Each year we recognize a student who was nominated by their clinical instructor(s) and selected by a committee for the UMES Department of Physical Therapy Joseph Beatus Student Award for Excellence in Patient-Centered Care. This award is given in honor of Dr. Beatus, who was an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. He was an integral part of the program for 30 years, and retired in 2013. The criteria for selection attempts to embody the treatment approach and style demonstrated by Dr. Beatus, who made a lasting impression on his students. For three decades, his philosophy of providing high-quality, effective, patient-centered care was instilled in all of his students.
This award was presented to not one, but two graduates this year.
Abigail was presented with the first Joseph Beatus Award for Excellence in Patient-Centered Care to Abigail Sauber. We thank her for representing our program in such a positive way.
Abbey is sweet, endearing, kind, and bright. Here are written words of her nominator and Clinical Instructor, Dr. Stephanie Bloom of Restore Motion:
Abigail Sauber has demonstrated a professional and caring approach to all of the patients she has interacted with during her clinical experience. Because her setting was at an out of network OP PT clinic in Rockville, MD, it can be difficult for patients to fully trust students when they are paying the bill up front. Abbey has been able to develop excellent rapport with her patients as she really focuses on their needs and works to provide the best care. Abbey uses her keen intellect to expand upon patient problems for high-quality, effective, patient-centered care. An example in which Abbey demonstrated qualities of meeting specific patient needs and cost effectiveness was when she produced a video HEP for a patient. The patient was an elderly man with memory issues who could not remember how to do his exercises safely and correctly. Abbey videoed each exercise and created an MP4 movie with headings of exercise names and subtitles of key points about the exercise. She also helped him upload the MP4 to his laptop for easy access at home.
Abbey demonstrates remarkable patience and compassion in dealing with young women with pelvic floor dysfunction.
In summary, Abigail Sauber consistently demonstrates the ability to deliver high quality patient centered care to both the orthopedic and pelvic floor clients she has seen.
Congratulations Abbey, one of the two 2021 recipients of the UMES Department of Physical Therapy Joseph Beatus Award for Excellence in Patient-Centered Care!
