HEART sessions are in full swing in Chestertown, Dorchester and Easton, and so far, team member feedback is very favorable. While the sessions emphasize the importance of every interaction between team members, patients and family members, there are also are a number of broad, system-wide initiatives in progress that are designed to support the enhancement of the patient experience throughout UM Shore Regional Health facilities and departments.
HEART Update — Food Services and Environmental Services
“Both Food Services and Environmental Services have launched exciting new programs to keep our patients comfortable, safe and satisfied with their meals and the cleanliness of their rooms, the hospitals and other facilities,” says Bob Frank, vice president of Operations.
Under the leadership of Matt Tresansky, regional director of Food Services, chefs Jorge Alvarez, Bryan Bowers and Gerry Ward have made great progress in enhancing the variety, nutrition, taste and presentation of patient meals and cafeteria offerings, and there is much more emphasis on providing attentive service and consideration for individual patient dietary preferences and restrictions.
Under the leadership of Jonathan Kelley, director of Environmental Services for Easton and Dorchester, and Sandy Carino, director of Environmental Services at Chestertown, sound, structured approaches to providing clean, aseptic and pleasant environment for all guests, visitors, staff and physicians are now in place. These approaches include standardized cleaning systems designed to reduce the incidence of hospital-acquired infections and improve patient satisfaction. Staff training also enables EVS team members to make a lasting, positive first impression on patients and visitors by following strict protocols for prepping patient rooms as well as guidelines for personal appearance, verbal and non-verbal communication, behaviors and interactions that promote patient satisfaction.
“Feedback from patients and their families about our food and the appearance and cleanliness of our facilities is increasingly complimentary,” notes Frank. “All team members in EVS and Food Service deserve a lot of credit for the difference they are making in the patient experience.”
HEART Announcement — Quietness
Another key initiative getting under way is Quietness. Introduced at Management Forum by project leaders Gary Bigelow, director of Radiology, and Penny Pink, director of Surgical and Ambulatory Services, on Thursday, January 26, Quietness is based on the principle that people who are undergoing treatment for illness or injury need rest to recover. Hospitals and outpatient facilities tend to be noisy places but that is already beginning to change at Shore Regional Health as noise reduction has been identified as a major priority to improve the patient experience.
According to Bigelow, implementing strategies known to be successful in reducing noise and increasing a sense of calm is anticipated to involve making changes in sound and lighting technologies and signage, and implementing new guidelines for staff and visitor behaviors. “The intent of Quietness measures is to create a calmer and more peaceful environment so that patients can rest and heal, and also to make the work environment for all staff less stressful and more peaceful,” he explains.
At present, managers are conducting noise assessment analyses for their units and departments. From those assessments, appropriate noise reduction measures will be identified and implemented, and there will be a roll-out of the broader Quietness initiatives during the month of March – including the establishment of Quiet Hours in all hospitals, 10 p.m. – 5 a.m. beginning March 21, 2017.
According to Susan Coe, chief experience officer and senior vice president, Human Resources, all of these initiative tie into HEART. “HEART encompasses our renewed and unified sense of purpose in everything we do to enhance the patient experience and the overall work environment throughout UM Shore Regional Health,” Coe says.