HSHS Medical Group Awards Provider of the Month to Karen Koenig, APRN
January 21, 2022
HSHS Medical Group is pleased to award Karen Koenig, APRN, with our January 2022 Provider of the Month Award. A nurse practitioner with HSHS Medical Group Multispecialty Care in Taylorville, Karen has worked with HSHS since June 2020.
The Provider of the Month is chosen from nominations submitted by fellow HSHS Medical Group team members. One colleague said Karen makes sure she is available to her patients, even after hours. The colleague noticed Karen going above and beyond to make a young patient comfortable as she adjusted to a new move to college. “Karen remembered the weekend she was moving to college and called to check on her, and make sure she didn't need anything once she settled in. The patient’s mother called the office to thank her for remembering that she was nervous about going to college and calling her. It really helped her knowing that her provider cared for her and checked in on her at a tough time.”
At the office Karen is a vital part of the team. Her nominator said, “Karen is a team player! She helps out with our walk-in patients, helps cover nursing duties when needed in the office and is all around a supportive team member. She is an amazing provider who helps everyone - patients and team.”
Karen said her favorite part of her job is interacting with patients and their families, listening to their stories and coming up with solutions to make their lives happier and healthier. Karen genuinely cares and treats each individual as a unique person. She gets to know her patients and what is important to them. She said, “It is a privilege to celebrate their ‘wins’, listen to their needs and come up with a plan to alleviate their concerns.”
Karen’s guiding principle is to foster a trusting relationship between herself and her patients. “I consider myself a partner in their care,” she says. She guides them through their options and makes recommendations yet makes sure they know that they are in charge of their own health care.
When not helping her patients, Karen is an avid St. Louis Cardinal’s fan. On her bucket list is to visit all the ball parks in the NLB. She also likes to read and spend time with her husband and son.