News Center

In her role as a BlueCare nurse case manager, Loretta Moore-Moravian — a nurse with 41 years of experience — assists members who have a variety of complex medical needs by providing support, education, and health-management resources.

Often, that means working with the members’ family or others caring for them. That was the case earlier this year when Loretta served the family of a newborn who’d been in neonatal intensive care for two months.

As Loretta planned her outreach to the mother of this infant, she thought about the family’s needs now that the baby was home from the hospital. The round-the-clock care that the baby’s condition required would be intense.

The family also had to make trips from their rural home for weekly lab appointments an hour away.

“I could tell from the first conversation with the mother that this was all weighing heavily on her,” Loretta recalls. 

Facing an unexpected hurdle

With each weekly call, Loretta sought to ease the mother’s mind, encouraging her as she offered guidance on specific care needs related to her child’s condition. Loretta also shared information about helpful community resources.

Then, only weeks after the family came home, record snowfall blanketed parts of Tennessee. That made travel risky, especially on rural roads, and concerned the mother that they’d have to postpone the baby’s lab appointment.

Loretta remembers the mom telling her, “I don’t know what to do. We can’t drive in these conditions.” Loretta reassured the mother by offering to call the lab herself and report back with details.

“There was a sense of urgency when I talked to the lab,” Loretta says. “I knew the family needed to keep the appointment, if that was at all possible.”

Working together to help a baby

With transportation benefits available to BlueCare members, Loretta reached out to Transportation Coordinator Elaine Roberson. As Elaine communicated with the company that coordinates member transportation to find a driver who could make the difficult journey, Loretta stayed connected with the family.

Coordinating this trip was not an easy task considering the road conditions.  Initially, the transportation company driver got stuck while traveling to the family’s home.

“Getting the baby and family to and from the medical appointment in this weather became a mission,” Elaine says.

When the driver set out again the next day, Elaine remained in contact throughout the day with the transportation provider until the family was home from the lab.

“We worked as a team from start to finish to make sure it was successful,” Elaine says. “I think that shows members how much we care.” 

A family shares appreciation

In conversations over the next few months, Loretta said the mom repeatedly expressed thanks for the work that went into providing transportation services and for all the support from BlueCross.

“She said she was pleased with everything we all did for them,” Loretta says. “Dealing with complex medical conditions can be hard and confusing for members and families. Helping them through that is one of the most fulfilling things I’ve done as a nurse.”

That’s music to Elaine’s ears. “We always do this with heart,” she adds. “It’s the best feeling to know that our team had a hand in getting them there and back safely.”