Excerpt
Terri Zalat currently serves as the site manager for surgery at Wright State Physicians (WSP), where she oversees two primary sites that have a combined 46 employees, surgeons, advanced practice providers, and clinical and administrative staff.
In her role, she embodies what it means to be compassionate and full of integrity. She goes above and beyond to find ways to improve the patient experience, so each person gets the care they need and deserve.
Zalat is a Dayton Business Journal 2022 Health Care Hero.
Zalat has also been the driving force behind WSP’s new policy that allows employees to donate accrued vacation hours to co-workers during their time of need. Her dedication to keeping the organization running smoothly, while never losing sight of creating the best possible patient experience possible, is why WSP surgery clinics consistently rank at least two percentage points above the national average benchmark of 96% for patient satisfaction.
“My commitment to this role is driven by the amazing team I work with,” Zalat said. “They are extraordinary human beings and I have so much respect for each and every one of them.”
Zalat said health care continues to evolve at fast speeds.
“There is so much compassion within our group, I look forward to watching the young team members make a difference as well,” she said.
Despite the challenges that people working in the healthcare field faced during the pandemic, and even amid the grief she experienced after losing her husband from Covid-19, Zalat never wavered in her commitment to others.
Dr. Randy Woods, WSP surgeon, chair and professor of surgery, Wright State Boonshoft School of Medicine, shared, “Terri astutely understands our role in caring for patients is to provide timely compassionate patient-focused care. Each day she enters our office with a keen sense of the patients’ perspective in seeking care. She explores any patient issues, keeps staff apprised when improvement might be needed, while providing positive encouragement to the team when we get it right.”
