As anyone who works in acute care knows, hospitals and rehabilitation centres are busy places. The administrative assistants who keep Vancouver Acute’s sites running smoothly are truly unsung heroes.

To celebrate Administrative Professionals’ Day (Wednesday, April 25) and recognize the valuable contributions that these dedicated staff members make to patient care, VCH News reached out to some of the administrative professionals at VGH, UBC Hospital, and GF Strong. Here’s what they told us about what motivates them to come to work every day.

(Tip! Hover your mouse over the photos to read their quotes.)

Vancouver General Hospital

There is much to do to keep the hospital running and for this highly skilled team of administrative professionals, knowing that they support quality patient care makes all the difference.

“I love the craziness, the unpredictability and the speed… it’s go, go, go every day. We’re removed from the ‘boots on the ground’ but our role is to support the people who support our frontline workers. And that helps our patients get better as soon as possible,” says Laura Mc Evoy, executive assistant to Vivian Eliopoulos, COO, Vancouver Acute.

Jasleen Aujla, project coordinator for the VGH OR Renewal Project, adds, “This job is never mundane; every day I know there will probably be a challenge I’ll have to tackle. It’s good to be part of a big change and to be making a difference.”

While nurses and physicians are often the first to come to mind when thinking about a hospital campus, the administrative assistants and operations directors work closely to ensure that health care practitioners have what they need to provide patient care.

As Taylor Bahen remarks, “Sometimes it’s hard to see the big picture and the direct impact of what we do as support staff. But when I’m on the ball, my directors are on the ball, that affects the quality of care. I really enjoy working with people who are passionate about improving patient care.”

Often juggling multiple priorities and upcoming deadlines, these women roll up their sleeves and dig in, always ready to support the needs of the hospital and each other.

“It’s the people I work with, our team, that I like best about coming to work. I’m not directly involved with patient care, but I do feel like I’m contributing in a small way to providing excellent care,” says Harim Kim.

In the end, it’s all about supporting patient care.

“Even though I’m not on the frontlines, it’s important to me to work in a place that gives back to people. I like to think that what I do has an impact on the running of the executive team and that that affects patient care,” says Natalie Rathbone.

“It means a lot for me to be working for an organization focused on helping people and not just on the ‘bottom line’,” adds Emily Cheng, administrative assistant/co-credentialing coordinator for Medical Affairs, VGH. “This aligns with my  personal values, and I believe it is important to find a sense of meaningfulness in the job.”

UBC Hospital

UBC Hospital administrative assistants Lucy Yiu (left) and Amina Ng.

Supporting patient care and hospital needs at UBC Hospital (UBCH) are top priorities for administrative assistants Amina Ng and Lucy Yiu.

“UBC Hospital is a community; we all know each other and work well together. It’s a happy place to be. Every day is different and I get exposed to lots of people and help with lots of projects,” says Amina.

On a campus as large as UBCH, things are always changing. For Lucy, being a part of that change is immensely meaningful. “I’m working on the hospital’s renewal project and whenever I see something completed, I have a sense of accomplishment and know that even though I provide support at the back end, what I do is making a difference in improving the health care system,” she says.

GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre

GF Strong administrative assistants Elaine Pozney (left) and Lisa Reibin

Supporting the GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre keeps administrative assistants Elaine Pozney and Lisa Reibin busy; but for them, it’s about more than booking meetings and emailing staff, it’s a deep dedication to serving others.

“My passion is helping others. Whether it’s setting up meetings, organizing events, helping patients and family members, troubleshooting one thing or another… or lending a simple smile, I enjoy helping to make a small difference. I look forward to coming to work every day and supporting an amazing leadership team and staff,” says Lisa.

And, as Elaine adds, “It takes a very strong and caring person to work with patients who have had life-altering illnesses or injuries and who are faced with a challenging journey. I work with amazing people and I like that I support the staff who provide such special care.”

A great big thank you

Thank you to all of the administrative staff across Vancouver Acute for the contributions you make to quality patient care every day.