Heading into his 11th year at Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital, Scott Hakala is the Supervisor of Interventional and OR Radiology. Managing a total of 11 caregivers, he oversees the portable C-arms (X-ray machines) in the OR as well as stationary C-arms on the interventional side. He and his team follow stroke protocols as they deal with clots and bleeds and handle procedures such as port placements and Nephrostomy tube changes. Here he talks about his long and rewarding career with Cleveland Clinic.
What has your career path been like?
“After attending a hospital-based technical program, I started as an X-ray technician. Over the last 30+ years, I’ve been a surgery tech, a vascular tech, and then I joined the cardiac cath lab. Later, I decided to get back into radiology. Eventually, I joined Hillcrest Hospital as an interventional lead tech, which became a supervisory role. Then the surgery department responsibilities were added on.”
What support has Cleveland Clinic provided in your career journey?
“They’ve always promoted excellence and me striving to become better at what I do. They’ve given me opportunities to learn more, go to seminars, take online classes and get continuing education credits. They’ve given me opportunities that have opened up doors for other things.”
What do you like most about working at Cleveland Clinic?
“It’s a good organization that’s not going anywhere. I like the sense of security knowing that it’s Cleveland Clinic. We’re going to do nothing but grow – just like with Mentor Hospital opening up. My department’s going to be in charge of that, too. We’re starting out small to see what happens, but I think it’s going to excel and be great.”
Can you tell me about a recent experience you and your team had that stands out to you?
“We recently had a woman who was a patient in the hospital and had a stroke and we got her to the IR suite table within 15 minutes. We were able to remove the blood clot and restore the blood flow to her brain. It’s so great to see the instant change and effect that takes place when we have success in these cases. The patient goes from not being able to move their limbs or having slurred speech to talking and moving again”
What makes your team special?
“My team always welcomes new caregivers. We are proud of what we do, and we feel like we make a difference, and we try to show that. We really work together to help everyone grow and develop into their roles. The most important thing is that we all work as a team. There are a ton of different ways to do something, but they always figure out the way that works best for them.”
