About Us
SHHA – Holistic Nurse Patient Advocate
Stella Refugia Ross, PsyD, MA, BSN, RN
Hello, thank you for your interest in SHHA. A little about me - I am a career Registered Nurse with 40+ years of nursing/healthcare experience. Upon graduating from Nursing school, I started my career in the hospital with phenomenal experiences in the Operating and Emergency Rooms; however, my interest broadened, and I choose a position as an EAP Counselor with the Transit Authority in Washington, DC. I eventually returned to the hospital with positions in IT, Psychiatry and Case Management. After my Case Management experience with a curiosity in the world of health insurance coverage, I accepted a position as a Medical Underwriter for Aetna. During my many years of underwriting, I realized the challenges of healthcare coverage and the compromised population of correctional peaked by interest.
My position as a staff correctional nurse led to my role as a Director of Utilization Management for the correctional system of the State of Maryland. This environment provided a different exposure to the meaning of “patient advocacy” and I began to focus on the holistic health of individuals. With correctional encouragement, I completed my Doctorate in Psychology. I am currently incorporating my skills in the areas of ambulatory case management and outpatient psychiatry. My career has been non-traditional and very professionally rewarding, but my passion is to be a more visible, vocal advocate for those who are compromised, thus the creation of Star Holistic Health Advocacy.
Associations:
American Case Management Association
American Holistic Nurses’ Association
Certificates:
High Stakes Leadership – University of Michigan
Nurse Patient Advocacy
RN Advocacy Certificate
