During a busy afternoon at the Decatur Vein Clinic in Noblesville, Indiana, the soothing rhythms of adult contemporary music oozing through the ceiling speakers provided a backdrop to the much more urgent beats of a ringing telephone and hurried footsteps shuffling through the hallways.

The veteran staff, used to containing the chaos, plugged away at the workload while offering subtle words of encouragement to each other as they passed in the halls.

Front Office Coordinator Marie McPhearson (pictured left) says the clinic’s tight schedule is no accident.  She says the clinic makes a point of staying on top of the schedule so whenever there is a cancelled appointment, an immediate effort is made to bump up a new patient to fill the calendar gap.

“It’s great when it works out well for both us and the patient,” McPhearson said.

McPhearson cited a recent example of a woman who was disappointed she couldn’t get treatment prior to a parent’s weekend at her son’s university, but then got a pleasant surprise when the clinic was able to get her in due to a cancellation. 

“I like it when it’s busy. Hey, you’re here, might as well work, right?” McPhearson laughed.

Nurse Practitioner Janette Roddel credits the clinic’s ability to match the intense schedule to staff members’ positive attitudes and the clear roles each team member occupies when it’s time to get down to business.

“We all know what we’re supposed to be doing. We communicate so well,” said Roddel. “We’re like a well-oiled machine around here. It makes my job really easy.”

Roddel said the clinic’s focus undoubtedly translates into thoughtful and kind patient care.

“It’s a calm, happy atmosphere here and I think the patient can recognize that. That’s why I encourage that atmosphere. It’s good for the employees and it’s good for the patients.”

One patient who’d have to agree is 50-year-old Rollin Young, of Rossville, Indiana.

Young, a seven-year member of the Marines and a member of the Indiana National Guard, works as a locomotive engineer for CSX railroad in Lafayette, Indiana. His job involves long periods of sitting, sometimes on trips lasting 10-12 hours.

Young (pictured right) said he suffered for years with pain and fatigue in both legs, putting his otherwise active lifestyle in jeopardy.

Young says it was his wife who convinced him to come to the Noblesville clinic, where he was diagnosed with superficial venous insufficiency, commonly referred to as "reflux", in both legs.

He underwent Endovenous Laser Treatment on his right leg and lower left leg before facing a major physical test: the PFT, a physical fitness test required for members of the Guard.

Young says the treatment worked. After completing a timed, two-mile run over a hilly area of Camp Atterbury, he says the only noticeable discomfort he felt was in his upper left leg, the leg that had yet to receive treatment.

Young is just another satisfied patient at the Noblesville clinic. Shortly after he strolled out the clinic door, another patient approached McPhearson’s desk.

“I have good news for you,” McPhearson told the woman. “We had a cancellation and I was able to move up your appointment to an earlier date.”