from the Fall 2007 issue
Q. Janie, you are a very familiar face here at Suzanne Bruce and Associates. Tell us about your experience here.
A. I am proud to say that I have been with Dr. Bruce since the beginning, since day one. Until I joined her staff, I had been working as a medical receptionist, and I interviewed with Dr. Bruce when she was just opening her practice. I had known of Dr. Bruce, and I was interested in working for her. I was hired that very same day. I was nervous the first day, but I thought it would be okay because we would probably have a slow start. But right then and there, from day one, we were busy. We already had a full schedule, and I was part of it. I made the first charts for the first patients. We even got our first patient to pay $1 in cash. We marked the bill – May 4, 1997 – and we still have it.
Q. Dr. Bruce’s practice has grown considerably since those first days.
A. We have never had a dull moment. We moved from our three-room clinic at St. Luke’s Medical Tower to St. James Place in 2000, and we have been growing ever since. In the beginning at St. Luke’s, our lunchroom was on someone’s desk. Now, we have The Center for Cosmetic Dermatology, The Center for Medical Dermatology, The Center for Skin Research and The SPA at SBA.
Q. As someone who has been with Dr. Bruce since the beginning, to what do you attribute the success?
A. First and foremost, Dr. Bruce is a wonderful doctor. She is very moral, very dedicated to her patients. And, she sets the example for all of us. She is honest, open-minded, forward thinking.
Dr. Bruce has joined with doctors of the same caliber – knowledgeable, dedicated and caring. For her staff, she has been selective in recruiting, looking for individuals with the right professional training and goals that are a match for the practice. She wants her employees to succeed, so she gives them the right tools and insists on continual training.
She is also always researching and looking for the most effective treatments. She is curious about new technology, looking for the best for our patients. She insists on the very top level of patient care. This all adds up to excellence. We are all intent on upholding the best standards in all areas. Dr. Bruce is leading the way.
Q. Your primary experience here had been as office manager, at the front desk. Now, you’ve moved to be a Patient Care Coordinator. Tell us how that position serves the practice.
A. The Patient Care Coordinator is a very important part of the SBA practice. As a Patient Care Coordinator, I am the first point of contact for our patients beyond the front office. During initial consultations, it is my job to listen and record the patient’s interests and concerns. I am attentive and try to anticipate what each patient wants. That way, I can prepare what the doctor will need for an effective visit. Usually in these consultations, a lot of treatment options are discussed. After the doctor leaves, I give further explanation on procedures, answer patient questions, and describe how to prepare for treatment. I am also available by phone or e-mail after the consultation for additional questions, and I call patients after certain procedures to see how they are doing. It is in my nature to care for people, and so my move to Patient Care Coordinator is very rewarding.
Some of our international patients depend on me. I am a native Houstonian, Hispanic, and I speak Spanish. I help our patients who are Spanish-speaking. Many of them will ask for me because I can help translate between the doctor and the patient.
Q. How does your previous experience here make you a better Patient Care Coordinator?
A. Throughout my ten years, I have watched and learned from
Dr. Bruce. She is a motivator. She never gives up, until a problem is resolved, and the patient is happy. I have been instilled with this same work ethic. I am caring, a people person, and I go beyond what is expected. Now, patients who have known me from the front desk recognize me. I know them all. One woman, one of the first I took care of as a Patient Care Coordinator, remembered me from her years of coming to SBA. She was so pleased to see me in the patient room. I remember when she first came here, her baby was six months old. Now, that baby is nine!
Q. Tell us about your life outside of work.
A. I am a single parent; the mother of a 15-year-old boy. Having a teenager, I am very careful. He’s a good kid, and I hope he is learning from me as I have learned from Dr. Bruce.
Q. You have been here since day one. Are you proud of the practice and your work here?
A. When I started, I knew I was going to work for a good, good doctor, but I don’t think I realized how important that was. I have always been proud of whom I work for, but as we have grown, I realize that I am privileged to work with many fine providers at SBA. For my 10-year anniversary, I was surprised with a bracelet from Tiffany’s for my years of service. I was very pleased. And now, I look back and remember those first days when I was happy just to have my own little workspace. I remember thinking that this was going to be a huge opportunity – and it has been. Suzanne Bruce and Associates continues to grow and offer patients the best dermatology care. And I am a part of that. It is very rewarding.
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