Virginia Beach resident Marilyn Puryear describes her relationship with Optima Health.
“Optima Health was the first step in saving my life.”
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“Optima Health was the first step in saving my life,” said Marilyn Puryear, a single lung transplant recipient from Virginia Beach and Optima Health member since 2000.
When Puryear started to experience health issues, she attributed the issues to aging. Over the course of the next six months, she was diagnosed with a condition that was causing her lungs to fail and was given a prognosis of three months to live.
“Optima wanted me to go to INOVA Hospital. I think it probably was the best,” said Puryear.
In Puryear’s case, Optima Health recognized that her illness required the specialty care of a transplant hospital outside of Hampton Roads. As part of Optima Health’s Clinical Services Program, Puryear was assigned to Shelley, a case management nurse to follow her through her care of services.
“(The procedure) was pre-approved. (I was told that) anything I needed, it would happen,” she continued. “Every part of getting my transplant was taken care of. I always felt like I was a part of the team, the Optima team.”
Puryear considers Optima Health a good friend. She likes the fact that when she has a question, she calls and there is always someone to speak to that is eager to help. She likes that she doesn’t have to work through an automated system to get to a live person. Her Optima Health representative always gives her the respect that she deserves by calling her Mrs. Puryear, but talks with her like she’s just Marilyn, a really good friend.
“At Optima Health I don’t feel like it is a big corporation that doesn’t know who I am. I’m Marilyn Puryear and they know it.”
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