Meet the Team: Elianna Fred

Q: What is your role at Lake Washington Sports & Spine?

Elianna: I am the Patient Care Coordinator at Lake Washington Sports & Spine.  I am the first face you’ll see when you walk through our door (unless one of the poochies comes to greet you first!)

Q: Give us some sense of your background.  Where are you from originally, where did you go do school, and what drew you to Lake Washington Sports & Spine as a place to work?

Elianna:  I am originally from the Bay Area of California (specifically Novato if any of you are familiar) but don’t worry, Seahawks fans, I am NOT a 49ers fan (though I definitely root for the San Francisco Giants!!) I obtained my undergraduate degree in Political Science along with completing pre-medical coursework at University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Go Badgers!  I was drawn to Lake Washington Sports & Spine for a couple reasons.  First, I was thrilled that I had found a Sports Medicine office with a job opening, because it really combines two of my main interests.  Almost more importantly, however, I was drawn to the infectious enthusiasm and positive energy I felt in the office.  I knew that I had found a place that was unique and I feel privileged to have been chosen to become part of the team!

Q: In what ways do you find Lake Washington Sports & Spine similar to other physician practices, and what are the aspects that make it a different place to work?

Elianna:  Frankly, I don’t find Lake Washington Sports & Spine to have many similarities with other physician practices.  Our doctors are highly trained, highly specialized and although there are absolutely other providers in our area who are very qualified, I feel Drs. Hyman and Chimes KNOW what they excel in and are happy to admit when something isn’t their strongest suit.  I think that’s quite special.  Other than that, I think our office is quite unique!  What other practice holds a graduation ceremony for its patients when they get better?  Or has wonderful, loving doggies to greet you?  I think that Lake Washington Sports & Spine sets itself apart by concentrating on the positive, realizing that being active and happy are keys to overall health!

Q: Can you explain what KPA means, and how that affects your job in scheduling patients?

Elianna:  KPA means KEEP PEOPLE ACTIVE and it’s our motto here at Lake Washington Sports & Spine.  Both of our doctors are highly specialized physiatrists, board certified in Sports Medicine meaning that they are the BEST at helping patients rebound from sports injuries.  When I am scheduling a patient, I make sure to figure out their activity level and what their goals are from their treatment.  If the goals are to solely get rid of pain, we are not the best choice.  If, however, a patient is trying to relieve him/herself from pain in order to play soccer, run a marathon or just get back into the gym, we are a GREAT fit! 

Q: What type of feedback have you received in terms of what factors are important from the management team in scheduling patients?  For example, do they prioritize finding the right fit, or do they prioritize your time on the phone?

Elianna:  The management team at Lake Washington Sports & Spine is always very consistent in their message that we have a very specific product to offer the greater Seattle area and finding the patients who are the right fit is far more important than making phone calls short and sweet.  If I spend a little more time hearing about a patient’s goals and making sure that they are a good fit for what we offer, it helps everybody in the long run!  We understand that there are many choices out there for sport and spine care; we want to make sure the people who end up walking through our door are the ones who will benefit MOST from our doctors’ specialized skills.

Q: What types of patients do you consider "home run" fits for Lake Washington Sports & Spine?

Elianna:  I know a patient will be a great fit if their injury occurred doing a sport/activity.  Right away I know that they fit into our KPA brand!  It is also better if a patient hasn’t had tons of treatment before finding us.  We are best able to serve our patients when we can be one of the first to take a look at the problem so that we aren’t just being utilized as a last resort after “everything else failed”.  I also know a patient is a good fit when they take responsibility for their own care.  This includes being on-time for their check-in, bringing necessary paperwork and imaging, and overall just being mentally and physically prepared to give their full attention to their visit with us.

Q: Can you give some examples of the types of patient interactions that drive your happiness at work?

A:  My favorite patient interactions have a common component: choosing to be happy!  Whether it’s one of our graduations or a patient taking a picture with one of our lovely cardboard fitness bodies, I love when our patients (even though they are here because of an injury) can choose to be fun-loving, not allowing their physical limitations to cloud over joyful parts of the visit. 

Q: Do you find that Lake Washington Sports & Spine treats their employees in a way that is consistent with how they treat patients?   If so, how?

A:  Absolutely.  I think that Lake Washington Sports & Spine takes a vested interest in how patients are doing, even if they are no longer in active treatment with us.  Both Drs. Hyman and Chimes are strong patient advocates and this definitely transcends into how they treat their employees.  I have always felt very supported both within a work context as well as in my outside work endeavors.  Drs. Hyman and Chimes consistently treat patients (and their employees) as a whole entity, and not just a sum of body parts and they are always there, rooting for you!

Q: What are the key factors that drive your personal happiness, and is working at Lake Washington Sports & Spine consistent with that mission?

A:  It is kind of funny because from the moment I started working at Lake Washington Sports & Spine, I have felt like my priorities are in line with the company’s.  I love how much LWSS focuses on fitness.  As a prior group fitness instructor, I’m a firm believer that fitness plays an integral part in all aspects of health: physical, mental, emotional.  I know I am happiest when my body can do all the exciting activities it’s meant to do.  It excites me to see Drs. Hyman and Chimes relentlessly working on getting their patients back to living active and healthy lifestyles.  Let me tell you- It’s very easy for me to stand behind our brand!

Q: As Lake Washington Sports & Spine continues to evolve as a Sports Medicine practice, which areas of growth excite you most?

A:  What I am most excited about is watching LWSS continue to reach for its goal of becoming “the Lexus” of sports medicine.  With so many guidelines and restrictions making it nearly impossible for physicians to place full concentration on providing superb healthcare to their patients, our practice continuously strives to place patient needs before CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid) requirements.  It’s always exciting when our doctors come up with a new tactic in order to make patient care a priority.