Experts
Susie Almon
Regional Director of Clinical Services
In May, Susie celebrated her 18th anniversary with Aegis
Therapies, where she’s made an indelible contribution to the
company. At Aegis she’s held several positions including
rehabilitation clinical consultant, regional director of clinical
rehab services and corporate director of speech-language pathology
clinical services. Currently, Susie is Regional Director of
Clinical Services for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland,
Washington DC, Kentucky and West Virginia.
Her primary responsibility is providing clinical direction in
speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and physical
therapy within multiple skilled-nursing facilities throughout her
six-state region. Among her other duties, Susie is involved with
training and developing clinical programs at Aegis that include
dementia management. Additionally, rehabilitation managers in
her region depend on Susie for helping them assess the quality of
their clinical programs through outcomes measurement and quality
audits.
“The best part of my job is interacting with a dynamic team and
partnering with our customers to find effective ways to implement
clinical initiatives,” explains Susie. “I also enjoy developing
training programs and having an opportunity to share that
information with Aegis facility staff.”
Susie believes that the key to providing great health care service
is to listen and understand a patient’s needs before acting. “By
taking the time to understand the issue, we can determine the best
approach. It sometimes takes a while longer to develop a plan
that addresses all (or most) of the needs,” explains Susie. She
also believes that therapists have to be perceptive to what others
are expressing, whether the message is being conveyed verbally or
nonverbally.
One of her most memorable patients was when she was a
speech-language pathologist and working with a resident who had not
eaten for a number of years due to dysphagia. “Her dedication to
treatment led to her eating Thanksgiving Dinner for the first time
in years,” explains Susie. “And she was a delight to work
with.”
Susie believes that because Aegis Therapies has grown through the
years in response to changes in the healthcare system and changes
in customer needs, it has offered her an abundance of career
opportunities allowing her to explore many interests, learn new
things, and move into a regional position. “I appreciate
having access to vast resources and being able to network with the
knowledgeable teams within Aegis,” says Susie. “The company’s
willingness to consider new clinical products has increased the
possibilities for utilizing new methods of service delivery and
cutting edge technology.”
Susie believes, like many in the industry, that because Aegis is
committed to clinical excellence its clinical products and training
set the company apart from its competitors.