In the February 2019 Newsletter
  The Power of a Phone Call

Today I present an interesting article from a guest contributor, my daughter Annie Szczurek Davis. After graduating with her Bachelor’s degree in May 2018, Annie is serving our country as an AmeriCorps member. She’s on the front lines of helping patients with depression, working with a team of doctors in Pittsburgh through the National Health Corps.

Here’s how she’s helping people. It’s all about the Connections Strategy, which is summarized in my book, Pursuit of Passionate Purpose.

The Power of a Phone Call

As I listened to Suzanne (not her real name) on the phone, she started crying. She described how she was left without insurance for several months because of an issue with her retirement. She told me she didn’t have a secure place to live and bounced from place to place. Most pressing to her was her lack of insulin — she had gone 5 days without it. The pharmacy wanted to charge Suzanne over $400 for her insulin and she couldn’t afford it.

I had called Suzanne to check on how things were going with her depression. Although my main focus is on treatment for depression, I had called at a critical time when Suzanne needed help with her physical health. I connected her to our Social Worker and our Chronic Care Manager, who helped register Suzanne for Medicaid. We referred her to a free clinic before her insurance took effect. Now she has insurance and she’s coming to our clinic to manage her diabetes. I’m able to connect patients like Suzanne with various resources to improve their physical and mental health as much as possible.

Another patient, whom I will refer to as Mary, was seen in March with severe depressive symptoms. She was suicidal and hearing voices. The doctor prescribed an antidepressant, but Mary was scared of its effects, so she stopped taking the pills after a week. Mary didn’t follow-up about her depression and none of her doctors asked her about it in the subsequent months.

When I called over 6 months later, Mary was still experiencing the same symptoms. Nothing had improved and, if anything, she had less trust in the medical system because she believed she had been ignored and abandoned. Because I called, I was able to help her get scheduled to see our psychiatrist. I joined our psychiatrist during her office visit and listened to her history of childhood trauma. Now, I will call and meet with Mary in the office throughout her treatment for major depression and PTSD to help the process go as smoothly as possible.

Depression is the most prevalent of mental health disorders, affecting roughly 20% of US adults in their lifetime. Most adults choose to start their treatment with their primary care provider, making it important to integrate behavioral health treatments with primary care.

Summary

We are part of an interconnected web of life. Build relationships with self, proper people, other beings, and spiritual sources. The outcome to you and your connections is meaning in life, as well as support along life’s journey. In this article, Annie shows how a simple phone call brought value to patients. What can you do to make a difference in others’ lives?

Practical Information for You

GIVE THE GIFT OF PASSIONATE PURPOSE. You can buy my book at the Passionate Purpose Store. It’s a meaningful gift that keeps on giving.

BLOG. Check out my latest blog posts about business, career, and life performance.

Enjoy the Journey

Theresa M. Szczurek, Ph.D.
Colorado CIO, Certified Management Consultant, Author, and Speaker

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