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CDIC
Karen Morse-Gallagher might not meet all of the patients she handles, but her care and attention to detail are vital to making their BWH experience a good one.
“Every little thing you can do for a patient before they show up for their procedure makes their experience better,” said Morse-Gallagher, whose sharp attention to detail and clinical expertise enable her to pinpoint issues that could delay or cancel a procedure and increase patients’ waiting time.
As intake coordinator for the Cardiovascular Diagnostic and Interventional Center (CDIC), Morse-Gallagher reviews patient records before patients arrive for their procedures. Her strong clinical background—she has 22 years of ED nursing experience under her belt—enables her to identify patients’ medical needs and ease their anxiety.
“Depending on how anxious they are about their procedure, I might get to know them pretty well through several phone conversations,” said Morse-Gallagher, who assures patients have the appropriate education and know all of their options. “Sometimes patients’ problems are complex, and I use the resources available to help them navigate the system.”
That involves working with physicians, physician assistants, nurses and secretaries in Cardiology Scheduling, Admitting, the Preadmitting Testing Center and many other departments to coordinate procedures. It’s thanks to her tireless efforts that procedures in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab and Electrophysiology Lab begin on time.
Morse-Gallagher also is improving the experience of patients’ families. As one quality improvement initiative, she worked with a surgical liaison to make sure families of patients undergoing lengthy procedures in the Cath Lab could wait in the Bretholtz Center, rather than the CDIC waiting area. Families can access the computers and patient education materials in the Bretholtz Center and receive updates on their loved one from the surgical liaison.
“It’s small initiatives like this that get the whole system to work for the patient,” Morse-Gallagher said.