Join us in congratulating Richard Garcia for being a Firestarter!

Richard exemplifies professionalism, dedication, and compassion in every aspect of his work. He is known for his respectful demeanor and proactive attitude, and he consistently goes above and beyond to support his coworkers and provide exceptional patient care.

Richard is always prepared and dependable, whether assisting a waiting patient, ensuring new hires are thoroughly trained, or stepping in to help without being asked. His meticulous attention to detail, eagerness to learn, and commitment to doing things correctly make him an invaluable team member.

We are grateful to have him on our medical team!

Learn more about Richard:

When did you start at CBHA?

I have been at CBHA since October 4, 2021.

What is your job title and day-to-day responsibilities?

I am a Medical Assistant Certified (MA-C). My daily responsibilities include taking patients' vital signs and preparing them for office visits with medical providers such as doctors, PA-Cs, and ARNPs.

Additional tasks include sending faxes, medication administration and injections, submitting orders for providers, and assisting in sending the provider has authorized medications. I also help train new hires during their first week as a Medical Assistant Registered (MA-R).

I also help patients who come in for nursing-only visits when they have questions or need help with medications. I enjoy being a resource for my coworkers and making everyone's day smoother.

What is your favorite thing about working at CBHA?

My favorite thing about working at CBHA is being a supportive resource for all of our patients and providing every single patient with the best quality care possible. I enjoy being around amazing teams and providers working together, making CBHA an excellent workplace.

I also like the variety at CBHA; every day is different, which makes everything very exciting. The career options at CBHA are impressive, along with the many levels of career advancement.

How has CBHA helped you grow in your career?

CBHA has aided my medical career development in various ways. They gave me the opportunity to serve in my hometown and develop my medical skills despite my lack of prior medical experience.

My first year at CBHA was spent working as a Testing Technician. In my second year, CBHA helped me further develop my skills when I began my next position as a Medical Assistant Registered (MA-R). During my second year, I was offered a CBHA-sponsored program to become a Medical Assistant Certified (MA-C), significantly advancing my career development.

Throughout my second year at CBHA, I also assisted in training new employees to pursue a career as a Medical Assistant Registered (MA-R). It has been a great privilege to be a part of this.

What has been your favorite project at work so far?

My favorite project that I have enjoyed helping with so far has been the dental remodeling at the Connell and Wahluke Clinic, as well as all the volunteer events.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

The ability to control and manipulate fire and also being fireproof.

How do you turn a bad day into a good one?

I turn a bad day into a good day by looking on the bright side. We will all have good days and bad days, and the best mindset we can have is that it could be worse than what it is now. A year from now, we can see this bad day as an experience that strengthened us. Whether good or bad, it helps mold our experiences so that we are better prepared to handle bad days when they happen.

What did you dream of becoming when you were a kid?

As a kid, I dreamed of becoming a Power Ranger. The Green Ranger is my childhood favorite. Career-wise, I would say I always had a heart for helping others. I knew any career that would allow me to help others would be my dream career.

Where is your favorite place to travel?

Mexico, I still haven’t visited yet, but one day I would like to visit.

If you could be any Disney Character which one would you be?

It would have to be Hercules. Seeing him develop his confidence and a genuine desire to make others happy makes me smile. I also admire his bravery and strength. He was tested and overcame many difficult challenges, which shaped his character, both in good and bad moments.

Anyone you would like to thank or final words?

I would like to thank everyone who nominated me and congratulated me on being a Firestarter. It’s an absolute honor to receive the Firestarter award. I want to thank all the staff I get the pleasure of working with (RNs, Medical Assistants, Phlebotomists, X-ray Technicians), all the medical providers (Doctors, PA-C, ARNP), and all the clinic managers.

It’s always a pleasure working alongside everyone, as we all make a great team. I would also like to thank all the staff working in the other departments, such as eye care, dental, lab, marketing, billing, accounting, medical records, custodial, reception, and contact center, and all the patients we serve.

Thank you to everyone for all you do. I see and appreciate it, and from the bottom of my heart, it’s an absolute honor to continue to be a part of CBHA in my hometown of Othello and all the other clinic locations as we expand our care to other cities. I’m very proud to be a part of CBHA, where I can continue to learn and grow in my career in medicine.