Employee Spotlight - Valerie Assey, Employee of the Quarter for Q2 FY20

Employee Spotlight: Valerie Assey

Today, we recognize Valerie Assey, nurse administrator, Division of Infectious Diseases. She has been noted by her colleagues as an invaluable and irreplaceable member of the MUSC Ryan White care team who has been instrumental in enhancing patient services, including medical case management, outreach, psychiatry, and emergency financial assistance. She is known for her strong work ethic, leadership, and compassion, and is noted as a strong advocate for her patients and staff. We are proud to have Valerie as part of our team!

Compassionate about our patient needs

"Mrs. Assey has worked in infectious disease for over 20 years. She is very compassionate about our patient needs. She provides the patient with services that help the patient to feel that their health and wellbeing is important. She will go to length to help us whenever a problem arises. I feel that she deserves to be recognize for her service."   - Marie Ladson

An instrumental part of the Ryan White grant

"I would like to nominate Valerie Assey for the Employee of the Quarter for the following reasons: she has been an instrumental part of the Ryan White Grant from day one. She was one of a few individuals in the community that wrote for the original Ryan White Grant that was awarded and started our program here at MUSC in 1981 for HIV positives individuals. With all of the changes to the grant over the years regarding the amount awarded, she has maintained that our patients care came first whether medical care, medications or even housing. She acquired 340B funding which has supplemented our grant funding to allow our patients to receive the same care when the grant funding was reduced or ran out before the grant year, which is almost every year. She is not afraid to say “No” to the difficult questions if it does not fall within the scope of the grant. Our patients or division could not ask for a stronger advocate. It is an honor to work with Valerie every day."
-Chris Skope

A pillar of guidance and support

"Valerie Assey has been an asset to the Infectious Diseases (ID) division patients and providers since 1991. As evidenced by her vast knowledge of Ryan White operations, grant requirements and DHEC concerns, Valerie has been a pillar of guidance and support to every member of our ID team. When I first arrived as faculty in August 2017, Valerie was quick to provide me with valuable insight into the Ryan White and 340B programs as well as clinic operations. Although not specifically a part of her job description, Valerie is always super helpful with new faculty and staff orientation, as she finds it to be essential to our team functioning smoothly if all faculty and staff are well versed regarding the Ryan White grant and 340B policies. Valerie also diligently staffs the clinic with the most appropriate people; she attentively hires and trains such amazing staff members. She also goes above and beyond when helping patients. She has established an outstanding dental referral system that allows patients living with HIV to have dental care close to where they live. Without her networking abilities and hard work, I don't think the dental referrals would be where they are. Valerie was at the forefront of innovation in the early 90s when others turned their backs to patients living with HIV; since then she has been an invaluable and irreplaceable member of the MUSC Ryan White care team. Faculty, staff and patients benefit from her expertise and diligence. She is very deserving of employee of the quarter."  - Stephanie Kirk, PharmD

Goes above and beyond every day

"There is no employee that I know who deserves this recognition more. Valerie puts her heart and soul into everything she does for our patients, clinic and employees. I have observed her reassuring countless numbers of patients with HIV that everything was going to be ok with our amazing team of doctors and staff to help them. She works endless hours making sure our Ryan White Grant is written and correct. Because of this our clinic is able to help so many living with HIV. She has dedicated her life to this and goes above and beyond everyday (even during hurricanes and flooding)! :-) MUSC is very lucky to have such a spectacular individual amongst us and she certainly should be recognized as Employee of the Quarter for this."  -Laura Grimball

One of the heroes of this work

"Valerie Assey has been working with the patients we serve since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS Crisis. During many of those years prior to 1996 when we did not yet have HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy), having a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS was almost a certain death sentence. These were heart-breaking times. Valerie was a sure and steady provider of compassionate care to patients at the time, as she is to our patients today. Our patients now have a much better prognosis. They can live life without sickness. They can have a normal lifespan. These are giant steps in our field, and Valerie Assey is one of the heroes of this work and in this field. Valerie often has unique perspectives on the world, and she will tell you about them - if asked. Moreover, she will not shy away from conflict! She has an amazing work ethic, and she makes herself available to her employees and to patients without delay. These are just some of her personal qualities that I have seen in her work. I have grown in many ways from working with her as a supervisor. As an aside, she also has a great sense of humor and a great laugh. This is sometimes exactly what is needed in this difficult work. It has been an honor to work with Valerie for over 10 years now. I am surprised she has not received this honor in the past. I therefore enthusiastically nominate her, and I hope she will be the recipient of this honor."  - Linda Scott

A role model

"If I would have known that my boss, Valerie Assey, was eligible for the Employer of the Quarter award, I would have nominated her over ten years ago. I have a long history of knowing Valerie and she has accomplished a lot for the employees that she supervises and especially for our patients. Around 27 years ago, I met Valerie as a contact person for HIV patients needing medical care at my job at the health department. Valerie was basically running the clinic with very few staff or people who were very sick. Valerie was efficient and organized in getting patients into treatment and she is often our initial point of contact for new patients today. A lot has change in HIV care and Valerie has evolved the clinic to meet the changing needs of our patients. Because of her long history of working with HIV patients, she is an abundance of knowledge to address new patients' concerns and questions. Valerie champions our Ryan White Grant and is essential in keeping our clinic going by putting data and clinic details in place so we secure competitive Ryan White funds. The list is much too long for me to say all that Valerie has done for our clinic but the few that have had the biggest impact on our patients are expanding our social work staff, beginning case management services for our patients, starting outreach services to find patients lost to care, assisting in the development of a 340 B program to assist with patients getting their medications, ensuring that newly diagnosed patients are seen within days, rather than weeks, in clinic and working with our uninsured patients to have insurance provided to them. These services have allowed to treat the whole patient and address their various needs in a systematic approach. As a boss, Valerie entrusts us to our work independently but she will also quickly jump in and assist in any way that she can. She is very loyal to our Ryan White program and works hard as a role model for all of us to follow with her enthusiasm. I can't imagine a more loyal MUSC employee than Valerie Assey."  - Norma Lynn Higgins

Compassionate patient advocate

"The first time I met Valerie was my first interview. She told me about being a nursing student and feeling compelled to help HIV and AIDS patients, particularly because no one else wanted to help them. She went on to talk about the growth and development of this clinic and the Ryan White Program. Her compassion and leadership were evident and struck a chord with me. I remember my now husband asking me about the interview. I told him my potential boss, Valerie, was fierce - meaning it with upmost respect. My reverence for Valerie has only grown. She is an advocate for our patients and her staff. She goes to bat for what she believes and stands with conviction. Valerie's commitment to the program has enhanced the services available to our patients; including medical case management, outreach, psychiatry, and emergency financial assistance. She serves as an educator to patients, staff and the community. Her leadership raises the bar. I nominate Valerie Assey for the Employee of the Quarter."  - Michelle Kubat