Take me to Alaska Regional Hospital: They nourish the body with kind, quality care
In the simplest terms possible, Susie Von Willer Linford serves food — an essential element of life. But as owners of Alaska Coastal Catering, Susi and her husband Chris, provide more than just fuel for the body. Through their culinary creations, they provide an engaging experience. In addition to being nutritious and delicious, their edible masterpieces are known for being bold, bright and beautiful.
Interestingly, Susie says her work has a lot in common with the services at Alaska Regional Hospital. In the simplest terms possible, Alaska Regional provides healthcare — an essential element for life. But the hospital teams take healthcare to a whole new level by providing an engaging experience for patients. In addition to cultivating a healing environment, the hospital’s teams are known for ensuring kindness, quality and cleanliness.
A recipe for loyalty: Including the whole family in healthcare decisions
Susie’s loyalty to Alaska Regional Hospital’s care became fierce on a spooky Halloween night in 2020. That’s when she tripped and face-planted on the cement in the driveway to her home. As her body entered a state of shock, her husband drove her to a nearby hospital.
“I had filleted my chin open and knocked myself out. With my head injury, I wasn’t tracking so well, but due to COVID protocols, that hospital would not allow my husband to go inside with me. I needed him! He was my advocate. So, we left that hospital and drove to Alaska Regional’s Emergency Room. There, we walked right in and were seen right away. They welcomed us and responded with such care and respect; it was excellent. From then on, I’ve told everybody that we recommend Alaska Regional Hospital,” Susie said.
Catering a healing environment based on trust, kindness and quality care
Two years after the Halloween incident, Susie needed medical care again. As a former police officer, avid exerciser and a busy high-end caterer, Susie has always kept her body in action. In the past she benefited from two total hip replacement surgeries; now her left knee rubbed bone onto bone.
“It was a lifestyle-hindering situation because of my occupation,” Susie said. “Thank goodness I have a supportive husband who is willing to lift me up (literally lifting me from chairs and such). With all the cartilage gone in my knee, I knew I just had to get it done — and I knew where to have it done, too.”
Susie called the Orthopedic and Spine Center at Alaska Regional Hospital. She appreciated the thorough education and instructions Donna Koecher, the patient navigator, gave; and she felt great trust in the extensive experience of Dr. Steve Tower, orthopedic surgeon.
“I was confident with the care before I even went in,” Susie said.
Her surgery went smoothly. The orthopedic team removed her damaged cartilage and bone, and then they positioned new implants to restore full knee function. After the procedure, Susie spent the night at Alaska Regional Hospital under the watchful eye of skilled nurses.
“The nursing staff were wonderful. They communicated with each other and genuinely cared. They seemed to know just when to check in on me. I’ve been in other hospitals where I could feel the stress of staff not liking each other. At Alaska Regional, they showed kindness toward one another and their patients. Plus, the rooms are clean (which is very important to me), and I had a full view of the mountains,” Susie said. “From those interactions, I learned that when you’re comfortable in a hospital environment and you get to know and trust the personnel, it makes a big difference!”
Key ingredients to a hospital setting: Listening, caring and cleanliness
While a total knee replacement takes months to recover from, it’s difficult to slow Susie down. Just a couple weeks after returning home from total knee replacement surgery, Susie led a catering event feeding 800 people. That said, Susie’s still walking the road to recovery.
“Total knee replacement surgery is a more intricate surgery than total hip replacement; and even though I have a high tolerance for pain, I wasn’t expecting this,” Susie said. “It’s getting better every day, and I’m still in touch with Dr. Towers and the team. They genuinely listen — which is nice.”
Susie said she’s grateful for each person who helped care for her at Alaska Regional Hospital, and pointed out that they demonstrated three crucial ingredients to quality healthcare:
“The recipe for success in a hospital setting involves listening to the patient, really caring and cleanliness,” Susie said. “That’s what Alaska Regional Hospital delivered, and that’s why I say, ‘Take me to Alaska Regional Hospital.”