Milwaukee High School of the Arts
Year-round, first responders’ brave challenges so the rest of us may stay safe. In honor of their hard work and dedication, MPS Alumni would like to honor and celebrate these heroes for selflessly protecting and serving our communities. We honor the courage, commitment, and sacrifices of those in the fire service, law enforcement, and emergency medical services (EMS) communities, as well as our nation’s public servants. Join us in celebrating the Alumni “heroes among us” during these crucial times in our lives.
Job title: Community Health Worker
Progressive Community Health Centers
We at progressive community health centers are always conscience of the privacy and comfort of our patients. When COVID struck our country a lot of people where uncomfortable with meeting people face to face and leaving the safety of their homes. One of the first thing my organization implemented what is called Telemed
Telemed is a process in which the patients primary care provider calls them via phone to stay connected and to follow up with any treatment plans that may be in place. It is an effective way to ensure the patient that their care still important to us and is also used to determine if a in person office visit is necessary.
As for myself, my role as a Community Health Worker is a very face to face position so when the pandemic struck, I was grounded, that is, I wasn’t allow to attend the few public events that weren’t cancelled, and the majority of my patient contacts were via telephone.
My position has morphed into a coordinator of patient care and case management, at this time I am reviewing patient charts and making sure that are on track with whatever medical process that are involved in and making sure their needs are met. I use this form of patient focus to refer our patient to whatever service they need as well as provide comfort to the patients ensuring them that they are not alone during these difficult times. 
It works for me and is fulfilling to be able to have more focused one on one. and personal communication with our patients while still addressing their medical needs.
I also am allowed more time to work on projects and collaborations with our partner organizations which allows for the development of future patient orientated activities and a return to normalcy when that day arrives.
Join us in celebrating alumni Heroes Among Us during these challenging times in our lives. Would you like to share a story of a Hero Among Us?
Contact valdesd@milwaukee.K12.wi.us.