The Importance of Veterans Day

“For me, Veterans Day is very special for many reasons,” Lee shares. “It’s a day to honor anyone who served in the military, sacrificed and for some, ultimately gave their lives to keep us free. It’s particularly poignant since my parents are both from foreign countries…Germany (father) and Mexico (mom).”

In fact, Lee’s grandfather was a World Word II prisoner where he was forced to work as a machinist in one of Hitler’s work camps, and her stepdad earned the Purple Heart for being wounded in Vietnam.

“We’re a military family,” she adds. “My oldest daughter and husband served in the Air Force, my son-in-law and brother served in the Navy. On my mom’s side, seven of her brothers served in the Army during the Korean War and all came back, and my stepdad was in the Air Force and Army. Veteran’s Day means so much to me and my family, and I’m pleased that HPC is recognizing our patient and staff veterans.”

More About Lee’s Nursing Career

Lee Champion, RN, MSN, is the Clinic Director and Risk Manager at HPC, where she oversees the nursing department and serves risk manager and compliance officer. Lee’s responsibilities include managing clinical functions, including immediate supervision of nurses and medical assistants to assure conformance with established standards of care. She also is a key participant in HPC’s Total Quality Management approach to risk mitigation, compliance, quality improvement and patient satisfaction.

Lee has more than 20 years of nursing experience in administrative, leadership and organizational areas. She has a wealth of knowledge about joint commission guidelines as well as state and federal guidelines. Before joining HPC, she was the Facility Advisory Nurse for the Department of Health & Senior Services, Division of Regulation and Licensure, and she served in nursing leadership roles at Research Medical Center, Truman Medical Center and Swope Health.

Lee earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing Administration from University of Mary, in Kansas City, Mo.