“The largest part of my job is focused on being a clinical resource and providing education about the electronic portal for our providers, staff and clients. I am always looking for ways to enhance the tools for data collected during the assessment. 

I was once told by a wife of a member that I saw that I saved their marriage. Her husband would not take his medication or follow his diet.  His wife was frustrated that he would not listen to advice given about his diabetes. I educated him about how diabetes affects all the different body systems and why the treatment was necessary. He stated that everyone told him what to do, but never why. His wife called me a month later and told me that he was doing everything he was supposed to and that she was saying with him.

For new NPs, the advice I would give is don’t be afraid to ask questions— no one expects you to know everything. The learning never ends!”

“I remember the Matrix interview and starting the job so well! I love the freedom and the wonderful members I talked to over the years. I always enjoy meeting members and the facility staff members who I came to know as I visited the skilled and long-term care facilities. Many members were from my hometown and were seen over the years repeatedly. It has been an honor to represent our company as we grew and developed over time. I feel that I took a chance on a new way of doing health care which in reality was getting the care back into the homes as it was done years before us. I had faith that we would grow and I am proud that I was some small part of our success. I am sure that I will never experience something like this again.”

“My journey started with a ‘ leap of faith’ in Matrix when they just started doing home health assessments in Pittsburgh. In the ‘old days’ we called our members the night before, assessments were done on paper and sent via FedEx. Fast forward ten years and we have come a long way! Ten years…that’s a lot of miles and many members seen— and I still love doing it!  

To me, each visit is like opening up a new novel…we walk into a home and the story begins. We have a unique opportunity to make a differ-ence in a member’s life every time we walk through a new door— to me that’s what it is all about!”

“In the ten years here, I have seen the company evolve from my very first team meeting where there were only 12 NPs in the Western Pennsylvania area. Matrix has undergone a complete transformation since when I first started.

I approach each visit with the goal of finding a way in which the member will both remember my visit as well as find value in it. Sometimes the difference is made clinically, but other times it is by just spending a little extra time with a member and taking a genuine interest in the member’s life or passions and making a real connection with them. I have met so many interesting people through the years and remember them fondly when I drive past their home, sometimes years later.

One of my favorite stories was of a member that I saw more than once. During his first visit, there were significant issues, which I addressed. A few weeks later, I ran into him in my community and he stopped me and thanked me profusely, stating that I probably saved his life. It was about two years later that I was scheduled to see him again for his annual assessment. When he opened the door, I didn’t even recognize him. He had lost a significant amount of weight and had a huge smile on his face. As we went through the assessment he talked about the first visit with Matrix and how it had changed his life. These are the types of differences all of us make working here at Matrix.

To the new grads, my advice would be to have confidence in yourself and the education you received. One of my favorite quotes is from Henry Ford who said, “whether you think you can, or you think you can’t— you’re right.”