Staff
Bios
Dr. William B. Lorentz, Jr.
Medical Director
The
Smart Starts Prenatal Program is overseen by MedCost’s Medical
Director, Dr. William B. Lorentz, Jr. Dr. Lorentz is certified by the
American Board of Pediatrics and Sub-Board of Pediatric Nephrology
and is a Professor of Pediatrics at the Bowman-Gray School of Medicine
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. A native of Glenville, West Virginia,
Dr. Lorentz earned his undergraduate degree from West Virginia University
and his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.
He completed the residency program at Harrisburg Polyclinic Hospital
in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and served as Chief Resident at University
of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He is the former Chief of Pediatrics
at the United States Naval Hospital in Quantico, Virginia, and was
a nephrology Fellow at the University of North Carolina Medical School
in Chapel Hill. Dr. Lorentz has been MedCost’s Medical Director
since 1988.
Renee
Pulliam, BSN
Manager of Utilization Review and Prenatal
Renee
Pulliam oversees the MedCost Prenatal Program. She began her career
with MedCost as a prenatal nurse in1990. Prior to that Renee was a
neonatal intensive care nurse at North Carolina Baptist Hospital.
Renee
said, “It is very easy to be passionate about this program. My
background working with premature and very sick babies motivates me
to communicate the benefits of the prenatal program, and to make it
real to the consumer. I get excited when talking about the program
with clients and sharing stories that show the big and the small things
that this program achieves. I enjoy listening to patients who want
to share their positive experiences.”
Renee
is a member of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and
Neonatal Nurses (AWOHNN) and a March of Dimes Volunteer.
When
she is not working, Renee enjoys spending time with her husband, Randy,
and their daughters, Chelsea, 14, and Hannah, 11. The four-legged family
members are a Westie named Snuggles and a rabbit named Butterscotch.
Renee also enjoys knitting, reading, and volunteering for her church.
Susan Bess, RN, BSN, ICCE, ACCE-R
Prenatal/Case Management Specialist
Susan
(“Suzy”) Bess has been a Prenatal Program nurse with MedCost
for more than 13 years. She brought a wealth of experience to MedCost,
having worked as an OB/GYN nurse, a surgical assistant, and a labor
and delivery nurse since 1975. Suzy was certified by ASPO/LAMAZE in
1977 and has practiced as an Independent Childbirth Educator teaching
Lamaze Birthing Classes for 19 years. She also has experience as a
Neonatal Clinical Nursing instructor for a School of Nursing.
Suzy
is the point of contact for the women enrolled in the Prenatal Program.
She is the patient's advocate and prenatal support nurse. Suzy does
the initial phone assessment, documenting the patient's medical and
obstetrical history under strict confidentiality. Each trimester she
reassesses each mom-to-be, providing education and answering her questions.
Program participants have unlimited access to Suzy via phone and email
throughout their pregnancy. If a woman is having a problem with her
pregnancy, Suzy provides support for her and takes on the role of triage
nurse for the doctor involved. Suzy said, “If there are complications
I become involved as Prenatal Case Manager to assist the doctor with
home health needs. If there is a miscarriage or fetal loss I follow
up with grief support and counseling.”
Suzy
said that the best part of her job is the one-on-one phone contact
with the moms-to-be and feeling that she has made a difference for
a new mother. She said she likes “being able to make them feel
comfortable” so they can talk with her about their concerns.
Suzy talks with the dads too which can be a lot of fun. She especially
enjoys “the excitement when they call about the delivery and
tell about their babies.” Suzy loves her work and is very proud
of the Prenatal Program.
Suzy
is a lifetime member of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric
and Neonatal Nurses (AWOHNN) and is a certified LAMAZE instructor.
She is also a certified childbirth educator with ICEA. With this special
training, Suzy is well equipped to educate program participants about
pregnancy, labor, birth, newborn care, and parenthood.
Suzy’s
family consists of her husband, Richard, their married 27 year-old
daughter, Lauren, 23 year-old Alicia, a graduate student, and her
two Pomeranian "babies," Peanut & Sasha.
When
she has time to relax, Suzy likes to spend time with her family at
their lake house. She also enjoys smocking, sewing, embroidery, scrapbooking,
and cookouts with her friends and family.
Patrenia
Johnson
Prenatal Administrative Assistant
Patrenia
Johnson has been the Prenatal Program’s administrative assistant
for 5½ years. Patrenia enjoys her role because, she said, “I
always knew I wanted to work in a field helping people, be it face-to-face
or over the phone.”
Patrenia’s
many responsibilities include introducing women to the program by explaining
its benefits and goals to them. She said, “I encourage them to
enroll in the first trimester and explain how the calls will be made
each trimester. I give them the name of the Prenatal Nurse, Suzy Bess,
along with her credentials and experience and I explain how to contact
us with questions or for information. I send all the correspondence
to the patients, the physicians, and to claim administrators, including
all participation and termination letters and the informational mailings
to participants for each trimester. I cover the prenatal phone line
and monitor or triage calls for prenatal support or prenatal case management.
I also contact hospital providers or physicians for delivery status
postpartum.”
Patrenia
enjoys collecting the baby pictures sent in by program participants
after delivery. She displays them on a bulletin board in the Health
Management Department. She says the best part of her job is “talking
to the first time moms. They get so excited. After they deliver, I
can hear the babies in the background during phone calls and it brings
back memories for me.”
Patrenia
prepared for her position by taking business and computer classes.
Once on the job at MedCost she continued to build her skills by taking
classes in medical terminology, team building, communication, and professional
development.
Patrenia
is a single mom with “two wonderful and very bright boys.” Her
sons areTerrence, 13, and Jarion, 11. She says the three of them enjoy “just
spending time together and acting silly.” Patrenia and her sons
have fun playing bingo, swimming, listening to music, dancing, and
telling jokes.
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