Striving to make every patient feel valued

Nate Oster
Care Coordinator
Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute

“Most of my patients have been through more than we can imagine. They deserve to be cared about, and they’ve told me many times they appreciate that,” says Nate Oster, a care coordinator at Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute (PPI). “That’s what motivates me. It’s what I’m passionate about, knowing I make a difference.”

Hanging on the wall in Nate’s office is a reminder that what he does matters: a printed email from a family member of a patient at PPI, where his role is to ensure patients have the services and support they need when and where they need them. The email thanks Nate for helping the patient and making it possible for their family to spend Christmas together for the first time in years, get along better than ever and experience what they called an amazing gift.

“Those kinds of things keep you going,” says Nate, reflecting on a time when he wasn’t sure where his career was headed. It wasn’t until he landed his first job in the mental health field that he realized, “As low as the lows can be, the highs are really high and extremely rewarding.” That’s when he knew he was on the right track.

Although not every patient encounter leads to a letter of thanks, Nate approaches each one with the same intention. It doesn’t matter if he is helping a patient find a mental health case manager, apply for medical assistance, start outpatient treatment or locate shelter, he always makes sure they know they are valued and that they can access comprehensive care right here in their local community.

It’s stories like these that drive our purpose.