Heartfelt compassion and excellent care go hand in hand at Beebe

My mom, Frances Woznicki, got a new iPhone a couple of months ago and she’s still getting the hang of it. Mom has never been a big texter, but she sent this to me one afternoon: “I think I need to go to the ER. I’m having shortness of breath and chest pain.”

As long as we are living across the street from each other and Mom can see my car, I don’t think she’ll ever call 911. “Why should I bother calling an ambulance when you’re home? I don’t want sirens to disturb the entire neighborhood,” she said. But alas, that conversation is another story for another day.

Upon our arrival at Beebe’s Emergency Department in Lewes, Mom received immediate care. They did an EKG, completed blood work and performed other tests that ruled out a heart attack. Thank goodness! This was great news, but we still did not know what had caused the episode that brought us to the ER. The team recommended Mom be admitted for observation and additional testing. She reluctantly agreed.

Worried and concerned about my mom, I needed help from the wonderful people at Beebe who were caring for her. And no one helped us more than Madhu Prattipati, MD.

Dr. Prattipati is a hospitalist at Beebe Healthcare. Hospitalists are physicians who are board certified in internal medicine and specialize in patients who must receive care in the hospital. They consult with primary care physicians as well as specialists to help manage medical issues and provide advanced care for inpatients. Hospitalists also communicate with designated family members about the care a patient is receiving in the hospital.

After Mom completed a stress test and an echocardiogram, her cardiologist recommended she have a cardiac catheterization to check for any blocked arteries in her heart. Mom was more than a little nervous about this procedure. Dr. Prattipati sat at her bedside, took her hand and explained the procedure to her.

During a cardiac catheterization, the physician inserts a catheter through the arm or leg to look inside the heart and assess any damage, or treat or repair a condition. Beebe Healthcare has been recognized by the American College of Cardiology as one of the top 100 hospitals in the country for interventional cardiology care, so we knew Mom was in good hands.

Dr. Prattipati’s explanation of the procedure provided Mom with confidence and reassurance. But he didn’t stop there – Dr. Prattipati called to explain everything to me, too! What was funny is we had that conversation while I was riding the elevator to visit Mom. When I got to her room, we compared notes. Mom shared her face-to-face experience with Dr. Prattipati, and I shared my phone conversation. Then she asked if I’d go for a walk with her down the hall.

When we reached the other end of the hallway, the stairwell door opened and out popped Dr. Prattipati! He stopped for a second, surprised, and said, “Frances, you’re pretty far from your room, and David, didn’t I just talk with you on the phone? Are you OK? Do you have any questions for me?” We had no further questions. Dr. Prattipati’s bedside and stairwell manners are equally calming and informative.

Mom’s cardiac cath was the next day, and we are all very happy to report she passed her test!

Thank you, Dr. Prattipati, for providing Mom (and me) with great care at Beebe, but most of all for giving your heartfelt compassion so generously to your patients and their families!

As a community-based, not-for-profit healthcare system, Beebe Healthcare depends on the generous support of the community it serves. To make a gift to celebrate the excellent care you or a loved one has received, please visit Beebe Medical Foundation at beebemedicalfoundation.org or call 302-644-2900. Want to share your story? Contact Amanda Neal at aneal@beebehealthcare.org.