Our June 2020 Employee of the Month

“I am a hometown girl with hometown roots,” says Joanie Lymer, Patient Access Representative and Boone Hospital Center’s June Employee of the Month. Joanie’s family literally built Columbia – her grandfather, B.D. Simon, and uncle B.D. Simon Jr. constructed many local landmarks including the Memorial Union Tower, Tiger Hotel, Jesse Hall Dome, MU Nuclear Reactor and Sacred Heart Church.

It made sense, then, that Joanie’s hometown pride would lead her to work at Boone Hospital Center. Before joining Boone Hospital Center, she worked closely with Boone social workers and caregivers as she arranged home care and hospice for patients and was impressed by what she saw. She says, “I witnessed first-hand the integrity, compassion and dedication of the Boone staff who prepared patients for discharge. True concern and respect were always given to the patients, caregivers and families.”

As a Patient Access Representative, Joanie is often many patients’ first point of contact before receiving care, helping them get registered efficiently and directing them to testing areas. She says, “I consider myself a patient ally. Most patients will present with some degree of discomfort, anxiety, fear or trepidation, and I will attempt to lessen those feelings and help to put the patient at ease with a friendly smile and an upbeat attitude. It is also important to make the patient know that they are the most important person in the room by giving them 100% of my attention, which in turn lets them know that their concerns matter to us and to our hospital.”

Joanie has been impressed by the coworkers and patients she’s encountered at Boone and loves the family atmosphere at work. She says, “The mutual respect and admiration for one another gives our team the tenacious spirit required to provide the best care possible for all of our patients.”

The strong, positive impression that brought Joanie to Boone has been reciprocated. She was nominated as our next Employee of the Month by the entire GI Lab team, who wrote, “Joanie has an amazing friendly, upbeat personality and positive attitude. She greets each patient with a big smile and quickly makes them feel at home, especially when they are feeling very vulnerable and scared. She is committed to making each and every patient have an awesome experience at Boone Hospital. Customer service comes naturally to her. She is definitely a first-class representative of Boone Hospital!”

When she’s not helping patients, Joanie enjoys spending time with her husband outdoors, tending to their farm, riding horses or four-wheelers and, she adds, “enjoying God’s country.” The couple also enjoys spending time with their first grandson (and Boone Baby), Drake. Joanie says, “He brings us so much joy!”

Congratulations, Joanie!