Nurse, hospital volunteer with 25 years of service reflect on hospital’s excellence
(ROWLETT-January 24, 2013) Lake Pointe Medical Center in Rowlett concluded 2012 with the celebration of its 25th anniversary of being in operation.
LPMC opened its doors on February 11, 1987 to serve the surrounding communities of Rowlett, Rockwall and Royse City with 67 employees and dedicated volunteers. Today, the hospital employs more than 800 staff and has more than 450 physicians on medical staff, offering a range of leading-edge services to its patients.
LPMC has significantly grown since its opening in 1987, but their family-oriented focus has not changed a bit. Patients, volunteers and staff are still considered part of the family.
Charlene Schwaneke, a volunteer of 25 years, explains, “The hospital started with 54 beds and expanded to 90 pretty quickly. Even with all the changes, the one thing that has not changed is that Lake Pointe is like a family and they work very hard at making volunteers feel like a part of that family.”
Schwaneke started volunteering at LPMC when she first moved to Rockwall in 1987. As a volunteer, Schwaneke has previously helped patients with their medical records, worked in the lab and brought refreshments to patients. She currently updates and sorts magazines in the waiting rooms.
Schwaneke has worked nearly 5,200 hours and counting at LPMC. Schwaneke shared her thoughts about the future for LPMC: “Lake Pointe is still growing as far as different types of services such as expanded cancer treatment services, heart services and just overall expanding to fit the community’s needs; people can be served in their region and not have to make the trip to Dallas.”
Doreen Riccelli, the hospital’s director of education, reflects on LPMC’s growth. “I’ve seen it grow tremendously. The hospital has doubled in size, and we’ve had significant growth in technology. I’ve seen technology take over and we now have state-of-the-art equipment,” Riccelli said.
Nurse Riccelli has been with Lake Pointe for 25 years and held the position of director of the ICU prior to being director of education. Riccelli has seen LPMC’s level of care increase with the amount of more acutely ill patients rising.
“We have a very good wound care center. Taking care of patients with deep wounds used to involve amputation, but now we are able to save limbs with hyperbaric chambers, healing wounds at a significantly faster rate,” she said.
LPMC is dedicated to meeting each patient’s needs and concerns. The hospital offers individualized and professional services including an emergency department with Fast Track Services, interventional cardiology and open heart surgery services, cancer care, intensive care, women’s services, a Level II and Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, day surgery including robotic surgery, and diagnostic imaging services. The hospital’s affiliation with area tertiary facilities and their network of twelve outpatient locations provides a network of health care organizations to meet all medical needs.
LPMC has made headlines twice since 2011 as one of the nation’s Top Performers on Key Quality Measures by the Joint Commission. The hospital also received the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Center of Excellence Designation and received an “A” Hospital Safety Score by The Leapfrog Group twice in 2012. The hospital is designated as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission and a Level IV Trauma Center by the Texas Department of State Health Services
The mission to treat patients and staff like family is why LPMC will continue to grow and excel as a North Texas hospital.
Nurse Riccelli sums up LPMC’s appeal: “I love the family attitude, our commitment to the community and trying to meet patient’s needs. We strive all the time to be the best we can, and 100 percent patient satisfaction is our goal. I enjoy being a part of that.”
Employees and volunteers like Nurse Riccelli and Charlene Schwaneke make LPMC the exemplary hospital it is today and assures that the next 25 years will be just as welcoming, hard-working and successful.
Submitted by Kathrine Brody, C Pharr & Company.
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