Priyal Raj is the new Administrative Resident at the Visiting Nurse Association of Greater St. Louis (VNA), whose interest in learning new skills and perspectives in medicine fuels her commitment to making a difference in the lives of VNA patients.
Priyal’s Background and Story
Originally from Pune, India, Priyal practiced medicine there for three years before moving to the United States to pursue a Masters in Healthcare Administration from Saint Louis University. This decision was spurred by her interest in learning about the administrative side of medicine after experiencing inefficiencies while working in an emergency room.
“There was a gap between [the medical staff] and the administrative team, and I thought that maybe as an admin I could help bridge that,” says Priyal.
When she was ready to re-enter the workforce after receiving her Masters, VNA provided a unique opportunity.
“I knew Nesa [Joseph, VNA President and CEO,] from before I was hired, but I didn’t know who VNA was or what they stood for,” says Priyal. “When I was applying for jobs after graduation, I reached out to Nesa for a volunteer position. They called me saying they were looking to take on an administrative resident. It was the type of opportunity I was looking for because it would mean getting to work across disciplines and all the different parts of VNA.”
Priyal’s Responsibilities as an Administrative Resident
Priyal’s responsibilities as an Administrative Resident span all of VNA’s service areas, from Advanced Illness Management to Hospice Care and more, helping out all facets of VNA as needed. Recently, she has been working with flu vaccination clinics, which were in full swing during the month of October. This meant helping Tonya Stacy, Director of Vaccination & Wellness Services, with the vaccine database, scheduling, client communications and billing.
“I don’t have a lot of experience in finance, and that’s something I’m interested in, so I’ve approached them about budgeting and wanting to be looped in on that process,” says Priyal. “I’m also working on a couple of projects for Nesa that involve strategy, analysis and research, and I really love that.”
Hopes and Goals for the Future as an Administrative Resident
“I’m looking forward to having this experience because I’ve worked so much on the clinical side but not much on the admin side,” says Priyal. “There’s so much behind the curtains that I hadn’t thought of. It’s great having the opportunity to connect the dots to how what happens behind the scenes impacts getting patients the care they need.”
“Every interaction I have, I’m learning something new. I want to gain as much knowledge as possible and be in a position where I can pass it on to someone else and make a difference in the community.”
VNA is grateful for Priyal’s curiosity, commitment and willingness to serve the community through her work behind the scenes.
For more staff profiles and helpful resources, visit: https://www.vnastl.com/blog
