Julie Pendleton & Office Service Coordinators

Occupation: Office Services Coordinator
From: Cambridge
Years of Service to Brightshores: 18
Hobbies/Interests: Golfing, Curling, Hiking, Reading
Duties: Ensure policies/procedures are kept up to date, staff scheduling, go-to person for administration issues

Office Services Coordinators at the six Brightshores Health System hospitals are a bit like air traffic controllers who keep the hospitals running smoothly from behind the scenes.

Everything from dealing with tradespeople, to making sure Ministry of Health payments come through properly, to overseeing staff and patient scheduling, to handling payroll, the Office Services Coordinators do it all. They’re also the go-to person for any myriad of odds and ends and questions that pop up from day-to-day.

“We’re kind of the administrative hub of the hospitals,” said Julie Pendleton, the Office Services Coordinator for Meaford Hospital. Susanne Gunn handles the duties in Owen Sound, Mindy Scott in Lion’s Head, Amy Anger in Wiarton, Sandra Guta in Southampton and Elaine Smyth in Markdale.

“We’re a jack of all trades…and if we can’t help, we find the answers.”

Across Brightshores, there are approximately 95,000 emergency visits, 13,000 surgical visits, 231,000 outpatient visits, 213,000 scheduled appointments, and 11,000 admissions. That’s a lot of traffic to manage. Variety keeps the office coordinators hopping, Julie said. “I love that. Somebody might come in my door and you never know what they’ll need. It’s great, and I think that’s why most of us do it, because there’s a really good variety.”

That variety also includes dealing with patients and families who sometimes have to pay out of pocket for hospital care. That’s when the Office Service Coordinators get involved, and it can be a difficult time for people.

“We have to have compassion and make sure that you know you are being heard, and that yes, we know what you are going through.”

“Every day is different; you never know what might be coming through your door or over the phone. It really is a great job. And we love to help people, that’s what it is.”

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