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The Monthly Review spotlights a different URACer each month in a Q&A. This month it's Heidy Davis, one of URAC's Pharmacy Accreditation Reviewers.
TMR: When did you start at URAC and what brought you here?
Heidy: I started at URAC a little over a year ago, and what brought me here is that it had been on my list of "Gotta check their job posting" since I moved to DC. I’ve wanted to have a role in accreditation since the first survey I experienced 25 years ago.
TMR: What were you doing before you came to URAC?
Heidy: Before I was hired here I was working in medical information. I enjoyed the job because it offered me the opportunity to provide education and support to clinicians as well as consumers and their caregivers. Prior to that most of my experience was in home infusion. It’s an incredibly rewarding field to work in, as you admit so many patients to service who never knew home infusion existed until they’re being sent home with orders and some type of IV access. They’re convinced they should still be in the hospital to finish their IV medication because, “I need a nurse to do this, I can’t do this for myself.” Over the course of their admission you work with them through education, support, and focused follow-up and you get to see so many of them go from vulnerable and afraid of the therapy, to confident advocates for their own health who are ready for discharge.
TMR: Describe yourself in three words.
Heidy: Equal opportunity enjoyer.
TMR: How do you like to spend your leisure time?
Heidy: Is there a word limit to this interview? I love hanging out on the National Mall helping people find their way and striking up conversations with different people. My wife and I are getting into the thick of our second season as community gardeners and I'm always looking to try new methods of getting things to grow. I volunteer at a local dog shelter walking dogs and socializing puppies, and I've recently joined their medical team, so I help schedule and administer vaccines as well. I like to cook, crochet, talk about DC history, and try new beers. I also announce roller derby for the DC Rollergirls and NOVA Roller Derby and was fortunate enough to be part of the announcer team for last year’s WFTDA International Championship Tournament (where Rose City from Portland, OR brought the win back to the US after defeating reigning champs Victorian from Melbourne, Australia!!)
TMR: What’s your favorite restaurant?
Heidy: How can anyone have just ONE favorite restaurant?! I'm gonna give you three: Becky's Diner in Portland, ME because I can order beer with breakfast, Veselka's in the East Village because their borscht is delicious, and their pierogi menu never disappoints, and Lost Dog Pizza around here because their pizza is some of the best I’ve had and the owners are the ones who started the shelter I volunteer at!
TMR: What do you like to watch?
Heidy: I can get sucked into just about anything. Favorite movies in no particular order: The Big Chill, Strange Brew, and all the Star Wars movies that don't have Jar Jar Binks in them. For TV shows, it's SNL, Designing Women, Killing Eve, and the original Star Trek series.
TMR: What kind of books do you like to read?
Heidy: I don’t read nearly as much as I should, but I could read The Monster at the End of this Book every day.
TMR: What's your favorite vacation spot?
Heidy: Maine, any part of it! The coast, the mountains, bigger cities, smalls towns, the 24 hour L.L.Bean store, beer...any and all of it. It's been far too long since I've been there, so I’m stoked we’re going for a few days this summer!
TMR: Are you a cat person or a dog person?
Heidy: Yes. Ask me about our cats Prudence Dotpants and King Arthur Chicken Dobby of Arlington, or about Ariel and Pippa (my two favorite dogs at the shelter). My picture features Pippa in all of her overdue for a groom fluff!
TMR: Tell us something about yourself that most people at URAC would not know about you.
Heidy: I officiate weddings, and I have two coming up this year.
