Leita McDavid
May 2025
Leita
McDavid
,
BSN, RN
Cardiology
Banner Estrella Medical Center
Phoenix
,
AZ
United States
She followed up with me in person daily to check on my status and ask if my needs were being met; if not, she would identify who to contact.
Leita went above and beyond her duties when she coordinated the prior authorization process between the insurance company, the two physicians' offices, and Banner Estrella, obtaining approval within 48 hours after learning that the insurance had denied the procedure on Friday evening, before the planned procedure. Here is what happened – I was informed by my insurance company at 6 PM on Friday that the aortic valve replacement was denied secondary to missing information. Having waited six months and gone through several prior authorization failures for studies required to obtain the correct valve size and access route to place the valve, plus dealing with decreased kidney and lung functions, this news was devastating. Yet Leita was there, at 6:10 PM Friday evening, to assure my wife and I that there was still a possibility the procedure could take place, and that on Monday morning she would contact Phoenix Heart to push their offices to supply the needed information to the insurance company.
Despite not having a prior authorization in place by Monday morning, pre-admit testing was conducted, once again assuring us that the procedure was still on schedule, that neither doctor would want to cancel and reschedule, and it was full speed ahead unless we heard otherwise. On Wednesday, I was informed that the procedure had been approved. Before and after the procedure, Leita made sure my wife and I understood where to go and how to get there. She made sure each physician met with my wife in a quiet conference room to discuss how the procedure went and the possibility of requiring a pacemaker, necessitating the need for a longer hospital stay. She followed up with me in person daily to check on my status and ask if my needs were being met; if not, she would identify who to contact. My wife and I cannot emphasize how much Leita's efforts meant to us. She truly embodies what an RN's role can do to enhance a patient's physical and mental well-being. Thank you, Leita, for the grace and compassion you showed my wife and me during this time. You are truly one in a million.
Despite not having a prior authorization in place by Monday morning, pre-admit testing was conducted, once again assuring us that the procedure was still on schedule, that neither doctor would want to cancel and reschedule, and it was full speed ahead unless we heard otherwise. On Wednesday, I was informed that the procedure had been approved. Before and after the procedure, Leita made sure my wife and I understood where to go and how to get there. She made sure each physician met with my wife in a quiet conference room to discuss how the procedure went and the possibility of requiring a pacemaker, necessitating the need for a longer hospital stay. She followed up with me in person daily to check on my status and ask if my needs were being met; if not, she would identify who to contact. My wife and I cannot emphasize how much Leita's efforts meant to us. She truly embodies what an RN's role can do to enhance a patient's physical and mental well-being. Thank you, Leita, for the grace and compassion you showed my wife and me during this time. You are truly one in a million.