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“Mom, one day I am going to work there,” said the teenaged Lisa Austin as she pointed out the window at Good Samaritan Hospital while driving through Mt. Vernon, Il. As early as 5 years old, Lisa can remember being passionate about caring for the sick. For her, health care was more than a career; it was her way of glorifying the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. “When Jesus walked this earth a big part of his ministry, outside of speaking a healing word, was to be present with the sick. Working in health care allows me to connect directly to His healing mission,” said Austin.

Lisa started her career with SSM Health Illinois in the summer of 1993 as a home care field nurse. She was eventually promoted to house supervisor of the home care department and later became the SSM Health Hospice department manager. “Hospice is a sacred department because the next step for the patient is getting ready for eternity. Being able to help guide families through that process was a great honor. I would tell my patients, ‘We’re all on the same road in life. Think of us as taking you by the hand right now. When it is your time- you will let go,” said Austin as she reflected on her time with Hospice. She remained the manager of SSM Health Hospice in Illinois for 16 years.

One fateful day, Mike Warren, the past president of SSM Health Illinois, went to Lisa and showed her the description for a new Patient Ambassador role coming to the Southern Illinois health ministries. Reluctant to leave hospice care, Lisa’s first reaction was to remain in the role she loved and respectfully declined. The president at the time encouraged Lisa to go home and think it over before making a final decision.

That night, Lisa received a phone call from her daughter who was transitioning into law school from her undergraduate program. After the conversation, Lisa realized she would need extra provisions to help support her daughter through school. Unable to figure out how she would come up with the extra money for her daughter’s education, Lisa turned to God asking and trusting Him to make a way for her family.

The next day, Lisa went to work following up on the job description she had been presented with previously. She was astounded to see the salary increase that came along with the Patient Ambassador position was the exact amount needed to support her daughter through law school. “It was a God thing that happened! The amount I needed was not an even whole number, it was an odd number. I was offered the exact amount my daughter quoted me the night before this meeting.” said Lisa. Seeing this as something more than just a coincidence or an opportunity for a salary increase. Lisa took this as a sign to follow the path God put before her and accepted the Patient Ambassador position.

After years of working to better understand and improve the quality of patient’s interactions with our health care ministries, the role later morphed into what is known today as “Patient Experience.” Motivated by connecting and serving our patients Lisa trailblazed a new committee within the SSM Health System known as the Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC). This committee is made up of a diverse group of volunteers who have expertise in the medical field. Together, this committee works with Patient Experience to address the concerns of patients and their families while helping providers connect and build better relationships with their patients.

As Lisa reflected on her career with SSM Health, she revealed how much the organization’s mission impacted her tenure with the health care ministry. “The SSM Health mission allowed me to live out the purpose God put in my heart. This organization allowed me to live out my faith when working with patients and encouraged it! Our leaders encouraged us to pray with the families and speak to them about God. I am not Catholic, but they allowed me to express my faith and be who I was no matter my denomination.”

Over the stent of Lisa’s 31 years with SSM Health, she learned the importance of keeping the patient at the center of health care and living the SSM Health mission. Lisa insisted, “Don’t just talk about the SSM Health mission, live it. We make two promises to our patients. 1. We promise to provide exceptional health care. 2. We promise to reveal God’s healing presence. Everything else we need will follow as a result after we fulfill those promises. In Matthew 6:33, the Bible says, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Reflecting on her career with SSM Health, Lisa shared expressions of gratitude and wisdom. “The beautiful part of looking back over my career and my life is seeing how God has weaved everything together, including my mistakes, to work together for His glory and His plan,” said Austin in her final comments as she departed from SSM Health as a retiree.

About SSM Health Illinois
SSM Health Illinois is a Catholic, not-for-profit health system serving the comprehensive health needs of communities across southern Illinois through a robust and fully integrated health care delivery system. The organization’s 1,000 team members and more than 100 providers are committed to providing exceptional health care services and revealing God’s healing presence to everyone they serve.

With care delivery sites in Benton, Centralia, Mt. Vernon, Nashville, and Salem, SSM Health Illinois includes 2 hospitals, more than 43 physician offices and other outpatient and virtual care services, comprehensive home care and hospice services, and an intensive outpatient adult behavioral health program. It is one of the largest employers in every community it serves. For more information, visit ssmhealth.com or find us on Facebook.