2. SCHAEFFERSTOWN FAMILY PRACTICE
Exists to serve the community’s primary care
healthcare needs by delivering quality,
modern, state of the art, traditional medicine
3. SCHAEFFERSTOWN FAMILY PRACTICE
Care for newborns to geriatrics
Share call with one other family practice
office
Small family practice office
3 doctors (currently hiring one physician
assistant)
3 LPNs (including manager)
2 secretaries
3 medical assistants
4. SETTING UP THE INTERVIEW
Called the office to speak to the manager,
Patricia O’Roark
Once speaking to Patricia, she was hesitant
to the interview, but after some extra
explanation, she agreed.
Set up a time that was good for her, but she
was direct in telling me that “she would
probably not look at her calendar and may
forget, but just to show up and go from there”
5. PATRICIA O’ROARK
LPN
Has worked at multiple facilities including
Women’s Health, Urology, and a nursing
home.
Has been with Schaefferstown Family
Practice for 17 years
6. INTERVIEW PROCESS
Arrived for interview, she had forgotten but
was able to make time for my interview
Very informal and relaxed
Explained she had already had quite the
morning and was expected to have a very
long afternoon
She was very forthcoming and open to all
questions
7. INTERVIEW PROCESS CONTINUED
Before arriving at the interview I researched
their website to make myself aware of the
mission and goals of the practice
Their website has very little information on it
http://www.schaefferstownfamilypractice.com/Pat
ientPortal/MyPractice.aspx?UAID={93CCEB98-
74EE-4537-B634-319F380A493E}&TabID={1}
Patricia admitted to being the creator of the
website but also not afraid to admit she has no IT
knowledge
8. INTERVIEW QUESTION 1
Mission: Exists to serve the community’s primary care
healthcare needs by delivering quality, modern, state of
the art, traditional medicine.
How to you integrate the agency’s mission in day to day
operations?
Their staff has been together for a very long time, which has
allowed them to develop a very good rapport with many of
their patients. The intake specialists are personable and caring
which allows patients to feel at ease. When staff have good
skills and can relate to patients it creates a higher quality of
care.
9. INTERVIEW QUESTION 2
What are the challenges in your agency’s delivery
of healthcare to the client population?
“Wanters” Patients that were used to be catered to when
the office was still very small (ex: filing cabinets). Took a
very long time for these patients to realize that they
cannot be catered to any longer
Mennonite/Amish culture, a lot of times they believe the
doctors should come to their home to visit the ill instead
of coming to the office to be seen
Care issues, some people will never be happy, but often
times it sparks from insurance or communication issues
10. INTERVIEW QUESTION 3
What innovations have you implemented to meet
healthcare outcomes to the client population?
Patient Portal (Just integrated this new system in order
for patient’s to have more access to their healthcare)
Direct messaging
“Interface with lab and hospital”
Have integrated medical records since 2006
Have had plenty of time to work out their “glitches”
11. INTERVIEW QUESTION 4
What are your greatest challenges with managing
staff?
Long term staff, causing a “comfortable” feeling and a
laidback feeling (example: water bottle)
Have staff meetings monthly with staff
Every 3 months the doctors are included in the staff
meetings so that they can include their feedback and the
staff may hear it better coming from the doctors
Meets every Thursday with the doctors to address any
problems
12. INTERVIEW QUESTION 5
What are the most important lessons you have
learned in balancing client outcomes and staff
needs?
Need to keep staff “on track and finish what they start”
Patient care and follow through
Being the mediator
Disgruntled 30 year old with insurance issues and
medication problems
Cancer patient and approved testing
13. INTERVIEW QUESTION 6
What strategies do you use for positive self-
management and personal renewal?
Sometimes hard to turn it off
Volunteers with local ambulance
Stays busy with grandkids and kids
Retirement is in site!
