Bariatric program says goodbye to one coordinator and hello to another

I would like to give a heartfelt thank you to Melissa Rowan for her 10 years of service at Asante and particularly to her more than four years as the bariatric program coordinator. Melissa’s last day with Asante was Feb. 12.

During her time as the bariatric program coordinator, Melissa increased multidisciplinary collaboration for bariatric surgery patients across all continua of care, including preop, peri-op and post-discharge. She also helped design and implement quality improvement projects that have resulted in shorter hospital stays and reduced opioid use in bariatric surgery patients.

Melissa is looking forward to focusing her time on raising her two sons and finding ways to use her background to help the community. It has been an honor to have Melissa as part of our team and she will be greatly missed. We wish her well on her future endeavors.

I am pleased to announce that another longtime employees, Sarah Shopp, has accepted the role of bariatric program coordinator for Asante. Sarah has been with Asante since 2006 and has served in a variety of roles. She began her career as a CNA in ARRMC Post-Surgical Unit and later transitioned to unit secretary.  In 2013, she earned her nursing degree and continued to progress her career as an RN in ARRMC’s 4T and PACU.

Sarah is passionate about the care she provides and feels a special connection to the bariatric patient population. She understands their needs and can empathize with her patients, while adding a personalized care approach. She is looking forward to the opportunity to explore a new section of the organization, growing personally and professionally, and continuing her education to become a certified bariatric nurse.

In her spare time, Sarah enjoys spending time with her daughter and fiancé. They enjoy playing disc golf, camping, hiking, swimming and being outdoors in our beautiful community.

Please join me in wishing Melissa Rowan all the best in her new endeavors and welcoming Sarah Shopp to the next chapter of her career.