How Covenant Health Helped Save Lisa’s Life
- 4 minute read.
- Last Updated: 9/28/2026
What began as a family visit to Knoxville quickly turned into a medical emergency for Michigan resident Lisa Cousino. Thanks to the quick actions of caregivers across Covenant Health, Lisa moved from urgent care to emergency surgery in just a few hours. From her first stop at Covenant Health Urgent Care to advanced vascular surgery at Parkwest Medical Center, teams worked together to deliver lifesaving care.
Lisa was visiting Knoxville to spend time with her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. After a day of blueberry picking and family activities, she suffered a serious wrist injury while opening a gift.
“I was just in survival mode,” Lisa said. “I was opening a present for my granddaughter and cut my wrist, and I knew I had to be seen right away.”
The Right Care at the Right Time
Her family immediately drove to Covenant Health Urgent Care – Northshore. That quick decision proved critical. When Lisa arrived, provider Leslie Satterfield, APN, immediately recognized the severity of the injury.
“Lisa reported it was bleeding pretty badly,” Satterfield shared. “When she opened the wrap, there was obvious pressure behind it. This was concerning for an arterial bleed.”
Satterfield and the urgent care team moved into action. Medical assistants gathered supplies as she applied tourniquets and a pressure dressing while arrangements were made for emergency transport.
“Everybody in our clinic had a role, and that role was played perfectly,” Satterfield said. “That’s what helped us respond quickly and get Lisa the next level of care she needed.”
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Lisa felt reassured. “Leslie was absolutely in charge,” she explained. “I knew we were in a good place.”
A Seamless Transition to Emergency Care
Lisa was transported from urgent care to the emergency department at Covenant Health’s Parkwest Medical Center. As the emergency department team assessed her injury, caregivers worked quickly to stabilize her and prepare for surgery.
Even as she moved between care settings, Lisa never felt disconnected from her care team. “I felt very confident,” she recalled. “They were just machines. They were doing what they needed to do, and I could tell they knew exactly what they were doing.”
Surgical Care When It Mattered Most
When physicians determined Lisa needed emergency vascular surgery, the Parkwest team moved quickly. Within a couple hours of arriving at the emergency department, she was in the operating room under the care of vascular surgeon Maksim Gusev, MD, and the surgical team.
Lisa’s radial artery had been partially severed, but thanks to rapid assessment, emergency transport and timely surgical intervention, she received the specialized care she needed. The surgery was successful, and Lisa is continuing to recover well.
A Team That Stayed with Her Every Step
What stood out most to Lisa wasn’t one specific moment, but the way every caregiver stayed invested in her outcome.
“They were very invested in it,” Lisa explained. “From urgent care through surgery, it was perfect. Everything went very well, and I couldn’t have asked for more.”
That commitment continued even after her surgery. Satterfield called later that day to check on Lisa and make sure she received the care she needed.
“Leslie’s phone call was a nice personal touch,” Lisa said. “I appreciated her follow-up and concern for me.”
Lisa’s experience shows the importance of quick clinical judgment and coordination between urgent, emergency and specialty care teams.
“I feel that this experience demonstrates what unified care from urgent care to surgery should be,” Satterfield said. “When you have a seamless care team, you can expect issues to be addressed in a timely manner, resulting in positive patient outcomes and better care overall.”
For Lisa, the outcome speaks for itself. “If it had to happen, I’m glad it happened how it did,” she stated.
Connected Care Across Covenant Health
Lisa’s experience shows how Covenant Health connects care across urgent care, emergency medicine and advanced surgical services. What began as an unexpected injury quickly became a complex medical emergency, but coordinated teams across the health system worked together to provide timely, lifesaving care. Learn more about Covenant Health’s urgent care and emergency services today.
