I am so grateful that Sara Luke is my supervisor! Since the day Sara took over as supervisor of the Acute Team, she has not stopped working. With this being a brand-new team/model there have been many challenges to overcome. Sara has worked diligently to organize our team. All the while keeping us thoroughly updated. She is quick to respond to questions and will go over and above to ensure that her answers are well-communicated and understood. I know Sara has put in countless extra hours to ensure that our team's needs are met. She is a huge asset to GEHA and very much appreciated by the members of our team!!

Two short weeks after Sara became my supervisor, I had an issue with a member who received a denial of her spinal injection from UHC. The member became extremely angry, hostile and threatening during our phone call while we were discussing the denial. I e-mailed Sara with the specifics of the conversation and asked for some direction. She responded by first identifying the difficulty of the situation, and then assuring me that she forwarded the e-mail to upper administration for review. Eventually, the case was given a second look and the spinal injection was approved. The member received the injection just prior to heading off on a 2-hour car ride for a specialty clinic visit. Sara was and has continued to be, a very effective advocate for me. She listened to my concerns and was able to share information with the appropriate parties in order for the denial to be overturned. She truly has the best interests of our members at heart!

Sara has taken on her role of Acute Team Supervisor with strength and open-mindedness. She encourages the nurses on her team to communicate concerns and issues. She will provide a thorough explanation when we have questions. Sara has a dedication to her team and her position. She is happy to jump in and help support in time of need. Her understanding and faith in GEHA and the nurses she supervises empower us to do our best every day! Sara was promoted to Acute Team Supervisor in mid-June, 2022. She carried with her innate qualities such as compassion, thoughtfulness, reliability and added her vast nursing and life experiences, eloquent speech, and practicality into her new role of an awesome supervisor. She was hired to create direction and supervision for the nurses on the newly formed Acute Team. Since Sara had previously been a Nurse Case manager, she was very familiar with the expectations and frustrations that we face in our work. She listens carefully and helps us explore viable solutions to member issues. She has not hesitated to provide advocacy when appropriate. Her promise of follow-through is sincere and real! She has kept our team in the know of changes through our weekly and ad hoc team meetings as well as daily and ongoing chats. She takes the time to ask for our feedback and listen to our responses. We are assured that if she brings an idea or concern back to leadership, we will hear the outcome. We are lucky to have her by our side.

Sara spent a significant amount of time reviewing current assessments and protocols with the Acute Team. She reviewed each question line by line and gave us an opportunity to provide feedback so that the work that we do every day can easily be reflected in the tools that we use. Sara has reached out to other departments on our behalf in an effort to provide education, awareness, and advocacy. She takes the time to think about and illustrate to others different perspectives on an issue. She is very practical in her approach so her presentation is easy to understand.