The following is taken from a Tenet press release to announce the2013 Tenet Hall of Fame, a recognition program that honors exceptional individuals who have made exemplary contributions to patients, their hospitals, colleagues or the communities in which they work and live.
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| Certified Consultant, Rebecca McFalls |
Becky, a certified RDI consultant, is affectionately known as the “super nanny” for families dealing with children with autism. She manages a robust outpatient rehabilitation operation, which includes two pediatric clinics and an adult clinic and oversees the Level II NICU at East Cooper Medical Center. In all that she does, she consistently goes above and beyond for families dealing with autism and people come from all over the area to seek her help and expertise.
One day, the mother of an 8-year-old son with Asperger’s and ADHD met Becky in the hospital cafeteria. Seeing Becky’s enthusiasm and sincerity, the mother inquired about what Becky did at the hospital. Little did she know that Becky was exactly what her family needed to help navigate the difficult issues that can arise when a family member has autism.
“After multiple failed attempts at therapies across the spectrum,” the mom writes, “I thought our family was ‘stuck’ with minimal resources, little to no guidance and a very grey future for my son’s success. Becky made me realize that with therapy, training and a little support, my family, including my son, had a very bright future.”
Becky was able to establish a healthy, meaningful relationship with the boy - something that no one else had been able to do previously. After three months of occupational therapy sessions, the little boy’s tantrums went from several times a day to a couple of times a week. His eating habits and communication skills have improved, and he has a more positive attitude in general. With Becky’s help, his parents now have the tools to nurture their son along with his younger siblings. The mother says that Becky made her see how fortunate she is to have such a special son.
Becky is also an innovative thinker who is never satisfied with the status quo or her previous performance. Recently, she put together an innovative tool to monitor the Medicare cap in the adult clinic, which enables the department to track the amount of money a patient has used toward their maximum amount. In another example of her commitment to performance excellence, Becky was key in recognizing opportunities for improvement in the annual Employee Engagement Survey. Identifying a need, Becky helped to bridge the communication gap between the rehab associates and the senior leadership team at the hospital by involving senior team members more in meetings and activities. These efforts have made Becky a key leader in the hospital.
Her influence extends beyond the hospital. She volunteers in the community as an expert on autism spectrum disorders, participates in early prevention efforts at child care centers and leads the hospital’s participation in local walks benefiting autism research and awareness. Becky’s ability to design innovative, progressive programs while connecting with her patients and educating the community are the reasons she is a Tenet Hero.