Patient experience spotlight: Brian Green-Tuttle

Brian Green-Tuttle

Every month, Akron Children’s recognizes an employee for providing an exceptional patient experience. April’s honoree is Financial Counselor Brian Green-Tuttle, who recently received this feedback from a grateful family:

“My son had major spinal surgery, and we received help from a nonprofit to pay for our portion. Brian was instrumental in getting that payment secured. He even took it a step further and found assistance through another source to help us pay for our remaining bills.” 

How long have you worked at Akron Children’s?

I’ve been with Akron Children’s for a total of 16 years – with the past 11 years in the Financial Counseling department.

What are the some of your responsibilities as a financial counselor?

I discuss financial assistance opportunities and other beneficial options with families who are concerned about their medical bills; process financial assistance applications; and generate price estimates. If it’s convenient for the family, I can meet with them face-to-face on the Akron campus – or we can talk on the phone. 

How did you feel upon reading this great feedback from the patient family you helped?

I feel quite humbled. I was just doing my job and still feel undeserving of such recognition. This instance has touched my heart. It made me happy to hear proof that we financial counselors and Akron Children’s are changing lives with our everyday actions.

How do you build a good rapport and trust with patient families?

It’s important to listen and be empathetic. Akron Children’s clinical staff members have already helped the patient to get well and feel better – and the Financial Counseling department continues that excellent care by allowing counselors to assist the parent(s).

Sometimes we financial counselors are the only ones a parent may open up to, speaking about their worry and frustration regarding medical debt. Akron Children’s allows the financial counseling team to simply be human. We help our patient families by emulating our three organizational promises – to treat every child as we would our own; to treat others as they would like to be treated; and to turn no child away – with every interaction.

What does family-centered care mean to you?

Family-centered care means putting the needs of a family above all else, doing everything possible to provide the utmost level of aid to them.

What do you like best about working at Akron Children’s?

I enjoy processing financial assistance applications. A family may choose to have Akron Children’s care for their child, but no one wants a medical bill. Much of America is struggling financially – and Akron Children’s has developed several programs to help counteract that stressor for lower- and middle-income families. With a little know-how and math, we financial counselors have the opportunity to provide relief and hope to families in need. I love my job!

You’re not just an Akron Children’s employee – but you’re a former patient. What were the situations?

I was born prematurely at Akron General on Dec. 29 instead of my due date of Valentine’s Day. I spent time at Akron Children’s until I reached a certain weight. When I was 2 1/2 years old, my parents noticed I was having trouble hearing. Ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists at Akron Children’s determined my ear canals were underdeveloped, deformed and closed. From 1983 to 1991, Akron Children’s doctors performed several surgeries to place tubes in my ears to open the canals and allow me to be able to hear. From 1986 to 1990, I worked with Akron Children’s Audiology and took speech therapy through my school to counteract the resulting speech impediment caused by my hearing loss.

Your dad and brother also received care at Akron Children’s. What happened with them?

My dad, Kevin Tuttle, had second-degree burns on both arms after a company truck he was working on caught fire. He received inpatient care for several weeks at Akron Children’s. Were it not for the burn, occupational therapy and physical therapy teams, Dad may have lost his hands. He’s doing great today at 70 years young – retired, active and happy. 

My brother, Bill Tuttle, was born with syndactyly – or webbed fingers – that affected his middle and ring fingers on both hands. He underwent surgery at Akron Children’s in 1984 to split the conjoined fingers, harvest skin from his hips and graft it to his hands. He was in elbow-length casts for several months, and we nicknamed him Bamm-Bamm for clunking his casts together to get attention. Today, he has full use of all his fingers due to the Akron Children’s team.

With your family history of receiving care at Akron Children’s, it’s cool that you ended up working here.

We Tuttles have been quite fortunate with Akron Children’s being in our backyard! When I had my ear surgeries, I remember everyone smiling and being kind. When I visited for Audiology, I received encouragement and the confidence to speak more at school. I’m not a clinical caregiver in my role at Akron Children’s, but I want to provide that same level of support for the families I serve.