Diane works as an administrative assistant at the Chelsea Health Center and plans to retire on May 5th. Diane is the perfect choice for the Department’s first staff spotlight as she has been with the Department of Family Medicine since its inception. She worked at the Chelsea Medical Clinic for three years before it was purchased by the University of Michigan and she has stayed with us since then. In previous roles she worked at the appointment desk (scheduling in three large paper books!), as an insurance biller and a transcriptionist.
We asked Diane a few questions and are excited to share her thoughts with you:
Which of your co-workers have inspired you?
So many co-workers have inspired me, but the two that I feel inspired me the most were Sam Romano and Wendy Jaffe. They handle so many different situations with patients that they helped me apply many of their suggestions to my own life. I so appreciate them!
What project are you most proud of?
I believe the task I am most proud of is the Medication Assistance Program. I help patients find medications either free or at a lower cost (of course, they have to meet certain criteria), but it’s so rewarding to help patients especially when they are struggling with health issues and finances.
What is your favorite Chelsea Health Center memory?
There are so many super memories, but my favorite is when faculty and staff made a space ship for a booth at the Chelsea Fair. We had so much fun making it despite the fact it was huge and had some difficulty getting it to the fairgrounds.
Outside of work you like to…?
My hobbies are gardening, boating, reading and traveling. And, my favorite way to relax is to float on the lake or read a book.
Do you have a talent people would be surprised by?
Probably the talent people would be surprised by is that I like to do karaoke (not sure it’s a talent, but it’s fun for me).
What are your future plans?
After retirement I’m going to be working with my husband (out of our home). I am going to be a grandma in a few weeks and I am looking forward to spending time with my new grandson. I hope to be able to travel a lot more, too.
Do you have any words of wisdom to share with your colleagues.
“For every ending there’s a new beginning” – so appropriate for me right now.
I am so grateful that I’ve been able to work so many years in the Department of Family Medicine. I have been truly blessed to work with such amazing people. Thank you to my second family!
