June 18, 2025

Who Am I Speaking With?

Today’s advice is to write down the first and last name (or at least the last name) and title of the medical professional you are speaking with by phone, in person, or on speaker through the cell phone of your loved one who gets you on the phone just in time before the provider leaves the hospital room (something we learned to do often over these last nearly 8 months). You never know when you will need to contact that individual again, share their name with someone else, or report something that happened. These days I am grateful the notes I’ve kept are good. but I wish I had documented more, especially the names and titles of the various individuals who have communicated information to us along the way.

A sort of outpatient RN case manager from the small hospital system, who has been wonderful, called to follow up again today for the last time, but assured me that I can call her back if Mom needs something. She has been great, but I’m still unclear on how we got her managing things, encouraging me by phone, and determining what Mom needs in terms of case management these days. When I asked her upon first speaking with her (or maybe it was our second call) what her title is she said something about that being complicated. She has been relatable and warm and the helpful advocate for the patient (Mom) and caregiver (myself) that I wish we would have had from the beginning, and yet I feel a little strange about how supportive she was because her warmth and support led me to forget to keep asking her title. Maybe I’ll ask if I end up needing to call back. Why do I need to know? I don’t, but I am curious why we get this nurse following up closely and being so accommodating. I wonder what other patients get and what qualifies a patient for the helpful follow-up and from whom?