Meet Amanda Perry, HOPE’s Director of Medical Services

By Liz Ferrell, Development & Community Outreach Specialist

“HOPE is special. Why should it only be here?”

The occasion was a strategic planning meeting of HOPE Family Health’s administrative leadership team in the summer of 2022. And with that one simple, insightful sentence, the Admin Team realized that Director of Medical Services Amanda Perry had forged HOPE’s next step. She had put into nine words the very essence of HOPE’s identity, vision, and mission to make healthcare as accessible and affordable for as many people as possible.

Amanda Perry is one of the shining lights at HOPE Family Health.

A Physician Assistant and one of the longest tenured individuals on staff, Amanda would deny being a shining anything. She would far rather just stay in the background and treat patients – which, really, is all she ever wanted to do. But by doing just that since 2008, giving her patients her all, day in and day out, in good times and bad, Amanda has helped to lay the foundation upon which HOPE continues to build.

The consummate medical professional, Amanda possesses a strong work ethic and expects the same of those under her supervision. An astute and practical problem solver, Amanda sees the humor in life and has a great way with a funny story. But most importantly, she possesses empathy for patients and coworkers. And she has a keen intuition for when someone is hurting and in need.

Amanda sat down with me recently to tell me her story of HOPE.

LF: Tell me a little bit about you and your background – where you’re from, where you went to school.

AP: I’m originally from Lebanon, Kentucky. I went to Western Kentucky University for undergraduate school with a major in biology and chemistry, and I earned a Physician Assistant Master of Science in Medicine from Trevecca Nazarene University. I did clinical rotations at Veterans Administration hospitals in Murfreesboro and Nashville, at a family practice in Sneedville, and in an emergency department in downtown Nashville.

LF: Tell our readers a little about your family and outside interests.

AP: I met my husband Coston at Western Kentucky University, and we got married right after I graduated PA school. We’ve been married for 16 years now. My daughter Vivian, who goes by “Vivi,” is 10 years old, and my son Reed is 7. We have two dogs, one cat and a turtle. As a family we really enjoy spending time outside, and we especially love going to the beach. We really just love family time and making memories.

LF: What made you decide to go into healthcare?

AP: I always loved math and science, and in high school I liked learning about the body. And I’ve always liked helping people. From a young age I always knew I wanted to do some kind of healthcare – teach people how their bodies work and how they can maintain their health or navigate through chronic diseases. And I love doing procedures.

LF: Tell me about coming to work at HOPE. How did you hear about HOPE?

AP: I had a classmate who did clinicals at HOPE. He introduced me to Jenny and suggested me for the role of PA here. I began working at HOPE in 2008. I have had the pleasure of watching it grow into what it is today – it’s very cool to see how it has morphed into what it is now.

LF: What did the staff look like when you started?

AP: There were only seven of us: Jenny Dittes [HOPE’s CEO and a PA], Dana Henderson [family nurse practitioner], Melanie Lowe [family nurse practitioner], Diane Wasner [medical assistant], Karen Simons [medical assistant], Angela Harper [billing and office manager], Angie Harrison [patient navigator], and me. 

LF: What was your first impression of HOPE?

AP (laughing): I had no idea what I was getting myself into! But I knew I wanted to help people, and I knew I was in a geographic area that didn’t have a lot of resources. I’m from a rural area, so I could relate to people who were more rural. So it felt comfortable for me.

Amanda Perry, HOPE's Director of Medical Services, and Dr. Bien Samson, HOPE's first Chief Medical Officer, pose for a photo at HOPE's 20th Anniversary celebration on April 5,.

I was excited to learn from people who had been taking care of these people, and I was

ready to get out there and do what I was supposed to do. I didn’t know what that was going to look like! But seeing patients is what I’ve always wanted to do. I always knew. There was never anything else. There are days that it’s hard, but I’m doing what I was meant to do. It’s still interesting to me.

And now, supervising all the mid-level providers [as Director of Medical Services], is a part of this job that I’d never given any thought to, but I love it! I love being on a team with all these people who have the same goal: how do we do it, how do we get there? It’s something I wouldn’t have anticipated. It means not taking new patients, and spending time to help make sure that HOPE will remain what it started out to be. Now my job is to infuse HOPE’s core values into the other providers, that we continue to do what we set out to do, and to ensure we are delivering quality care.

LF: What are some of the most important things you think HOPE is doing right now?

AP: Oh, several things. Mammography – I am very excited to be able to bring mammography in as an option at HOPE Westmoreland.

And being part of the Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screening Program is, I think, huge. TBCSP has opened up some really great areas of cancer screening to some people who might not have known they could get screened, thinking they couldn’t afford it. If you don’t have insurance, you’re probably eligible, so you can still have the testing you need. Women tend to take care of others first and then themselves. So having a screening modality in a place where it’s more accessible to more people will hopefully make it possible to do both. Now people will get screened who didn’t before because of the time it took to go to other locations.

LF: What are some of your favorite things about working at HOPE?

AP: I think it’s awesome that I’ve been here for so long that I treat multiple members of the same family and can follow patients along their journey. When you’ve seen somebody for a long time it makes an impact. It makes you want to do your best for people.

LF: What can we do better, and how can we improve it?

AP: I think we’re always reaching to improve different aspects of HOPE’s services. Everything can be improved. We’re just always reaching to improve all aspects.

LF: What would you like to see for HOPE’s future?

AP: I would like to continue to bring HOPE’s culture to other places throughout Sumner County and the surrounding counties – making healthcare accessible to everybody.

LF: What do you want our readers to know about HOPE?

AP: I’d like them to know that we care. We want you to ask questions, and we want to help answer your questions. We may not know all the answers, but we will definitely help point patients in the right direction, and we will work alongside them to figure out what issues they have. We have a great group of people with all these talents and skills, and together we can really help a lot of people.

LF: What are some of the things you want to tell patients about their own health journeys?

AP: Oh, several things. Mostly, take ownership of your own health. How do you do that? Get regular annual physicals. Have preventative screenings. Build a relationship with your primary care provider. Take your health seriously while you’re young and still have it. It’s important at every stage of life.