October/November - Coulee Region Women's Magazine

| CAREERS |
Behind the Scenes
at the Hospitals
Meet the personnel who help run area hospitals, under the radar.
By Jessie Foss
Hospital personnel such as (from left) clinical manager Joni Olson (Gundersen Lutheran), radiation therapist Lisa Undahl (Mayo Clinic Health System,
La Crosse) and nursing practice enhancement specialist Camilla Jaekel (Mayo Clinic Health System, La Crosse) keep hospitals running and patients served.
Doctors and nurses tend to be the face of the health care
industry. But working hard behind the scenes is a whole other group
of medical professionals whose jobs are essential to the proper function
of hospitals and clinics.
Three local women, Joni Olson, Lisa Undahl and Camilla Jaekel,
all have jobs doing just that. While the essential functions of each of
their jobs may differ, all three can agree on one thing. The long hours
they put in all lead to the same outcome: high patient quality care and
patient happiness.
People are the best part of the job
Joni Olson, a clinical manager of imaging with Gundersen
Lutheran, came to her position by way of her first love, patient care.
She worked as a radiology technologist for 21 years at Tri-County
Memorial Hospital in Whitehall, Wis., before switching to the
administrative side.
The decision to switch to an administrative job wasn’t an easy one,
Olson says, and while she no longer provides direct patient care, she
says people remain the best part of her job.
“My role now is to serve people that provide care to our patients,”
Olson says. “Every day involves decision making, collaboration,
integrity and customer service, all involving others and their
perspectives. All of these roll into a very fast-paced, challenging and
energizing day, leaving me feeling glad I have the opportunity to do
what I do.”
Olson sees her job impact patients because it is her responsibility
to make sure the imaging department is running smoothly so patients
can receive their care.
Olson does this at her home office based in La Crosse, and also
throughout the tri-state region. She travels several days a week to
regional clinics that Gundersen Lutheran provides imaging services
for throughout a 19-county area in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. She
is also the contact for seven area hospitals where Gundersen Lutheran
provides imaging interpretation services.
“Basically, I spend a lot of time on the computer, on my phone and
in the car,” Olson says.
www.crwmagazine.com OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2011 17