Maria Easow is the clinical leader for patient flow coordinators (PFCs), overseeing the flow of patients who are designated as alternate level of care (ALC) at Oak Valley Health. She supports her team of PFCs and the clinical teams in planning complex discharges and family meetings as needed. Her specialized role is to help patients and families with timely and safe transition to their discharge destination with all of the supports needed to manage their level of care needs, whether it be back home, to another site or hospital, or long-term care
Maria has been with Oak Valley Health since 1999, where she started as a registered nurse (RN) and then taking on several other roles before becoming the PFC/ALC clinical leader. Maria’s role is unique to Oak Valley Health, created with a specific focus on managing a high number of ALC patients within the organization. She focuses on streamlining patient transfers, supporting patient flow coordinators with best practices in discharge planning, and providing daily updates to the organization regarding our ALC numbers. Within the last year, Maria also became responsible for ALC data entry and reconciliation in the provincial databases, which is so important for decision-making at the Ministry level.
She guides and supports the PFC team, especially for very complex cases involving barriers that can prevent patients from safely moving to their post-discharge destinations. Maria also works with families to help them understand the possibilities for transitions that may seem unattainable to them.
Maria oversees many clinical aspects of ALC patients, so that when they are transferred, she can facilitate open communication to ensure the best care plans for successful treatment, timely referrals to home and community services, and removing discharge barriers early on. Having this constant and seamless flow of communication with patients, families, and our external partners is what allows Oak Valley Health to maintain low ALC rates and good flow through the system.
Maria enjoys the culture and the diversity of Oak Valley Health: “I feel that this hospital has a warm and caring persona that is very evident in the high-quality care provided by each member of the care team.”
When Maria thinks of our values, commitment means a lot to her, and that the rest of the values are embedded in commitment. She is determined to provide the best care that she can to each and every individual who walks through the door. Whether they are patients or staff members, Maria believes everyone deserves to be treated with respect and compassion, and with utmost dignity.
“I am very proud to be a part of this prestigious institution that gave me a lot of opportunities to grow and succeed.”
Maria has a very close-knit family. They are very active, enjoy going to social and community events, love watching movies together, and travelling as much as they can.
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