Pay Bill
Part of the Switching Career Industries Series
Job changes are often exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. The fear of the unknown, a new supervisor, new co-workers, a new commute, etc., can often lead to a sense of unease as you begin your initial job search, send out applications, interview, and ultimately arrive to work on your first day. But what about when the job change coincides with an entire industry change? This is exactly where Vanguard’s Adeline Howell found herself in 2018.
Before joining the Vanguard team, Adeline was a long-time restaurant manager and spent a short time at the University of Michigan Cancer Center working as a support staff. At the Cancer Center, Adeline found that she enjoyed working somewhere that made a positive impact on people. When life circumstances eventually brought her to job search engines, Adeline fell upon Vanguard’s job postings. She says, “I Googled the Vanguard website and found that they were more than a medical practice, they cared about people. I wanted to be a part of that.”
Adeline is now in her 5th year at Vanguard. Throughout her tenure, she has moved from Plastic Surgery Coordinator to Referral Coordinator. Adeline and her team are responsible for managing communication between Vanguard offices and referring providers, processing medical records requests to external facilities and providers, managing referral requirements based on patient insurance, and so much more. These tasks are, to put it lightly, crucial to the overall success of medical practice.
When asked how her past life and work experience helped prepare her for her current role, Adeline explains:
“Working in the service industry, you obtain high-level customer service skills. You become the liaison between the customer and the restaurant. This is very similar to healthcare, except I now act as the liaison between the patient, Vanguard, referring providers, and sometimes insurance companies. Multi-tasking is now second nature and during my time at Vanguard I have perfected my problem-solving skills. I truly enjoy serving our patients, just as I enjoyed serving patrons when managing a restaurant.”
Since joining the team, Adeline has found that Vanguard has given her a sense of “home away from home.” She says:
“I have never worked in an environment where everyone was so caring. It has motivated me to always give my best. I am fully supported by my supervisor which has eased my stress and has helped me better manage my workload.
My favorite thing about the culture is that we never let a team member fail. I love knowing that if I need help, I can reach out to literally anyone, and I can offer others that same help in return.”
Vanguard’s mission to make a positive impact on our patients, our community, and our world is what initially encouraged Adeline to apply. Whether serving patients or volunteering in the community with the Vanguard team, Adeline feels that working at Vanguard has enabled her to fulfill her calling to serve others and make a positive impact.
Reflecting on making the switch from restaurant management to healthcare, Adeline says, “I had worked in restaurants for so long that making a transition into healthcare was scary. It turns out it was the best decision I ever made. I was truly blessed to find Vanguard.”
To those considering joining the Vanguard team, Adeline’s best piece of advice is, “We work very hard. We strive for excellence. Just know that with all the hard work you do, you will be valued, appreciated, and treated like family. You will know that the work you do makes an impact on each individual and your team at Vanguard.”
