February 2025
Sarah
Baumgart
,
NP
Surgery
Ann Arbor VA Medical Center
Ann Arbor
,
MI
United States
She gives every patient she cares for her direct number, so no patient has to navigate the challenging phone system unless they need to see her or have a question.
It is essential to uphold the trust and confidence that patients place in healthcare providers. Sarah Baumgart has achieved this through consistent communication, transparency in treatment options, and a commitment to patient-centered care by fostering an environment where patients feel valued and understood. Sarah has strengthened the therapeutic relationship, making patients more engaged in their care and more likely to adhere to medical advice. It is essential to uphold the trust and confidence that patients place in healthcare providers, which listeners continue to achieve. Ultimately, maintaining this trust is crucial for the overall effectiveness of healthcare delivery and patient satisfaction. Upholding strong ethical values in healthcare is essential for creating an environment where patient care is not only effective but also compassionate and just. Sarah's commitment to high moral principles involves a dedication to transparency, respect for patient autonomy, and a focus on delivering care that is free from discrimination and bias.
Sarah has embedded these values into the fabric of her healthcare practice. She embodies a culture that prioritizes the dignity and rights of individuals, thereby enhancing the overall quality of care and promoting a healthier society. She encompasses the fundamental respect and recognition of her inherent worth as a patient within the VA healthcare system. She ensures that patients acknowledge their rights, preferences, and values, treating them with compassion and empathy throughout their medical journey. She upholds patients' dignity by fostering an environment where they feel safe, heard, and empowered to participate actively in their own care decisions. This principle is essential not only for enhancing the overall patient experience but also for promoting trust and collaboration between healthcare providers and patients, ultimately leading to better health outcomes and a more humane approach to medical treatment.
Given Sarah's position as the outpatient wound care and ostomy nurse practitioner, it is vital that she is an excellent team member who collaborates with every department here at the VA, both medically and in terms of logistics and prosthetics. She has patients who see her for podiatry and infectious disease. Regularly, Sarah coordinates for the veteran to be seen at the same time in the same exam room with all the patient's providers. This arrangement is a cost-effective travel solution for the hospital, and it also simplifies the process for the veteran. General surgery often asks her to see a patient together without hesitation. Sarah has taken on dozens of foot-related patients from podiatry due to their limited availability. Instead of sending the veteran to the community, they provide care within the VA system. This has saved the hospital system tens of thousands of dollars and ensures the veteran receives superior care compared to what they would get outside the VA.
Unlike many at this VA, Sarah doesn't say, "It's not my job," but instead asks, "How can I help?" She is willing to do anything within her scope to assist a veteran or fellow employee. She cares for ostomy patients from across Michigan and the Midwest. The Ann Arbor VA is one of the few locations in the area where patients can receive major and urology surgery. A few years ago, Sarah opened an outpatient wound clinic. This is primarily a one-person operation and lacks dedicated staff, unlike most other clinics in the area. She gives every patient she cares for her direct number, so no patient has to navigate the challenging phone system unless they need to see her or have a question. Sarah has worked here for 11 years, and you won't find a person who has a bad thing to say about her.
Sarah holds a clinic twice a week, but she also accommodates patients on days when she doesn't have a clinic, just to enhance their lives. The work Sarah has done with patients has saved the hospital system over $1,000,000 by preventing the need to send patients to the community, preserving limbs, avoiding costly surgeries, and providing care that patients previously lacked. I've worked for the VA for nine years and have yet to meet a provider who genuinely cares about their patients and delivers appropriate medical treatment as Sarah does. Patients were headed down a path toward amputation or, worse, death. I've been by Sarah's side as her unofficial assistant since the wound care clinic opened. You've never seen a more compassionate human than Sarah. When patients are at their lowest, she offers them hope. She has never given up on a patient, even when others have. She will see a patient not when it's best for herself but when it's best for the patient. When other providers refuse to see a patient or abandon them, Sarah ensures they receive care. She makes coming to work enjoyable for me, and I've learned many valuable lessons about healthcare because of her.
Sarah has embedded these values into the fabric of her healthcare practice. She embodies a culture that prioritizes the dignity and rights of individuals, thereby enhancing the overall quality of care and promoting a healthier society. She encompasses the fundamental respect and recognition of her inherent worth as a patient within the VA healthcare system. She ensures that patients acknowledge their rights, preferences, and values, treating them with compassion and empathy throughout their medical journey. She upholds patients' dignity by fostering an environment where they feel safe, heard, and empowered to participate actively in their own care decisions. This principle is essential not only for enhancing the overall patient experience but also for promoting trust and collaboration between healthcare providers and patients, ultimately leading to better health outcomes and a more humane approach to medical treatment.
Given Sarah's position as the outpatient wound care and ostomy nurse practitioner, it is vital that she is an excellent team member who collaborates with every department here at the VA, both medically and in terms of logistics and prosthetics. She has patients who see her for podiatry and infectious disease. Regularly, Sarah coordinates for the veteran to be seen at the same time in the same exam room with all the patient's providers. This arrangement is a cost-effective travel solution for the hospital, and it also simplifies the process for the veteran. General surgery often asks her to see a patient together without hesitation. Sarah has taken on dozens of foot-related patients from podiatry due to their limited availability. Instead of sending the veteran to the community, they provide care within the VA system. This has saved the hospital system tens of thousands of dollars and ensures the veteran receives superior care compared to what they would get outside the VA.
Unlike many at this VA, Sarah doesn't say, "It's not my job," but instead asks, "How can I help?" She is willing to do anything within her scope to assist a veteran or fellow employee. She cares for ostomy patients from across Michigan and the Midwest. The Ann Arbor VA is one of the few locations in the area where patients can receive major and urology surgery. A few years ago, Sarah opened an outpatient wound clinic. This is primarily a one-person operation and lacks dedicated staff, unlike most other clinics in the area. She gives every patient she cares for her direct number, so no patient has to navigate the challenging phone system unless they need to see her or have a question. Sarah has worked here for 11 years, and you won't find a person who has a bad thing to say about her.
Sarah holds a clinic twice a week, but she also accommodates patients on days when she doesn't have a clinic, just to enhance their lives. The work Sarah has done with patients has saved the hospital system over $1,000,000 by preventing the need to send patients to the community, preserving limbs, avoiding costly surgeries, and providing care that patients previously lacked. I've worked for the VA for nine years and have yet to meet a provider who genuinely cares about their patients and delivers appropriate medical treatment as Sarah does. Patients were headed down a path toward amputation or, worse, death. I've been by Sarah's side as her unofficial assistant since the wound care clinic opened. You've never seen a more compassionate human than Sarah. When patients are at their lowest, she offers them hope. She has never given up on a patient, even when others have. She will see a patient not when it's best for herself but when it's best for the patient. When other providers refuse to see a patient or abandon them, Sarah ensures they receive care. She makes coming to work enjoyable for me, and I've learned many valuable lessons about healthcare because of her.