I want to highlight the exceptional efforts of Anca in managing a particularly challenging case in the CVICU. The patient is a 23-year-old with necrotizing pneumonia who requires ECMO support and is in urgent need of a lung transplant, the only viable life-saving measure. The University of Chicago is the only medical center that has agreed to evaluate the patient for a transplant; however, the patient was insured through Molina, and the University of Chicago is out-of-network. Anca's dedication to this case has been outstanding. Over the course of several days, she worked tirelessly with Client Enrollment Services, Molina, the Department of Human Services (DHS), the University of Chicago, Methodist Hospital of Texas, and other local universities, all while maintaining close communication with the patient's family, particularly the mother. Anca advocated persistently for the patient's acceptance and transfer to the University of Chicago. While she attempted to switch the patient's insurance from Molina to CountyCare (which is accepted by the University of Chicago), Molina and DHS denied this request due to the patient being locked into the Molina plan until April 1st. After exhausting all escalation options with Molina and DHS, Anca refused to give up. Given the critical condition of the patient, a young mother of two young children, Anca reached out to State Representative Kevin Olickal for assistance, with the mother's consent. In a three-way call, Anca explained the patient's urgent situation and asked for the state to intervene in making an exception, either by approving the insurance change or negotiating a one-time agreement with the University of Chicago. Throughout the day, Anca worked closely with Dr. K, providing valuable support in reaching out to state representatives, Molina, and the University of Chicago. By the end of the day, the patient was accepted by the University of Chicago, and Anca received confirmation that the transfer would occur as soon as a bed became available. Even the following morning, Anca remained proactive, following up with the University of Chicago to confirm the transfer. She was informed that the transfer would occur at midnight. This is not an isolated example of Anca's commitment to her role. Her advocacy, leadership, and unwavering dedication to her patients are a testament to the outstanding work she consistently delivers. I strongly believe that her efforts in this case deserve wider recognition, and I would recommend sharing this story at one of our system meetings to emphasize the critical role that case managers like Anca play in advocating for patients and ensuring their access to life-saving care. Anca has consistently demonstrated excellence as a team member, producing high-quality work while providing outstanding advocacy for patient care.
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Anca was exceptional. I could not be more thankful and appreciative of her tireless efforts.