What is your role at UPHS?

I am a Clinical Informatics Analyst in the Information Technology (IT) department at UP Health System – Marquette. 

What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare?

My mom was a nurse on the surgical floor and loved her job and the people she worked with. I had always wanted to help people as well. I started with the hospital part-time while attending Northern Michigan University and after graduating, I stayed.

What’s a typical day like for you? What is it like working in this field?

One of my main duties is training and assisting our physicians with their electronic medical record (EMR) access. I enjoy helping them with any system issues they may be having and hopefully making their busy workday a little easier. Other than that, there is not really a typical day in IT. It all depends on what issues have arisen in the last 24 hours. We spend a lot of time troubleshooting and resolving issues, assisting users and doing system maintenance to keep our systems healthy.

How long have you been employed here? Have you always been in the same position?

I started in 1995. I held positions as a unit clerk, unit coordinator, EMT, and system analyst, before settling in IT Clinical Informatics.

What are some of the big changes you have experienced in this position?

I would say one of the biggest changes I have experienced is moving from paper to EMR systems over the years. Technology is forever changing—it seems there is always a new system or upgrades to current systems that we are working on. Having watched the systems advance over the years to bigger and better versions has been amazing. Another big change was the move to the new hospital. IT was heavily involved in the move, and working on such a huge project like that and seeing it come to fruition was a highlight in my career at the hospital.

What are some of your interests outside of work? What is your favorite local gem?

I have two teenage boys, so most of my outside interests revolve around them and their sports. Between football and hockey, we spend a lot of time traveling throughout fall and winter. When summer comes around, I like to stay home and spend time with extended family and friends and enjoy all our local gems. One of my son's just left for Basic Training for the Army National Guard. I think it’s too hard to pick a favorite. We live in a great place!

What do you enjoy most about working at UPHS – Marquette?

I enjoy the people the most. I have formed close bonds with many physicians, users and coworkers throughout the organization over the years and that means a lot to me. It makes what I do special and very important to me because I know I am helping some of my own.