Q&A with Deb Roedema, M.Ed., BSN, RN & Bobby DePasquale, MS

Tell us more about your professional background.

I have a bachelor’s degree in both psychology (Goshen College) and nursing (St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing and Millersville University), as well as a master’s degree in education (Eastern University). My nursing career includes hospital nursing primarily in cardiology, out-patient cardiology care, research nurse for clinical trials, and school nursing.

What are the key responsibilities of your role?

As a Nurse Navigator, I work with individuals to help them understand their diagnosis and treatment options, offer support with a difficult diagnosis, research physician options for a second opinion, develop questions for physician appointments, as well as join physician appointments to help ask questions, take notes, and provide a detailed summary of the visit to the client. I also work as part of the Chronic Disease Management and Prevention team to provide education to clients regarding their chronic disease. I have gone through American Lung Association training in tobacco cessation and work with clients in their journey to quit tobacco products. In addition to direct client services, I participate in the development and presentation of educational webinars.

Thinking about the topic of “Caring for the Mind” & “Stress Management”, do you have any good advice on how to best manage this?

This is going to look different for everyone but finding ways to rejuvenate yourself through a variety of activities and connecting with others can help to balance out the stresses of life. Whether it is hiking, doing a puzzle, or volunteering, the activity should be something that elevates your mood and brings you joy. For me, it’s a combination of time alone and time with family/friends, as well as both active and quiet activities. I enjoy running with friends, reading, my book club, volunteering at a food bank, traveling, and spending time with my family. Joining clubs is a great way to meet new people with similar interests. When stress is negatively impacting daily life, seeing a therapist can be a useful tool in gaining perspective and learning new coping skills.

What do you like most about ConnectCare3?

One of the aspects I appreciate is the team approach. I love being able to consult with other nurses, dietitians, health coaches, patient advocates, and wellness consultants. We each have different strengths and I love being able to tap into someone else’s knowledge and experience so that the client can be served in the best possible way. I’ve worked in many settings throughout my career, and I can say that this is one of the most positive work environments I’ve been in, where everyone works together to meet the needs of both the employer and employee.

Another aspect of ConnectCare3 that I love, is that we are able to provide a unique service that fills a void in the world of health care. Healthcare has become very complex and specialized. It can be difficult to navigate the nuances of a new diagnosis or know how to take more control of your health. CC3 is here to support and educate the individual so they can make informed decisions and take a more active role in their health care and wellness. I love being able to get to know each client and individualize services to meet their needs.

How could someone best utilize CC3’s services for help with stress management or improving their mental wellbeing?

ConnectCare3 offers guidance with lifestyle changes, including exercise and nutrition. Our health coaches partner with individuals to develop a plan that is in line with their goals and abilities. We also offer numerous articles and webinars on a variety of wellness topics such as The Power of Positivity, Mental Health Wellbeing, Stress Management, Bite Size Nutrition Tips, and The Importance of Resistance Training. Focusing on wellness is one positive way to handle stress and bolster mental health.

Tell us more about your professional background.

• • Bachelor of Science- Kinesiology- SUNY Cortland
  • Master of Science- Exercise Science- Bloomsburg University
  • 8+ years experience in corporate wellness

What are the key responsibilities of your role?

As a Senior Solutions Wellness Consultant, I work with clients at the broker, account manager, and consortium levels to identify groups ready to pursue wellness initiatives. From here we provide ongoing support to those groups and make sure they are fully aware of the clinical services available to them. We also directly collaborate with our clinical team to develop educational and marketing material on both a broad and individualized level. By identifying top claim drivers and providing recommendations to combat those; we can help the group have a more efficient self-funded experience.

Thinking about the topic of “Caring for the Mind” & “Stress Management”, do you have any good advice on how to best manage this?

A major contributor to my stress management strategy has always been exercise. I love weight lifting, Orangetheory workouts to get my cardio in, yoga, and meditation. I find that staying on top of these exercise priorities sets me up to eat healthier and sleep better which have also been proven to contribute to stress management.

What do you like most about ConnectCare3?

From day one everyone has been extremely welcoming. I love the collaborative approach we take as a team to help provide our clients with the best service possible. It feels good to make employer groups aware of all that is available to them and be able to contribute to their overall wellbeing. The icing on the cake is hearing testimonials of how life-changing our services have been for some people which makes the work we do feel even more fulfilling!

How could someone best utilize CC3’s services for help with stress management or improving their mental wellbeing?

We have a variety of different webinars, articles, and quizzes available on our website that focus on stress management and mental well-being. These can be great tools to help educate on the topics but should never be used to replace clinical help if you think you need it.