#12DaysofHiddenHeroes: Delfin Encarnacion
In the lead up to Christmas, we're shining a light on #12DaysofHiddenHeroes.
On the twelfth day of the festive season, we meet Delfin Encarnacion, a cardiac physiologist and echo manager at St Bartholomew’s cardiac science department.
Tell us about your role
I’m a cardiac physiologist and lead the echocardiography services at St Bartholomew’s. As cardiac physiologists, we are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with heart conditions.
We work in a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic specialities, using specialist equipment, such as a cardiac ultrasound machine, Maclab physiological monitoring system, pacemaker programmers and scar mapping devices.
I’ve worked in non-invasive, interventional cath labs and devices since I joined Barts Health in 2006. And in 2014 I was promoted to the echo manager role.
My standard administration working day involves managing the echo service and making sure demand and capacity targets are met on time.
Working with one of the largest echo workforces in the country helped me engage and collaborate with my team and other multidiscipline.
On my clinical days, I perform mostly transoesophageal echocardiography(TOE) procedure to help our intervention and surgeons to plan their patients' treatment and medical management.
What might surprise people about your role?
As an echo manager, most colleagues are not aware that I can still do clinical work in non-invasive and device areas.
When I had my site visit at Newham Hospital, our cardiology team asked for the patient to have a device check at St Bartholomew’s. I called the device manager colleague to say, “I can do this check and there’s no need for the patient to go across to the other hospital.”
Proudest patient moment?
One of my fond moments with a patient was when they came in for the TOE procedure. The patient was anxious and nervous, however, I reassured them that everything will go well and nothing will happen to them under my watch.
They left the department saying to me “oh that’s not as bad as I thought!” That gave me a sense of happiness and the feeling of ‘job well done’.
How will you be spending the holidays?
This Christmas I will be spending my time with my wife, kids and video calls to my family abroad.
We will also be cooking seafood as opposed to ham and roast for a change!