A Shared Humanity

At St. Clair Health, our ability to meet the growing needs of our patients and the communities we serve is dependent on our people. They are our best resource and greatest strength because of their shared passion for helping others and unrivaled commitment to excellence.

Whether they have worked at St. Clair Health for only a short time or several decades. Whether they work in patient care or provide ancillary support. Whether they are helping a returning patient or someone visiting St. Clair Health for the very first time. Team members come together each and every day to deliver Expert care from people who care to our patients.

While expert medical care is critical to support a patient’s health, a caring environment can have just as big of an impact on their wellbeing. It’s why St. Clair Health team members are committed to providing a welcoming environment for every patient. When patients are comfortable, they feel their concerns will be listened to and their needs addressed.

“Compassion and respect have been the standard here for a very long time. Because we know numbers can only tell you so much. You learn much more in conversations,” says Diane Puccetti, RN, BSN, MS, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer. “This helps patients in building a good relationship with their caregivers and feeling safe enough to tell us what they need.”

A physician with Advanced Women’s Care of Pittsburgh for over two decades, Stephanie Shaw Brown, MD, knows that trust is a must for a successful patient-provider relationship. Still, she’s learned that personalizing care and humanizing healthcare can also go a long way in building rapport.

This approach means Dr. Brown arrives at the office early to personally make difficult phone calls, so there is ample time to answer patient questions. It means she shares her personal experiences with pregnancy and menopause, so patients know their doctor is also a human who truly understands.

“OB/GYN care is very personal, which is why patients appreciate hearing when I’ve experienced some of the same things and have tips to share in addition to medical advice,” shares Dr. Brown. “I think it’s why I have lifelong relationships with so many patients and see some of their children now that they’re all grown up.”

Linda Vance, RN, is proud that this caring culture started at the top with our St. Clair Health leaders and was passed on to team members at every level, across every department. According to Vance, who is a retired nurse but remains actively involved as a community representative on multiple St. Clair Health committees, “You just care about people, and that compassion and caring goes out into the community.”

During her 44 years with St. Clair Health, Vance often went above and beyond to help not just patients but also their loved ones. The long-time nurse manager was known for rounding during visiting hours since they were limited years ago.

“Families would sit all day in a waiting room just to be able to see their loved one for 10 minutes if they were in critical care. I never left for the day without sitting down with these family members to explain the plan of care and answer any questions they may have,” explains Vance.

She continues, “It has always been the St. Clair Health way to serve the community in any way we can. This included the parking lot, where we often helped individuals find their cars or helped them find the entrance.”

While dedicated team members like Vance, Dr. Brown, and Puccetti prioritize patient care and customer service day in and day out, they also make it a point to provide help and support to their colleagues as much as possible. At St. Clair Health, there is a high level of mutual respect among team members across the organization and an enduring tradition of teamwork that lends itself to our caring culture.

“We develop personal relationships, become good friends, and realize we would not be able to do what we do for our patients without each other,” emphasizes Vance. “Where would we be without housekeeping? Without dietary? Without engineering? We all play an integral part at St. Clair Health.”

Puccetti adds, “I think how our patients see us interact with one another makes a difference. And fortunately, I always feel that there are really good relationships here. When you have team members who care about each other and our patients, that quality can directly and positively impact patient outcomes.”

Our team members don’t just care for the people of this region every day. They also care about them. Because they are our family, friends, and neighbors.

The opportunity to care for the people in communities where team members live and work is often what brings them to St. Clair Health in the first place. Finding mutual respect and compassion among both patients and team members is why so many end up sticking around for a majority of, if not their entire careers.

Vance never expected she would be one of them when she moved to Pittsburgh in 1967. She says, “I planned on working in one of the city hospitals where I could just learn everything but decided to try out St. Clair Health since my sister-in-law was working there as a nurse at the time. As life played out, it’s where I stayed. And I became more and more and more proud to work here as time went on.”

When Puccetti came to St. Clair Health as the Operating Room Manager in 2004, she never could have imagined that she would eventually become Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer. “Thanks to the unwavering support and guidance of former Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Joan Massella, I’ve had a fulfilling career at an organization where I felt I have been able to have a bigger impact,” shares Puccetti.

On the other hand, Dr. Brown knew in the seventh grade that she wanted to be a doctor and work at St. Clair Hospital. She clarifies, “Serving this community is very personal to me because I grew up here. Though I was away from the South Hills during medical school, residency, and the four years my husband was on active duty in the Army, I joined St. Clair Health when we moved back to the South Hills.”

She continues, “Though I interviewed everywhere I could, no other organization offered the personal touch and sense of community that St. Clair Health did. And in the 20 plus years that I have now worked and been a patient here, I’m proud to say that commitment to patient-centered care and a caring culture have persisted.”