(l) Terri Hobbs presents Sister Jeanette Heindl with a plaque commemorating 10-years of service at HCP.
In every organization, there is always at least one employee that quietly goes about his or her day making sure that everybody else’s work life is running as smoothly as possible. Luckily, at Housecall Providers, there are many staff members who fit that bill, but none better than Care Coordinator, Sister Jeanette Heindl, RN who recently celebrated her 10-year anniversary with the organization.
“In the first couple of weeks that I was hired, Jeanette had me come to her desk and look through the equipment catalog because I didn’t know what I would need to do a home visit,” remembers Family Nurse Practitioner Briana Rotter. “I continue to be amazed at how supportive she is to all of us [primary care providers] while being equally there for our patients, their families and caregivers.”
At an informal ceremony last month, staff gathered to thank Sr. Jeanette for all the positive ways she impacts their work life. From the handmade cards and holiday snacks that you find on your desk when you arrive at work, to offering her home as a respite for a co-worker who had been at the hospital for days with her son, Jeanette is always offering a helping hand.
“My wife feels like she knows Jeanette, even though they have never met,” says Dr. Andrew Sperlin, who has worked with Jeannette for the last decade. “It’s because she hears me coming home saying, ‘it was so hard today, but Jeanette did this or that,’ and she knows what that kind of support means to keeping me going and my stress level down.”
Jeanette remembers a much simpler time in 2007 when Housecall Providers had only 25 staff members, 700 patients and paper medical charts.
“Now we have nearly 100 staff members, electronic medical records, a hospice program, a transition and palliative care program, wellness visits, and we continually serve 1,400 patients at a time,” says Sr. Jeanette. “Government regulations have required more of us, too, but patients’ needs are still first and foremost on the minds of HCP staff.”
As a Sister of Providence, she always found that the mission of her religious community-serving those with unmet needs, especially the poor-fits very well with the mission of Housecall Providers. “Decisions here are made based on our mission and what ultimately will be best for our patients, and that is a very good thing,” she continues. “It is a privilege to be a care coordinator at Housecall Providers and to work with such a great team of co-workers.”
