Clinic manager combines ‘tough love with a tender heart’
At the dental school’s craniofacial clinic, Jessica Hill creates a special place for patients, families and staff.
Jessica Hill found her dream job as the clinical and administrative manager for the UNC Adams School of Dentistry’s Craniofacial Center and Henson Special Care and Geriatric Clinic.
“I love pediatrics, I love kids and it’s for an underserved population,” she said when she saw the posting. “There’s a need for advocacy, and I have a strong voice for others who may not have one. It’s leadership but also clinical. It’s the best of both worlds. I would do complex care coordination, and I can come in and make a positive change. It’s my dream job. I’ve got to do it.”
Her previous experience included being a medic in the U.S. Army and the medication and diabetes care manager for the Lee County School System, and she has a degree in health care management.
Hill is also a natural leader, and the position at the clinic combines her medical and organizational skills — a perfect fit.
Managing a busy clinical environment
Since she started, Hill has created a special place for patients and their families, as well as for staff, faculty and doctors.
“The doctors would describe me as a ‘chaos coordinator,’” she said. “They call me ‘boss lady.’ I’m very regimented in my approach. It’s almost like the craniofacial clinic is an orchestrated performance, with so many specialties seeing patients in one visit. I have to coordinate each step, and it’s organized, beautiful, chaos.”
“Her management techniques combine a tough love with a tender heart, which tends to motivate to action those in our team,” said Dr. Allen Samuelson, director of the Geriatrics and Special Care Clinic. “I give Jessi high praise for her work and creativity. She also has a fun side and tries to keep up the morale of our team members and does this well given all our circumstances.”
Hill has also created a strategic plan for the craniofacial clinic to address areas she feels need attention and to support outreach for patients, families and students. She hopes to create a support network for patients and families with cleft palates and craniofacial conditions. She plans events to help foster a sense of community among that same population, including Carolina Cheer Day, which spreads awareness about craniofacial issues.
(Submitted photo)
Sharing her knowledge
Scholars and dental students reap the benefits of Hill’s planning and foresight. Health care management interns from within the UNC System spend time in the craniofacial clinic during the summer months, learning about clinic operations, customer service, quality improvement and patient dignity. The clinic also hosts a rotational site visit for dental students to help expose them to new populations within the oral health sphere.
“Students may not have interactions with other kids who are affected by clefting or craniofacial conditions. It’s important that they understand the importance of cleft and craniofacial care,” she said.
She has a similar philosophy for health care administrators. “My philosophy regarding health care administrators: Build relationships and make informed decisions,” she said. “If you want to be a successful and accepted administrator, you first need to identify and consider whom and how the changes you make will impact someone. At some point, you will find yourself responsible for advocating for patients, caregivers, staff, and doctors. If you are going to be the future of health care, you need to understand health care from the bottom up.”
When she’s not in the clinic, Hill can be found teaching her 16-year-old twins how to drive, ferrying her 14-year-old daughter to various activities and engaging in favorite activities like going to concerts, the beach and paddleboarding.
