Participants Celebrate at Closing Ceremony

Seventeen participants in the Health Workforce Innovation Project earned certificates at the program’s closing ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 14.

The project—funded by a $500,000 grant from the D.C. Council—is a joint effort among Georgetown University Hospital, the District of Columbia Department of Employee Services, and the Department of Health Systems Administration at NHS.

The program aims to train and employ District residents as health unit coordinators. The first group of participants completed the program in August. The second group begins in January.

Coordinators are responsible for many administrative tasks such as transcribing medical orders, responding to patient needs, code notification, and compiling medical charts. They are the central point of contact for patient, visitors, and professionals.

For 12 weeks this summer, participants attended lectures, took exams, and performed hours in clinical settings. NHS faculty and staff coordinated the training effort and are evaluating the effectiveness of this type of program in enhancing quality of care and patient outcomes.

“To do what you did in 12 weeks is no easy task,” said Regina Knox Woods, vice president of external relations at Georgetown University Hospital. “Please know how proud we are of all of you.”

“We thank you for being the pioneers,” added Joy Drass (M’73), president of Georgetown University Hospital. “We’ve been able to put together a program here that is really special.”

D.C. Council member David A. Catania (I-At Large), who also attended the program launch in March 2008, spoke at the closing ceremony.

“We have a lot of individuals in our city who want to contribute,” said Catania (F’90, L’94), chair of the city’s Committee on Health. “…You will give [patients] the service that you and your family would want.”

Stephan Davis (G’09), a master’s degree candidate in the Department of Health Systems Administration, serves as project director. At the ceremony, he presented awards to several participants. Those include:

• Outstanding Dedication Award: Michelle Larionne
• Leadership Award: Debra Wright
• Spirit Award: Barbara Davis
• Academic Achievement Award: Calandra Edwards

“There is one thing that has tied [our participants] together,” Davis told the audience. “That is the pursuit of excellence.”

In addition, Edwards had the opportunity to congratulate and address her classmates.

“The doors of wisdom are never shut,” she said.