The cases that stay with Ailyn de la Puente, LCSW, are often those without an obvious solution. As director of social work and case management at Memorial Regional Hospital and Memorial Regional Hospital South, she leads RN case managers and social workers navigating the human and operational complexities behind safe transitions from the hospital.
For patients facing complex medical needs alongside insurance barriers, housing concerns or limited resources and family support, solutions can take time. De la Puente has seen her teams make countless calls, challenge barriers and continue searching when every apparent option has been exhausted.
“There is something incredibly rewarding about taking a situation that feels impossible and creating a path forward for a patient and family,” de la Puente said.
Combining her social work foundation with an operations mindset, de la Puente focuses on fostering an environment where her teams can persist, collaborate and find solutions for patients.
