Susan Platt - Director of Professional Services

Susan has been involved with Spoon River Home Health since 1993.  Her main role is the “Director of Professional Services.” As an R.N., she oversees all nursing and therapy- internally and externally. She communicates and educates on a daily basis with the staff of SRHHS, therapists, MD officers, hospital discharge planners, skilled nursing facilities, senior apartments, all referral sources, and the clients and their families.

Susan's background is in critical care nursing. She always formed strong relationships with her patients and their families, and wondered what happened to them when they left ICU. It was for this reason, when the opportunity arose, she went into home health care and chose to open a home health agency with the help of her mentor and the best nurse she knows, her mother!

 A friend, on a stressful day in health care, asked her what her ideal job was. After a lot of thought, she has to admit she's doing her “ideal” job. She gets to meet some of the nicest, funniest, sweetest, strangest people in the world. She loves to hear their stories. She loves to be able to make a difference in their life. Sometimes in home health we have the same client for years and sometimes only days but it is such a privilege to be invited into someone’s home and life and be able to make a difference.

Brian Platt - Administrator

Brian manages all of Spoon River's business activities in the office. He says that he is lucky because his wife, Susan, manages the clinical and community education activities. Plus, Brian says that Spoon River also has a great staff which makes the business run fairly smoothly.

Following graduation from Western Illinois University, Brian started working for the Soil Conservation Service and also farming with his dad. Susan and he had been married for about 1 year when she started Spoon River Home Health. Being married to a nurse, having a mother-in –law for a nurse, and having a grandmother who was a Navy nurse must have qualified Brian to start helping out with the business side of a homecare company. After 2 years of helping manage the business, he became the administrator when Susan slowed down to have their 2 girls.   

Brian likes to ski on the water and snow, as well as horseback riding. He had the chance to show off his horses when he acted in the movie Sand Prairie. His favorite drink is anything that has seen the inside of an oak barrel for at least 12 years.          

Dawn Giacabazi

Dawn has 13 years medical experience. Dawn works with Social Services, discharge planners, physician’s offices, other home care agencies, and individual’s to coordinate in home services. If what you need is not what we provide or funding is an issue she uses many of her contacts in the community to arrange assistance. Dawn is also responsible for maintaining and scheduling skilled nursing services.  

Dawn says the best part of her job, “knowing the relief she was able to bring to the client and or their families & they are receiving the best possible services available. Dawn is a certified nursing assistant with 13 years of experience, which began with Spoon River Home Health Services. Her experience including: caring for many clients in home health, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. Dawn says she thinks she brings a unique perspective to her job after becoming a client herself.  

Dawn describes herself as caring, compassionate, and self motivated. Her co-workers describe her as a perfectionist who never leaves until the job is done. Dawn enjoys spending time with her family. She is a wife and mother of 2 children. Her hobbies include reading, walking, and having fun with her children. She is a certified scuba diver with 11 years experience.

Brenda Ford - Billing Specialist

Brenda has been employed at SRHH for over 11 years.  She prepares the final billing audit for all Medicare, HMO/Medicare, and insurance episodes.  She works closely with the nursing staff in order to insure that all documentation required for this process is received in a timely manner.  

Brenda also has over 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry along with a Bachelor’s Degree.  She has 25 years of experience at previous workplaces in accounts receivable, accounts payable, inventory control, job costing, budget preparation, payroll, government payroll reports, and income preparation, which makes her highly qualified for this position.  

Brenda attempts to read every day.  It helps her relax at the end of a long day.  She also enjoys being outdoors in the summer working in her flower beds and in her one acre truck patch.  She spends as much time as possible with her two youngest grandchildren, Alex(5) and Austin(3).  They ride bikes, play games, fly kites, fly airplanes, and ride the golf cart.  Never a dull moment!

Brandi Barnes - Medical Records Coordinator/ CNA

Brandi does lots of data entry including but not limited to new sign ups, admitting Patients, entering SOC, transfers and DC oasis, and enter new or update employee information. She acquires background checks; creates supply sheets for employees and patients. To top it off, she handles flu shot billing, and performs patient care when needed.

Brandi has an Associate in Arts and Science along with a 3yr degree/diploma in Nursing.  She has worked in healthcare for 6 years.

Brandi describes herself as pleasant to be around, and always has a good attitude and smile on her face.  On the weekends she enjoys going to the dirt track, stock car races because her boyfriend drives, as do many of her friends. She also enjoy athletics, such as Softball and Basketball.  She LOVES watching Nascar Racing and cheering for #88 Dale Earnheart Jr.   Brandi also has a son who is 2 years old named Braden.  He is her world or rather her world revolves around him.  He is very energetic and outgoing and loves being outside.  He also enjoys going to the stock car races, ballgames and playing outside.  He keeps my life on the go and very interesting because you never know what will happen next.

Lex Walker - IT Director

Lex has been providing leadership for the computing, networking and communications infrastructure for the entire organization since 2002.  His divisions are responsible for the design of multi-office networking and telecommunications infrastructure.

Lex has an Associate’s degree in Data Processing from a local community college. He attends various classes and training seminars geared toward network administration and security. He has 10 years computer experience and 6 years with Spoon River Home Health.

He describes himself as a quiet and easy to talk to person, with a preference for listening and speaking only when he has something important to say.  He likes to golf, although he doesn’t seem to find time anymore. He also enjoys bike (motorcycle) rides, maintaining his property, taking walks and wine making.  Recently he found a local supply of concord grapes and produced one of the best wines yet. He hopes to further improve the wine this year. He says that while wine making doesn’t require a huge amount of time to make, the waiting for it to mature can be difficult to say the least.

Mary Ericson - Patient Care Coordinator

My responsibilities include in-services and education of the nursing staff.  I check over the paperwork and coding.  I also meet with the staff to discuss the patients and their care needs.     

I have 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry, a Bachelor’s Degree and an Associates Degree from Blackhawk College in Moline. I have been a RN for about 15 years and a CNA prior to that. I have a varied background including hospital, long-term care, and home care. Home Care is by far my favorite!    

My personality fits so well into Home Care! I really like change and hate routine. Working in Home Care  offers unique, interesting, and challenging situations every day.   I enjoy treating each patient as an individual and doing whatever possible to have them remain in their home.  I believe the future of Home Care will just continue to grow! There is so much that can be done in the home that used to be only done in the hospital.  I love to continue to learn everyday and share that knowledge with my coworkers, patients, and families.

Elaine Knox - Asst. Director of Nursing

My responsibilities include: Phone nurse, client/physician liaison, medical supplies, flu shot clinics  

I have been a nurse since 1968. My background includes surgical, pediatrics, trachs, vents, general, bedside nursing and home health.  

Everyone thinks I’m from England because I have an accent. But actually I’m from Maine, although I’ve lived in Fulton County almost 50 years. I enjoy cooking, quilting, traveling, and working at SRHH. I love home health, it is an ever changing field that continually challenges me. I love the clients, my co-workers physicians and their staff. Each day is different and I look forward to each and every day!