1. Tell me your history
with poison control. How long have you worked there/what is your background:
I have been with the South Texas Poison Center since early
2018. Before this appointment I was
working with the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. I have been working in various operations
and administration roles in the public and private sector for the last 20
years. I am excited to be a part of the Texas Poison Control Network.
2. What do you think is
one of the most important aspects of poison control services?
The most important aspect of the poison control service is a
role that specialists in poison information (SPI) play as direct service
providers in emergency situations.
Through poison centers the public has access to our experienced and
knowledgeable healthcare practitioners.
Our team of SPIs offer poison prevention and treatment advice in English
and Spanish.
I enjoy my job because I am making a difference in someone’s
life every day. I have the privilege of working
with a great team to achieve the mission of the South Texas Poison Center
(STPC) and the Texas Poison Control Network (TPCN). As a team, we serve
thousands of people a year with a strong service commitment and dedication to
the community. My role is to ensure that service operations of the center are
efficient and effective. I have a unique opportunity to guide the organization
and provide a vision for the future by creating strategies and infrastructures.
I think the public needs to know that the poison centers are
staffed with certified medical practitioners.
The value that their knowledge and experience brings to the center is
significant. I would also like them to
know that our teams truly get invested in every call and ensuring the
communication of accurate healthcare information to improve the outcomes in
each specific case.
As a new Director there have been plenty of funny and
frustrating first experiences. The most recent happened when I was scheduled to
attend my first CSEC meeting in Austin.
I had my directions and parking information on hand. I timed my travel to ensure that I would
arrive on time. Once I arrived to the CSEC building I could not find the
parking garage and did not have much time to spare. I called the office they reiterated the
directions but I still could not locate the parking area. After a few times
(estimating about 4 times) around the building, I finally saw the
entrance. If you have never visited the
building, the entrance to the parking garage actually slopes down underneath
the building but it is masked by the public sidewalk. There is no garage
entrance sign as one would expect.
Needless to say, I parked, made my way up to the offices and with only a
few minutes to spare-another crisis averted!
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