Perennial PSA Academy Delivers a Newly Graduated Cohort
The new cohort of the Patient Service Associates (PSA) Academy graduated in December, with a ceremony and celebration at Penn Medicine Academy (PMA) at 1500 Market Street. Executive sponsors Ronald Barg, MD, executive director of CCA, Beth Johnston, executive director of CPUP, and Cindy Morgan, VP of Learning and Organizational Development were all on hand to celebrate with the graduates.
PMA, in partnership with CCA and CPUP Operations and HR, created the Patient Service Associate Academy in 2012. The PSA Academy program has helped transform our service standards across the continuum of care, and the PSAs are an integral part of delivering the Penn Medicine Experience. Along with the recent rollout of our Experience Definition and Standards, our PSAs are critical for helping elevate our service excellence to match our clinical excellence.
“The Patient Service Excellence Academy is a great way to identify candidates with strong service orientation and retrain them for roles within the healthcare environment and Penn Medicine,” said Jan Rossi, chief Human Resources officer in CPUP. “We are excited to welcome the recent graduates into PSA positions within our practices and look forward to their contributions to the care of our patients and families.”
Q&As with Our New PSAs
New grads of the Patient Service Associates Academy, Davon Jackson and Essie Cooper.
Q: What inspired you to join the PSA Academy?
Davon Jackson: I have dreamed of working for Penn since I was selected to the NFL Prep Leadership Academy at The Wharton School in 2012. I felt that the PSA Academy was a great opportunity to network, challenge myself and learn about what drives the excellence of Penn Medicine.
Essie Cooper: What inspired me was that I would be empowered to make a difference in people’s lives with my natural, up-beat spirit. Being able to turn a frown upside down is something I pride myself on.
Q: What did you like best about the curriculum?
Jackson: I really enjoyed the presentations from health care executives and hospital administrators, to see how the roles of these different individuals all came together to make the health system run smoothly. I also really enjoyed the scavenger hunt, exploring the different Penn locations within Philadelphia.
Cooper: I enjoyed receiving one-on-one direction. It helped slow down the training process so I could absorb the information.
Q: What kind of experience do you bring to your new role?
Jackson: I graduated from Juniata College in May 2017 with a BA in Health Administration and Communication. As a specialty marketing assistant, student intern at JC Blair Memorial Hospital, my work focused on research, social media marketing and community engagement. I also conducted qualitative research concerning patient provider engagement.
Cooper: My previous experience is in retail management. That background gave me the foundation to progress in this role. Being patient, kind and always exceeding expectations is what I strive for.
Q: What did you do to celebrate your graduation?
Jackson: I celebrated graduation by spending a night out with some close friends.
Cooper: Graduation was on my birthday! It was an exceptional day. Previous PSA academy alumni came in to congratulate us and answer any questions. It was a fun-filled day with lots of surprises.