Michele Meets: Diana Williams Andrade
“Michele Meets” is an ongoing series featuring conversations with the Chief Medical Officer Michele Arnold, MD, and the people of St Mary’s.
I was pleased to spend some time getting to know Diana Williams Andrade, who joined St. Mary’s earlier this year as our Director of Patient Experience. Diana was born in Bogota, Colombia, and has lived in Grand Valley for more than two decades. She became familiar with our hospital and worked with many of our teams in her previous role at Mesa County Public Health.
Diana and her husband atop Colorado’s Harvard & Columbia peaks.
At St. Mary’s, Diana collaborates with managers and directors throughout the hospital to ensure patients are always at the center of our care, so they have the best possible experience while they are here. If we fall short in an area, she partners with departments and units to create strategies to increase scores based on patient feedback and other data.
“We should always be asking the question, ‘how can we pair quality care with compassion and empathy so every single time we’re putting our patients at the center?’” she shares.
We know we’re providing quality care – and that is what our patients expect when they come to St. Mary’s -- but a patient’s perception of their care is influenced by other factors – especially communication.
“Patients want to be included in their care. They want to be listened to and want to understand their treatment. When we honor the patient’s points of view, they feel respected and valued, and that is when the magic happens!” Diana says.
I asked Diana what she would like our medical staff to know about her approach to her role.
“It’s important to me that I’m seen as a collaborative partner helping drive quality and safety that enhances their current practices – all of that encompasses the patient experience,” she explains.
When Diana is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Matthew, and her 3-year-old chocolate lab, Wilson. She loves being outdoors hiking, running, and mountain biking. She and her husband have hiked their way through all 58 Colorado 14ers, reaching the final peak on their list in 2019. I’m eagerly awaiting an invite to hit the trails with Diana soon!
Diana welcomes opportunities to collaborate with our medical staff. You can reach her via email at Diana.WilliamsAndrade@imail.org or by phone at 970-298-1836.
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