Not skipping a beat: Intermountain Health physician and patient partner in health for cardiology care
As caregivers, we spend so much time caring for patients that it’s easy to forget we can be patients, too. Whether we work for a health system or not, patients from all walks of life deserve quality and equitable care.
Ambyr Spencer, clinical operations manager at Primary Children’s Hospital Miller Lehi Campus in Lehi, Utah, found herself in this situation in 2021. Her experience with Intermountain’s cardiology team, specifically Dr. Alberto Brizolara, reinforced the values we promote in clinical excellence and doing the right thing.
The two previously met years before when both worked at St. George Regional Hospital in St. George, Utah, and Dr. Brizolara helped identify Ambyr’s heart murmur. In December 2018, Ambyr’s brother, a pilot, was grounded because of a heart aneurysm. His thoracic surgeon mentioned to Ambyr the condition may be genetic and she should get tested just to be safe. At the time, she wasn’t worried since nothing had come up in previous exams, and she lived an active lifestyle with diet and exercise. But the more she thought about it, she decided to see Dr. Brizolara to confirm.
That’s when Dr. Brizolara confirmed she had an aneurysm, but it wasn’t serious enough to warrant surgery, though they would check in every six months to monitor its progress. In January 2021, her aneurysm grew large enough to need surgery. “Even though I work in healthcare, and I've been around it for many years, you go in that blank moment of ‘What do I do now?’”, Ambyr recalled.
Dr. Brizolara put her mind at ease by organizing her surgery, which took place in October 2021 at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah. During her postoperative care, Dr. Brizolara was with Ambyr every step of the way, including coordinating with her surgery team and making sure her sons were tested to rule out any genetic predisposition for heart aneurysms.
Ambyr still sees Dr. Brizolara once a year for echocardiograms (and an angiogram CT every three years). Even though he’s hours away, Ambyr has no problem with the distance. “I drive down because it's just a positive experience,” she said. “He'll call me and make sure that I'm good. He will always contact me to let me know if everything's OK and things are good. If it's not, he'll contact me.”
But more than her medical treatment, she’s bonded with Dr. Brizolara on a human level. “He knows all about my life. We share things in common with snow skiing and mountain biking. He never skips a beat; he always checks on me first as a person and then cares for me as a patient. He became a friend over the years. Plus, I have the confidence that he's giving me good care.” Most importantly, Ambyr felt she was part of her own treatment. “He included me in my care. It's that moment when somebody allows you to be present in your own care and doesn’t make you feel like you're asking [silly] questions. It brings you a different level of comfort when it comes to a doctor like that.”
"It's that moment when somebody allows you to be present in your own care and doesn’t make you feel like you're asking [silly] questions. It brings you a different level of comfort when it comes to a doctor like that.” - Ambyr Spencer
For Dr. Brizolara, while he values his friendship with Ambyr, he treats every patient like they are his friend or family. “Every person is a person and deserves to be treated that way," he said. These ideals were imprinted on him by a mother who’s a physician; he was motivated to find a career where he could interact with people. He also experienced this humanity growing up in South America, witnessing communities struggling with poverty, saying, “You learn to be sympathetic with people.”
“Every person is a person and deserves to be treated that way," - Dr. Alberto Brizolara
But Dr. Brizolara doesn’t pretend his ability to connect with patients is extraordinary; it is about compassion and a responsibility to provide excellent care. “I don't feel that I have any superior power,” he said. “I tell [patients] I'm here to advise you. I'm here to coach you. I'm not here to demand you to do anything.” He cites being able to read visual and non-verbal cues with patients; listening to them; and knowing how to involve them in their treatment with dignity. “It’s their health, it’s their life,” he said. “You have to be the most sympathetic, empathetic, and respectful that you can be.”
Although Ambyr doesn’t have to see Dr. Brizolara nearly as often as before, they still enjoy their time reconnecting. Moreover, she was inspired by Dr. Brizolara making her feel like she could participate more in her care, and she applies this knowledge in her daily work. “I really feel like because I got to be so involved the way that I did is why it went so well and so successful,” she said. “It's why I do what I do, to give the patient a voice and know that it's OK to speak up, because if you speak up about your care, you're going to have a better experience. I think that's the most important part.”