Emily Waters of La Porte Hospital Finds Meaning and Pride in Bringing Accessible Healthcare to the Community

Emily Waters of La Porte Hospital Finds Meaning and Pride in Bringing Accessible Healthcare to the Community

In the healthcare industry, it isn’t just anyone who can find their place and not only survive, but thrive and excel at what they do. One such person is Emily Waters, Director of Primary Care in the La Porte Physician Network, who was recently named Non-Clinical Manager of the Year.

As part of her extensive responsibilities, Waters oversees more than 15 primary care, urgent care, internal medicine, dental, pediatric, and obstetrics/gynecology offices in the three counties served by the network. Not just sitting behind a desk, but taking a hands-on approach, Waters has earned the respect of colleagues around her.

Waters has also taken a leadership role in the Network’s electronic medical records conversion, both from a registration and clinical perspective. Among her most significant responsibilities are managing projects to help the community have better access to physicians and providers in their communities.

Starting at La Porte Hospital six years ago as their Patient Access Director, Waters loves her current position.

“It was what I did before coming to La Porte Hospital, so it was a natural fit,” said Waters. “My job is a little crazy, but I think what motivates me is, between the projects and opportunities I have, it motivates me to help the physicians and staff feel good about their work,” said Waters.

Part of that work is the completion of new clinical offices for physicians within the La Porte Physician Network.

“I’ve worked on getting a building completed for one of the physicians in North Judson,” said Waters of a more recent project. “Putting together a project like that with the architects, contractors, and bringing two physicians’ offices together in the community into one bright new building is rewarding.”

This enthusiasm for bettering the community, and ease of access to the Network’s quality healthcare and physicians, is part of what drives Waters to go above and beyond in her position.

“That’s what I love to do; see projects completed. This new building [in North Judson] is something they could be proud of, one of the doctors has been there 30 or more years, the other doctor two or three, and it’s a beautiful building they and the community are proud of. It’s great,” said Waters.

The lifelong Northwest Indiana resident is not only active on the job, but also enjoys running, having competed in the Chicago Marathon last year, and likes to be out on the lake kayaking, as well as biking, and enjoying time with her son.

As for when she received the award itself, apparently Waters was none the wiser about the possibility of winning such an honor.

“I had no idea at all,” laughed Waters. “It was a surprise! I would never have imagined it, my bosses just said, ‘You have to get down here.’ I’ve always been in the crowd and helping to bring people to these events, I didn’t think anything of it. They also snuck my son and parents in, it was really nice.”

Working hard on the coordination of projects, working out contracts for physicians, coordination of everyday operations in the clinics, onboarding physicians, and more, Waters was proud to have received recognition for the high-level strategic planning she does for the Network. Still, she stresses that it is a group effort that makes this herculean task possible.

“I was happy and proud. I feel like I’ve worked very hard in the last year and grown in the position, but I couldn’t have done it by myself, though. It’s a team effort, all the way from the CEO to housekeeping,” said Waters.