I’m Suddenly Feeling Good About My Day Job

Photo by Elena Koycheva on Unsplash

After nearly eight years as a laboratory client services employee, I’ve come to appreciate the value of precision, a vital character trait for any service professional endeavoring to make a living in the health services industry. I don’t remember precision being one of the traits listed on the original job description; however, it should be, imprinted near the top of the list of desired qualifications.

I value precision because I know I am part of a unique system, tasked with providing health services to the sickest of us, many of whom lack the resources to afford the services offered by other more expensive health care providers. But don’t think of my employer — National Jewish Health — as a last resort for patients, for we are one of the leading pulmonary hospitals operating in the nation, continually striving towards the realization of our sacred mission: to heal, to discover, and to educate.

I work with a group of three women, all approaching their jobs with an appreciation for the plight of the patient. Acknowledging the patients, empathizing with their plight, these are also desired traits of a hospital client service representative. However, compassion and empathy cannot be taught, as these attributes are ingrained within the DNA of certain people, honed and purified after multiple years of delivering care to love ones. A hospital client…