Mary Ann is consistently caring and hard working. No matter how hectic clinic gets she is always calm and helpful. She has been particularly wonderful with several of my patients whose mental health and cognitive issues make it impossible for them to access care through the typical channels. Two patients immediately come to mind. They do not have the attention span/patience to use the phone system to make appointments. Instead they just show up at clinic to be seen. While we certainly do not want the bulk of patents doing this she correctly recognizes that for these individuals their behavior reflects their lack of capacity and not a choice.

She checks in with them about their needs and then with me about my availability and almost always we make an appointment and I see them as they only come in when they have acute medical issues which need to be addressed promptly. She encourages them to call her with questions and to make appointments but recognizes what they can and cannot do. Her open demeanor and caring attitude has made a big difference in their ability to get care.

An example - One gentleman in our panel has severe PTSD and cancer - all this spring he would drop in with acute complications of chemo and radiation - dehydration, facial cellulitis, etc. In an ideal world he have gone to oncology or to ER but that is not how he operated. He will only see those he trusts and does not trust ER as he does not KNOW them. Because he trusted Mary Ann he came to us. I truly believe that if she had not been able to establish that relationship he would not have gotten care - he would have just left and never completed his chemotherapy and radiation.

Mary Ann Samaniego is wonderful with patients and staff and should be acknowledged for her compassionate caring.