KEN STROUD: CERTIFIED RADIATION TECHNOLOGIST, PLANO, TX
Our employees are all patient care champions, but some go the extra mile and we want to give them the recognition they deserve. They embody the PPOA values known as S.I.T.E. – Safety, Integrity, Teamwork, Empathy – which informs our service to patients and the community through high quality health care.
Ken Stroud was once told he would have made a good pastor or funeral director for his ability to put people at ease. “I wasn’t interested in either,” he chuckles; instead, his caring personality serves patients well at PPOA’s Park Ambulatory Surgery Center in Plano, Texas.
As a certified radiology technologist, Stroud only sees patients for a few minutes before they get procedures, such as epidural steroid injections; but he makes a lasting impression, at turns lighthearted and compassionate. “I believe in treating everyone with the utmost respect and treating everyone the same, no matter who they are,” he says.
Gayle Schotte, clinical administrator at Park Ambultory Surgery Center, agrees. “Ken is very interactive with patients and shows great compassion,” she says. “He remembers names and faces and treats all of his patients with kindness and respect.”
His work involves taking live x-rays during procedures to help guide the physician to the treatment area. It requires a thorough knowledge of anatomy and a steady hand to ensure needles are positioned perfectly. In essence, he serves as the doctor’s x-ray vision.
Although Stroud says his line of work was chosen for him during aptitude tests in the United States Air Force, he comes by radiology with some background. He was raised in the small town of Kaufman, Texas, by his grandmother, who served as assistant to the town’s only dentist. “I would go in the darkroom and help her develop the x-rays,” he says.
After serving four years in the Air Force and earning a certification in Radiology Technology through Midwestern State University, moved to Albany, New York. Over the next 30 years, he worked at several hospitals and private practices, and crossed paths with one Dr. Abraham Rivera.
When his Texas roots called him back, Ken Stroud responded to an ad from Physician Partners of America. While Googling the company, he saw a familiar face on the screen: Dr. Rivera, who was now its chief medical officer.
Ken Stroud has worked at Park Ambulatory Surgery Center since 2014, and loves every aspect of his job.
A father of two adult children, Phillip, 28, and Rebecca, 25, he also enjoys playing the year-round golf that Texas weather offers, loves tournament bowling – he has bowled 11 perfect games – and playing tournament Texas Hold ‘Em poker.
He may not have turned out to be a preacher or a funeral director, but you might say he’s eclectic – an assessment that is especially true for the people who work with him and the patients who rely on him.
“Ken is a dedicated employee who wears many hats at Park ASC,” says Schotte, his supervisor. “His primary title may be certified radiation technician but his work ethic goes above and beyond. He’s always helpful to co-workers when needed. He’s a jack of all trades.”
