Bio
Elva Rodriguez epitomizes what it means to deliver the best in community health care. For more than 23 years, she has provided nursing services and been an integral part of the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Diagnostic and Treatment Center, often being the person who turns on the lights and the last to leave.Growing up in the projects, Ms. Rodriguez knew she wanted to be a nurse since she was 14 years old. In 1987 she joined the Center and began a long career that continues today. As an Ob/Gyn certified nurse practitioner, she provides direct patient care and counseling, assisting patients with a range of issues including family planning, obstetrical and gynecological services. She often serves as a confidante and friend to her patients, helping them through difficult circumstances. “My heart is in patient care,” Ms. Rodriguez explains.Her care goes beyond patients’ bedsides, however, as she continually works to improve the Center’s standards and processes. Her ingenuity is a quality especially prized in resource challenged neighborhood health centers like Belvis and she has played a key role in improving systems and implementing standards that have raised the bar for care at the Center. As Health and Hospitals Corporation Chief of Staff Joe Schick says, “Using resources in a new way, thinking outside the box, and pulling teams together on a moment’s notice and on a shoestring budget is an Elva-specialty, and getting the job done is her trademark.”
