The Southern Coastal HIF is pleased to offer Guardian Nurses as the Mobile Care Coordinators. The Guardian Nurses are available to all Southern Coastal HIF members, and their dependents, as a personal health advocate. The Guardian Nurses serve as your guide and will help coach you through the health care process. They are equipped to help make appointments, accompany members to doctor visits and diagnostic testing, ask questions and get answers for patients, arrange second opinion visits to specialists, visit hospital patients and much more. There has never been a better time than now to have your own healthcare advocate. The Guardian Nurses have many years of experience dealing with physicians, hospitals, and other providers in the Coastal HIF territory. We are proud to provide such skilled, compassionate and caring nurses to be by your side when struggling through a healthcare issue.
Click here to view the Guardian Nurses flyer.
TESTIMONIALS:
From the Wife of a Patient (October 2020)
“About five years ago, my husband was having pain in his upper arm and a tumor was found. We were quickly sent to the oncology department at Cooper where we were informed that it was a benign tumor that would need surgery in order help the pain. This worked for a short time and the tumor came back about two years later. He underwent another surgery where they scraped again. Once again, this procedure gave him relief from the pain, but not for long. The pain returned. My husband refused to go back to the doctors assuming he would have the same outcome as previous times.
Luckily, we heard about Guardian Nurses and realized that we could have support while trying to navigate the puzzle of getting a second opinion, transferring medical records, and figuring out which doctors were covered under our insurance. We had no idea just how much Lauren would do for us. I know that she is the only reason my husband was willing to see another doctor.
During this round of x-rays and a biopsy, we were informed that the tumor had grown significantly in size and was now a grade one chondrosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. Lauren scheduled every appointment, scheduled every test, accompanied him to appointments, and made sure he was comfortable with options and decisions.
Because of his diagnosis, he underwent a pretty intensive surgery where they removed the section of the bone that contained the tumor and replaced it with a combination of his fibula, a cadaver, and a rod. The surgery was followed with spending a week in the hospital. While he was in the hospital Lauren called us daily to check-in. She was also in contact with his doctors and nurses to check on his progress and gave us any information that we needed. By the time of surgery, the tumor had already progressed to a grade two chondrosarcoma.
The day we got home from the hospital, Lauren called to schedule a time that she could do a home visit. She could tell that I was a little uncomfortable with the amount of medications he needed to take and the schedule of when he needed to take them. She came over first thing the next morning and sat with me as went over all medications, made a schedule, and she sorted a week’s worth of medication into a pill organizer that she brought with her!
It has been about 8 weeks since surgery and she continues to schedule follow-up appointments, attend appointments, and check-in regularly to make sure that he is following his doctor’s instructions. Believe me, this is no easy task!
We are so grateful to have such a great nurse that is going through this whole process with us. We truly believe that she saved my husband’s life. I can assure you that he would not have gone through this process without her being there every step of the way. I have already referred many coworkers to her and everyone has been just as thrilled with Lauren and the rest of the company as we are!”
To view more Testimonials click here.
