Athens Technical College - Spotlight
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MedLink Employee of Year attributes her success to Athens Technical College instructors
Melissa Hawes, a medical assistant with health care provider MedLink’s Washington, Georgia, office, credits the
instructors who guided her at Athens Technical College for much of her career success, including her recent recognition as
MedLink Georgia Inc.’s 2011 Employee of the Year.
During its annual conference in late April, Colbert-based MedLink named Ms. Hawes its top employee for the company’s
entire state network of 10 medical centers and its corporate office.
The award recognizes an employee who demonstrates outstanding service, directly contributes to the success of the
corporation, demonstrates outstanding service to patients and the community, shows excellence and dependability in their work
performance and essentially goes above and beyond the call of duty, according to a statement read before Ms. Hawes was
presented with her award.
Dr. Ifeoma Nnaji, physician at MedLink’s Washington medical center, said she could not ask for a “better team player”
than Ms. Hawes, who always goes above and beyond, making sure that patient information is correct, especially insurance related
information. Most impressive, though, is the fact that Ms. Hawes volunteers to either pick up patients or drop them off after their
appointment, Dr. Nnaji said.
“Customers love her; everybody loves, her,” said Debbie Channell, administrative coordinator in MedLink’s Colbert
office.
Her time at Athens Technical College helped emphasize customer service, Ms. Hawes said.
“The skills that I took from Athens Tech are life skills,” the Tignal resident said. “I learned to treat everyone as you would
like to be treated. The patient can tell when you are in a bad mood, and the customer service that you give is what the patient will
give back to you.”
Ms. Hawes enrolled at Athens Technical College’s Elbert County Campus in 2007, after being laid off from her job because of the
economy. She already had a business office technology diploma but decided to bridge that academic background with medical
assisting. In her second year at Athens Technical College, she interned as a medical secretary/medical assistant with Medlink
Washington from January 2008 to March 2008 and was hired after she completed her internship.
Ms. Hawes says that her Athens Technical College Elbert County Campus instructors, especially Medical Assisting
Program Director Missy Hill and adjunct professor of medical assisting Stacie Warwick, taught her a lot about being patient,
thoughtful, prepared, careful and thorough.
“Mrs. Hill told us to document everything we do or are involved in whether in class or in real life,” Ms. Hawes said.
She also learned the importance of being careful regarding insurance and the billing process.
“I was taught to always check insurances for myself and not to totally rely on what the patient says or on the information
on the insurance card,” Ms. Hawes said.
Ms. Hawes recalls that as a student, she performed better on written tests than she did with clinical hands-on exercises, but
that Ms. Warwick got her attention by telling the students they would have to repeat the class if they didn’t pass all the clinical
procedures.
“I always had to redo almost everything in clinical,” she said. “I stayed after class and practiced, practiced, and practiced.
The more I practiced those procedures, my confidence grew, and I can honestly say I didn’t feel as awkward doing them.”
After MedLink honored Ms. Hawes with the Employee of the Year award, she took the time to write Ms. Hill and express
her appreciation for the education Athens Technical College offered.
“I just want to thank you and Mrs. Warwick for preparing me for a great career in the Medical Assisting program,” Ms.
Hawes wrote. “(You) taught us to give everything that we got, and that hard work would be rewarded, and I thank all of my
instructors at Athens Tech for this (award).”
http://www.athenstech.edu/Spotlight.cfm?i=379
7/16/2012
Athens Technical College - Spotlight
http://www.athenstech.edu/Spotlight.cfm?i=379
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7/16/2012
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