Healthcare isn’t just about medicine. It’s about connection. At ChenMed, we know that great care depends on trust, understanding, and communication. For our patients—many of whom face language barriers, cultural differences, or even a hesitation to seek help—those connections can make all the difference.

That’s why, during Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re reflecting on the ways our teammates show up as bridge-builders: connecting patients to care, connecting colleagues to support, and connecting communities to resources that help them thrive. This year, we’re proud to celebrate Catherine Suriel, Elena Criollo, Siulen Martinez, and Yenni Lerma-Ramos, whose love, accountability, and passion transform challenges into opportunities for care.

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Why Communication Matters in Care

For seniors managing multiple chronic conditions, navigating the healthcare system can feel overwhelming. Appointments pile up, forms need to be filled out, and unfamiliar technology adds an extra layer of stress. Add in language barriers or cultural differences, and the risk of patients disengaging grows.

But when someone takes the time to listen, explain, or step in with a smile, patients feel valued—and trust begins to grow. That trust leads to better engagement, which leads to better outcomes. At ChenMed, we’ve seen how powerful that can be through the everyday actions of our team members.

Everyday Heroes of Connection

Communication takes many forms. Sometimes it’s stepping in to help a colleague. Sometimes it’s translating on the fly. And sometimes it’s showing up on a patient’s doorstep when nothing else seems to work.

For Catherine Suriel, Lead Service Team Coordinator at our main ChenMed Campus, it often looks like encouragement in action. “I received a call from a hospital where they wanted me to look into a list of several patients,” remembered her colleague, Tiffany Tonkins. “She saw I was on a long call helping them and kindly took the call to look up the rest of the accounts so I wouldn’t continue being on a long call.”

That’s Catherine in a nutshell: always motivating, always uplifting. “She keeps us motivated by sharing quotes and provides tips and feedback to help us succeed,” Tiffany added. Catherine reminds us that great care starts with great teamwork—and patients benefit when colleagues look out for each other.

Leadership Under Pressure

Sometimes, connection is tested under fire. In Louisville, Front Desk Supervisor Elena Criollo has shown what it means to lead with both heart and strength.

“Elena faced difficult challenges, such as managing unassigned patients and handling complaints, yet she always approached every situation with compassion and determination,” shared Care Facilitator Samantha Smythers. “Despite being with the company for a shorter time than I have, Elena has stepped into a leadership role with love, passion, and accountability, quickly becoming an example for our entire team.”

Earlier this year, Elena’s center navigated a season of extraordinary complexity, with patients needing to be reassigned, rescheduled, and supported through changes in their care. Elena kept everything moving forward, ensuring patients received the attention they deserved while also making time for members of the Hispanic community who needed extra help with paperwork.

Her bilingual skills made a big difference, too. “Sometimes when our co-workers don’t know the words to certain Spanish phrases, she jumps right in to help, and usually with a smile that makes the situation lighter,” Samantha said. “Honestly, if multitasking and translating were an Olympic sport, Elena would already have a gold medal.”

Elena shows that communication isn’t just about words—it’s about leadership that builds trust, even in the toughest circumstances.

Hidden Talents, Visible Impact

In Metairie, Louisiana, Lead Care Promoter Siulen Martinez has become a bridge across multiple communities. She’s bilingual, helping Spanish-speaking patients feel at home, but she’s also taught herself American Sign Language (ASL) to serve our deaf patients.

“There was a day in which one of our deaf patients came in and couldn’t communicate with the front desk,” recalled Care Facilitator Alexandra Rodriguez. “The interpreter was running late, and I was struggling to understand the patient’s needs. Siulen circled back after rooming a patient and stepped in. Little did we know that one of her many hidden talents is ASL. She was an excellent pillar in that moment.”

That moment turned potential frustration into connection. As Alexandra put it, “She was eager to help and shared some of her knowledge with me, resulting in the patient’s needs being met.”

For Siulen, communication is more than a skill—it’s a way to demonstrate love and accountability in action.

Meeting Patients Where They Are

Sometimes the biggest barrier isn’t language, it’s trust. For Yenni Lerma-Ramos, Center Clinical Manager in Houston, breaking down that barrier meant driving to a patient’s home herself.

“She told the patient she would be at their home in less than 10 minutes,” remembered her colleague, Laura Belden. “Finally, we met the patient at her door, and Yenni sat outside with the patient to talk to her while waiting for the provider to connect. The time she spent getting to know her and building trust made an impact. The patient and their spouse became re-engaged with their care.”

For Yenni, leadership isn’t about titles. It’s about showing up with empathy, persistence, and love until patients feel safe enough to re-engage.

The Spirit of Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month honors the resilience, creativity, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans throughout history. In healthcare, those contributions are profound: from Nobel Prize winners like Dr. Severo Ochoa to bilingual clinicians who expand access to care today.

At ChenMed, that legacy lives in Catherine, Elena, Siulen, and Yenni. They embody resilience when navigating challenges, creativity when finding ways to connect, and love when ensuring no patient feels excluded.

As Samantha said of Elena, her words echo true for all four honorees: “Her journey reflects the spirit of Hispanic Heritage Month: resilience, love for community, and passion to make a difference.”

Their stories remind us that healthcare is about more than charts and checklists; it’s about people.

If you’re looking for a career where connection is at the heart of care, join us. Together, we’re breaking barriers, building trust, and changing lives.

We are currently hiring for the following roles in the communities we serve. Click below to explore our immediate openings or visit Chenmed.com/careers.

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