James Wagner, from Kokomo, understands firsthand how life can change in an instant. James, who had been healthy his entire life, was diagnosed with a large, benign brain tumor in 2011, and he immediately was faced with the fallout of a sudden decline in health. Following surgery on the tumor, James dealt with multiple health issues, including partial loss of his eyesight, his sense of smell and taste—he even faced memory loss during that time. Add to that the complications following his surgery, which included blood clots, double kidney failure and a diabetes diagnosis, and James had quite an overwhelming gauntlet to face.
Thankfully, James didn’t have to face it alone. He had the help of Leanne Schaller, his Logansport Memorial Hospital Care Coordinator, to help him navigate multiple doctors, appointments and prescriptions, educate James on how to best manage his condition and maintain accountability through regular check-ins. In the early stages of James’ condition, he and Leanne communicated regularly to walk through his plan of care for that week and help him set goals to maintain optimal health. Leanne continues to work with James on a weekly basis to manage ongoing symptoms and prescription refills and control his diabetes by keeping tabs on his weight and numbers.
Thanks to Leanne, James has one point-of-contact to help streamline his care process. Instead of communicating with many different office managers and nurses, James gets the answers he needs directly from Leanne, usually that same day. But the biggest benefit for James? He has confidence knowing that he has someone looking out for him, coordinating his care and working with providers to help get him well, retain his independence and strive to live his best possible life.
Have you or a loved one experienced exemplary care from one our departments, physicians, or services?
I never have to wait to get answers from my care team nurse. She is my “go-to” person and pulls it all together for me.