Photo By Jaima Fogg | Airman 1st Class Shawn Charles, 66th Medical Squadron patient services technician,...... read more read more
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Trusted Care is the Air Force Medical Service’s commitment to continuous improvement of the culture of safety and reliability, and its focus on achieving a better health care system.
Earlier this year, Airman 1st Class Shawn Charles was on his way to lunch when he turned back to answer his phone. Charles, a patient services technician at the 66th Medical Squadron, thought it would be a quick call and he would be back on his way.
“I help a lot of retirees enroll for pharmacy services,” Charles said. “I figured it would only take a couple of minutes.”
Instead, the caller was a pregnant patient who needed an urgent OB-GYN referral.
She was having trouble accessing the care she needed with her regular off-base provider, so she called 66 MDS for help. But she called the wrong number; addressing this type of call was outside of Charles’ normal duties and training.
Fortunately, Charles knew to connect her with a case manager who could help advocate to a provider.
“The flight commander and I were in meetings at the time, and he had choices to make,” said Tech. Sgt. Katrina Washington, TRICARE Operations and Patient Administration flight chief. “If he did not make the right decision that day, it could have taken months for the patient to be seen.”
The patient was later diagnosed with cancer and Charles’ actions may have saved the lives of both the patient and her unborn baby.
His leaders credit him with using critical thinking to take the appropriate actions.
“Without a doubt, he knew exactly what to do,” Washington said.
In July, in a letter from Maj. Gen. John DeGoes, deputy surgeon general of the Air Force, named Charles a Trusted Care Hero for demonstrating exemplary leadership, commitment to mission readiness, and for inspiring others.
He was commended for preventing future harm and for serving as a role model for his peers by demonstrating the connection between employing high reliability practices, having quality outcomes, and fulfilling the Air Force Medical Service mission.
A Trusted Care Hero is one who adopts, applies and models the Military Health System’s high reliability principles to strive for zero harm.
“Charles is confident in what he does,” said 1st Lt. Matilda Watkins, 66 MDS TOPA flight commander. “He is eager to learn and ask questions. He is ready to jump in and try new things and that speaks volumes to the type of person that he is.”
Charles was not expecting recognition for his actions.
“I was really surprised,” he said. “But I’m glad she was able to get the care she needed.”
Charles, who hails from Gretna, Louisiana, joined the Air Force in 2023 after participating in his high school’s Junior ROTC program.
He is pursuing a CompTIA Security+ certificate in cybersecurity with plans to transition to a role in healthcare technology.
| Date Taken: | 09.06.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.19.2024 09:10 |
| Story ID: | 480234 |
| Location: | HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, MASSACHUSETTS, US |
| Web Views: | 818 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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