At Monterey Medical, our provider network is made up of dedicated healthcare professionals who share a commitment to serving those who have served our country. This month, we’re proud to spotlight Sarah DeLacey, Nurse Practitioner, whose diverse clinical background and passion for patient advocacy have made a meaningful impact in the lives of veterans throughout the disability evaluation process.
A Career Built Around Patients
Sarah’s professional journey combines primary care, clinic leadership, and operational strategy. Throughout her career, she has practiced in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, helping develop healthcare systems designed to improve access, efficiency, and patient experience.
Her work has consistently focused on creating processes that function effectively for patients while respecting their time and lived experiences. Along the way, she has led clinics, developed innovative care models, and expanded her expertise into specialized services such as veteran disability evaluations.
Learning from Healthcare’s Challenges
Some of Sarah’s most influential professional experiences came from witnessing situations where healthcare systems fell short.
“Delayed diagnoses, fragmented communication, and processes that made people feel like they had to prove they were sick taught me a great deal,” she explains.
Those experiences shaped her approach to patient care, which emphasizes thoroughness, trauma-informed communication, accurate documentation, and patient advocacy. Today, these principles guide every aspect of her work, from direct patient care to disability examinations.
Supporting Veterans Through Meaningful Work
Sarah was drawn to disability evaluations after recognizing the challenges many veterans face when navigating the VA claims process.
“I saw how many veterans were struggling to get fair evaluations, accurate documentation, and a clear path through the system,” she says.
With her strong background in clinical documentation and structured medical reasoning, she found an opportunity to help bridge that gap. Her goal is to provide evaluations that accurately reflect each veteran’s health conditions and service-related experiences.
For Sarah, serving veterans is about much more than completing an examination.
“It’s a responsibility to document their history accurately and respectfully,” she explains. “Many veterans have spent years minimizing symptoms or pushing through pain. Being the person who finally listens, validates, and documents their reality is incredibly meaningful.”
The Reward of Making a Difference
One of the most rewarding aspects of Sarah’s work is witnessing the relief veterans feel when their experiences are acknowledged and clearly documented.
“Sometimes the most impactful moment is simply helping someone understand that what they’ve been experiencing is real and that it has been properly documented.”
These moments reinforce the importance of compassionate listening, professional objectivity, and accurate reporting, qualities Sarah believes are essential for every disability examiner.
Partnering with Monterey Medical
Sarah joined Monterey Medical’s provider network after colleagues recognized that her strengths in documentation, clinical reasoning, and complex case evaluation aligned well with the organization’s mission.
Since joining the network, she has found the experience highly rewarding.
“The workflows are organized, communication is clear, and the expectations for quality align with how I already practice,” she says. “I appreciate being part of a provider network that respects clinical judgment, supports operational clarity, and prioritizes veterans’ experiences.”
The work has also complemented her broader professional goals by allowing her to apply her expertise in documentation, regulatory alignment, and clinical evaluation in a focused, high-impact setting.
Advice for Providers Considering Disability Evaluation Work
For healthcare providers interested in joining a provider network such as Monterey Medical’s, Sarah emphasizes the importance of understanding both the responsibility and the impact of the work.
“Disability evaluations require precision, neutrality, and strong documentation skills,” she says. “If you value structure, clarity, and patient respect, this work can be incredibly rewarding.”
She encourages providers who appreciate meaningful work and well-designed workflows to consider the opportunity, noting that disability evaluations allow clinicians to make a lasting difference in veterans’ lives and long-term well-being.