Choosing Compassion in Family Practice

Employee Spotlight | Rachel Pounds, Medical Assistant

“Where the happy girl at?” asked a patient as he walked into the family practice department at Open Door’s downtown Muncie health center. It did not come as a surprise that he meant Rachel Pounds, a family practice medical assistant.  

On that particular day, Rachel was reunited with several patients that she hadn’t seen in a while. “They just kept coming in!” she said. They all wanted to connect with her, give her a hug, and catch up on life.

“That was one of my favorite days at work. I felt so much joy in my heart,” said Rachel, tears starting to fill her eyes. “Those are real relationships, real friendships. It was so good to hear how they were doing. For me, it’s all about compassion and love.”

Rachel started at Open Door in 2018 as a medical assistant with Dr. Bahrami. She was previously a certified nursing assistant in a nephrology center but wanted to work in a place with a broader focus. “I always wanted to work at Open Door. I knew I would learn a lot,” she said.

Now a medical assistant, Rachel is known for her cheerful energy, sense of humor, and ability to get along with everybody. She strives to put a smile on every patient’s face and wants them to feel comfortable. 

“I was born and raised in this area, right around Open Door. I talk to the patients like I know them because I can relate. I understand where they are coming from. I’ve been where they’ve been,” she said.

According to family practice provider Hannah Huff, DO, Rachel can often be seen listening intently to her patients, laughing, crying, and celebrating with them. “She truly is a compassionate soul who helps make Open Door a welcoming place for our community,” she said.  

Rachel is intentional about building trusting relationships with her co-workers. It’s important to her that they feel like a team.

“As a single mom with a ten-year-old son at home, I come to work for some peace!” joked Rachel. “I try to make work a place I want to be. It’s all about your approach. Leading with positivity, sincerity, and love brings people together.”

She felt the love when she was honored with Open Door’s 2023 Choose Compassion Award. Her nominator, medical scribe Jessi Highley, said that Rachel “brings so much light, happiness, and joy to those around her. She makes our patients feel heard and seen. All we ever get are compliments about how kind she is to others and takes the time to really listen to them. She is such a gift.”