Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1233999
35 WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP 35 CEO/STRATEGY care for a pet, or even being positioned so they can see more natural light. Our patients are less anxious when we address what's meaning- ful to each individual. At Tus Medical Center, we live by the mantra "always thinking ahead" to thoughtfully anticipate what each patient will need based on what is important to her/him. Manny Rodriguez Chief marketing, experience and customer officer for UCHealth (Aurora, Colo.) Improving our patients' experience, in a real and personal way, is one of our top priorities. It's important for team members to always listen and be present in the moment when interacting with patients, caregiv- ers and visitors. is seems like it might be a minor thing or straight- forward concept to keep in mind to do each and every day, but it goes a long way in impacting patient experience. Patients remember the positive experiences they have throughout their visit or inpatient stay. We underscore to all our employees that no matter what their roles or functions are, they are critical to each patient's experience, every day. Eugene Scioscia Jr., MD Chief experience officer for Allegheny Health Network (Pittsburgh) ere's a lot we can do. One thing I suggest to colleagues is that they always remember to "bring their human to work." ey can do this by focusing on "micro behaviors," particularly those which enhance empathy and compassion — making eye contact, paying attention to the tone of one's voice, sitting rather than standing when talking to a patient, and so on. We can also work to stay in tune with our emo- tional intelligence through several behaviors and habits: self-aware- ness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and compassion, and social skills. And when all else fails, I have a simple rule — just be kind. Ghazala Sharieff, MD Corporate vice president and chief experience officer for Scripps Health (San Diego) At Scripps Health, we have rolled out our "one thing different" initia- tive. Rather than us telling our front-line employees what to do, we empower them to choose to do just one thing different from what they are already doing to help their patients. e concept came from a patient I took care of many years ago. I decided to ask a simple question of my patients: "What is your greatest concern?" One of the first patients I asked this of was a 7-year-old who presented with alternating leg pain and high fevers for a week and a half. He had been seen at three different emergency departments across town, and each time an X-ray was taken of the affected limb and the family was told that the X-ray was normal, and that they should follow up with their pediatrician. My turn came on their fourth visit. I could easily have sent them to their pediatrician, as the child had no fever or leg pain when I saw him, but I asked the grandmother what her greatest concern was. She said, "I'm worried he has cancer." at made me pause for thought, and I said, "Let's get a blood test." Sure enough, that child had leukemia, and I would have been the fourth physician to miss the diagnosis had it not been for my "one thing different." Kevin Vermeer President and CEO at UnityPoint Health (West Des Moines, Iowa) It sounds simple, but treat patients as people. Get to know them, ask questions, anticipate their needs. Take an interest in who they are and what they want. For us, it's all about showing people how much they matter, in big and small ways — alongside providing an exceptional care experience. We want the people and communities we serve to know that we see them, and we're here to support them — no matter what. Juliya Volansky Patient experience administrator in Montefiore Health System's ra- diology department (Bronx, N.Y.) Conducting daily staff huddles for about 10 minutes gives an oppor- tunity to come together as a team. During the huddle, the team can discuss any patient experience issues and ways to improve. is also offers an excellent opportunity to read a few positive patient com- ments and motivate the team for a successful day. Daily patient rounding is one of the most important ways to engage with our patients and give them updates. It also provides an opportu- nity for patients to ask questions. Alpa Vyas Vice president of patient experience at Stanford (Calif.) Health Care To me, the single most important thing that myself as a leader and team members working in the healthcare environment every day is bringing forward this notion of empathy and compassion. And compassion is basically empathy in action. What does this look like in the day-to-day? Somebody might be look- ing for directions, for example, to a place on our campus. It's one thing to be nice and offer a written direction or a map, but if it's something we can do, wouldn't it be better if we could actually walk them to that location? Another thing we talk about is closing the loop. If I were on the oth- er side of a phone call or on the other side of a check-in desk, what would I want to happen for me? Hopefully, that also instills this notion of empowerment for our frontline employees and providers that they feel they can go that extra step to help patients and families. Michael Yungmann President of Mercy Health – Paducah and Irvine (Ky.) Project calmness, warmth and eagerness to listen — however one is comfortable exhibiting genuine concern. It only takes a moment to stop being "busy" and to focus on connecting on a personal level. Joan Zoltanski, MD Chief experience officer at University Hospitals (Cleveland) e most impactful behavior that team members can do to impact the patient experience is to listen first. When we stop and listen before we talk, we have the opportunity to help patients feel heard, validate their feelings and then help them with their specific needs, instead of assuming what their needs may be. is way, we can help pro- vide great care in a way that engages rather than directs — which is much more effective. n "For us, it's all about showing people how much they matter, in big and small ways — alongside providing an exceptional care experience." - Kevin Vermeer, President and CEO, UnityPoint Health