Staff Spotlight: Meet Leo
Published: 08-16-2019 | 3 MIN READ | Author: Prism Health North Texas
Leo is a Lead Case Manager and has been with Prism Health North Texas for 12 years. As part of the Community & Clients Services team, Leo works with patients to identify their social service needs and the level of case management they will require. He also creates patients’ plan of care and assists the patients with accessing community resources and services. Leo ensures patients successfully link to the necessary services. He is able to meet patients at multiple locations, including conducting home visits when needed. As a lead case manager, Leo works closely with the case manager program director to facilitate all Centricity updates, training, and support to members of Community and Client Services. Leo also works two days per week through a partnership with Dallas County Health and Human Services. Leo is immediately available to complete a case management welcome session and help patients connect to PHNTX medical care and case management.
In any given day, you will see Leo preparing to attend a meeting, returning from Dallas County, and on his way to meet a patient. In between, he is supporting his colleagues with Centricity projects and carving out time to go on multiple life and travel adventures with his family.
We recently sat down with Leo to talk about what it’s like to work at Prism Health North Texas. Here’s what he had to say.
What is a typical day like for you?
Every day is different, but the one thing that remains constant is taking the time to personalize each person’s care. Whether its five minutes, two hours or one day – I connect them to any or all services they may need. Follow-up is a critical component which may require a few minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or even years to help patients access care and be self-sufficient. HIV is still a stigma, an unknown, something scary. I make sure I spend as much time as necessary to assist each patient and their family. I help them overcome their fears and inexperience and beginning a medical care plan as well as social support services if needed.
What is a favorite memory from work?
The new Oak Cliff Health Center. Right after we moved offices from Sunset to Jefferson Tower, we were allowed to break the interior walls [of the Oak Cliff Health Center] as a symbol of our commitment to clients on expanding and improving our medical care services.
What is your proudest moment at Prism Health North Texas?
Every time a patient says, “thank you for your great service” – that makes me feel that Prism Health North Texas is making the difference.
What do you wish other people knew about Prism Health North Texas?
That the organization personally cares about access to healthcare — helping patients and meeting them directly face-to-face as opposed to providing care only by phone or email. It’s all about the direct connection of a human being to a human being.”
Who inspires you?
Mother Theresa. She was so simple, not very flashy, and quiet; but her commitment to serve was so big. I remember a story about her:
“One day, a cameraman was filming Mother Teresa for a documentary, while she was caring for some of the most wretched of the poor of Calcutta. As she cleaned the sores of one man, wiping up the pus and bandaging his wounds, the cameraman blurted out, ‘I wouldn’t do what you do for a million dollars.’ Mother is supposed to have replied, immediately, with a bit of a wry smile, ‘I wouldn’t either.'”
That is my passion as well — working for those that need it most.
How do you balance work and family?
As wonderful as our work is, it can also be stressful and challenging. You begin to build relationships and bonds with patients you’ve been working with for years, and losing a patient can be as devastating as losing a member of our family. Balancing work and family is so important. I like to spend time traveling with my family and visiting new places. Traveling provides me the opportunity to return to work with positive, good energy. It’s about knowing when it’s time to take a break, take some time off, and take a vacation.
What’s a fun fact about you many people may not know?
I like to play Minecraft on Xbox.
What are three words you would use to describe Prism Health North Texas?
Your. Life. Matters.
Thank you, Leo, for everything you do for the patients of Prism Health North Texas.