Mary Platter is a senior accountant in the UC Department of Emergency Medicine. Shes been with University of Cincinnati Physicians 12 years, working first on the Deans Audit for UCP and currently with emergency medicine in the departments business office.
In addition to her billing work, she recently experienced health care from the patient perspective, after donating a kidney to her cousin this winter.
Whats your role in the department of emergency medicine?
"There are only two of us here in the business office. My day-to-day responsibilities include accounts receivable, accounts payable, journals, budgets, suppliesa little bit of everything. I wear I dont know how many different hats, but we all do that over here."
Whats your favorite part of your job?
"I love all the people I work with. Honestly, I dont think I could work for a better department. We all say that here; its a really good department to work for.
"Since I started, its grown a lot. Were busting out of the wallswe have people in the MSB, in Wherry Hall and we have people moving to Holmes."
Can you tell us about your life outside UC?
"Ill have been married 40 years in April; I have two children, a boy and a girl, and four grandchildren, all boys. I live in Deer Park, by Kenwood. My dad grew up there and my kids both went to the same high school I went to.
"On the weekends, my husband and I drive to Lake Erie. We own a boat and we keep it up on the lake and well go up, get a cabin and go fishing. We used to have a camp on the Ohio River when our kids were young. Now weve had this boat probably four or five years, though we havent named it yet. We have a bird we havent named eitherwe just call it bird. We did name our dogs, Sydney and Scrappy."
How did you end up donating your kidney?
"I donated it to my first cousin, Tim. His dad and my dad were identical twins, so when I found out he needed a kidney, I figured there might be a good chance I could be a match. We come from a really big family with about 40 first cousins, so several of us got tested.
"We were all matches, but I was the one most comfortable with the donation. Your whole family also has to be on board or they will not choose you.
"My surgery was right before Christmas, on Tuesday, Dec. 20. I really wasnt nervous. My husband and daughter-in-law and son were there and Tim was right across the hallway. I was totally at peace with it and wasnt worried at all. I was home that Thursday and Tim was home by Christmas.
"Before the surgery, we only saw each other at family reunions, but I talk with him almost weekly now. We talk probably more now than the entire time that weve known each other. He has diabetes and hes 10 years younger than me. He also needs a pancreas and hes on the list for that.
"I followed Tanya ORourkes story of donating her kidney on WCPO. I even wrote her a letter thanking her for covering itthey recorded the transplant and have it online. Tim and I had the same surgeons and it was really cool to be able to see the process and what happens."
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