Experts

Susie Almon

Regional Director of Clinical Services

In May, Susie celebrated her 18th anniversary with Aegis Therapies, where she’s made an indelible contribution to the company. At Aegis she’s held several positions including rehabilitation clinical consultant, regional director of clinical rehab services and corporate director of speech-language pathology clinical services. Currently, Susie is Regional Director of Clinical Services for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington DC, Kentucky and West Virginia.

Her primary responsibility is providing clinical direction in speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy within multiple skilled-nursing facilities throughout her six-state region. Among her other duties, Susie is involved with training and developing clinical programs at Aegis that include dementia management.  Additionally, rehabilitation managers in her region depend on Susie for helping them assess the quality of their clinical programs through outcomes measurement and quality audits.

“The best part of my job is interacting with a dynamic team and partnering with our customers to find effective ways to implement clinical initiatives,” explains Susie. “I also enjoy developing training programs and having an opportunity to share that information with Aegis facility staff.”

Susie believes that the key to providing great health care service is to listen and understand a patient’s needs before acting. “By taking the time to understand the issue, we can determine the best approach.  It sometimes takes a while longer to develop a plan that addresses all (or most) of the needs,” explains Susie. She also believes that therapists have to be perceptive to what others are expressing, whether the message is being conveyed verbally or nonverbally.  

One of her most memorable patients was when she was a speech-language pathologist and working with a resident who had not eaten for a number of years due to dysphagia. “Her dedication to treatment led to her eating Thanksgiving Dinner for the first time in years,” explains Susie. “And she was a delight to work with.”

Susie believes that because Aegis Therapies has grown through the years in response to changes in the healthcare system and changes in customer needs, it has offered her an abundance of career opportunities allowing her to explore many interests, learn new things, and move into a regional position.  “I appreciate having access to vast resources and being able to network with the knowledgeable teams within Aegis,” says Susie. “The company’s willingness to consider new clinical products has increased the possibilities for utilizing new methods of service delivery and cutting edge technology.”

Susie believes, like many in the industry, that because Aegis is committed to clinical excellence its clinical products and training set the company apart from its competitors.