After a three-year hiatus, the T. Evans Wyckoff Award is back at Fred Hutch Cancer Center. Angela Broughton, a pharmacy billing coordinator on the retail pharmacy team was recently announced as this year’s recipient.
Broughton’s award honors the relationships she’s forged with patients and her positive, enthusiastic attitude. When asked about the intricate — and occasionally frustrating — nature of her role, her response reflected her peers’ praise: “Seeing the difference we make here keeps me driven.”
Fred Hutch launched this award in honor of T. Evans Wyckoff, a Seattle entrepreneur in the lumber and apple business and a founding member of the Fred Hutch Board of Trustees (now called Board of Directors). After his passing in 1999, The Seattle Times described him as someone who “never met a challenge he didn't like.” Twenty-five years later, the award recognizes staff who make exceptional contributions and exemplify outstanding teamwork.
Winners are selected by a committee of previous Wyckoff honorees. Candidates are considered for their exceptional contributions and overall impact to Fred Hutch, outstanding teamwork and embodiment of Wyckoff’s values.
Maximizing benefits for each patient
Throughout Broughton’s nomination letter, her peers spoke of the dedication and enthusiasm she brings to her work and her embodiment of both Wyckoff’s and Fred Hutch’s values.
One nominator described Broughton’s dedication to making sure that every patient she worked with could ‘maximize’ their benefits. “A patient left their $25,000 medication in a hot car and it’s no longer safe to take? No problem, let’s call the insurance for an override. A patient was discharged with a prescription for Eliquis but their insurance requires a prior authorization that will take three–four days to process? No problem, here’s a 30-day manufacturer coupon!”
Another nominator also shared a time when Broughton provided her personal number to a patient who had experienced a series of complex insurance issues.
During the Change Healthcare cyberattack, the retail pharmacy team had to manually review over 300 prescriptions for coverage per day. Angela painstakingly researched each claim to ensure patients would not receive copay bills once servers came back online.
“To say that Angela was invaluable during this crisis is an understatement,” a nominator said. “You might have read news articles about patients either needing to pay [out of pocket] for necessary medications or having to forgo them during this time, but that wasn’t what happened at our pharmacy.”
An inspirational enthusiasm
Despite the often-difficult nature of her work, Broughton’s peers were quick to discuss her inspirational work ethic.
“Angela’s dedication to her work is phenomenal,” said a nominator. “In all the time we’ve worked together, I can’t recall a time she hasn’t seen a problem resolved to the best of her position’s ability.”
Another noted, “Never once have I been met with anything except enthusiasm and a can-do attitude when reaching out to her with a problem.”
Making a difference
Characteristically humble, Broughton made sure to thank her team while on Fred Hutch’s monthly all-staff meeting in September for their exceptional teamwork and communication.
“I was speechless when I first found out,” said Broughton on receiving the award. Of her own work, she added, “I’m just doing my job, which I’ve always tried to do to the best of my abilities, so I’m extremely grateful to be recognized.”
Her advice after 13 years in retail pharmacy? “Be kinder than necessary, as everyone is fighting a battle of their own.”
