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In This Issue:
BWH President Betsy Nabel greets training specialist Weena Saint Elien at the Patient First Fair on Sept. 13.
“I hope you feel better soon.”
Those six words punctuate every patient visit that radiologic technologist Angela Covington, RTR, conducts. It’s just one of the ways she puts patients first and ensures they feel cared for.
“Patients usually smile or thank me when I say that,” said Covington, of Ambulatory Radiology. “I think it lets them know that I care about them and want to do everything I can to help them get better.”
Covington was one of hundreds of BWHers who attended Patient First fairs this week to learn about and discuss ways all staff can put patients first. The fairs, which will be held at locations throughout the distributed campus this month, highlight respect, communication, teamwork, professionalism and service.
“We all have many opportunities each day to improve service excellence to our patients,” said Sharon Vitti, vice president of Women’s Health and Ambulatory Services. “The Patient First campaign was initiated in the Ambulatory areas, but its message resonates throughout the institution, and we hope everyone will become more aware of how to put our patients first every day.”
Examples of putting patients first include arriving at work on time, working collaboratively with care team members to solve problems and resolve conflicts, as well as greeting patients.
“I always introduce myself to new patients and explain what they should expect during a visit,” said Carmen Rivera, a medical assistant in Ambulatory OB/GYN, who attended the Sept. 12 Patient First fair. “And I smile, too.”
Those seemingly small gestures can have a substantial impact on patients’ experiences at the hospital.
Since the Patient First campaign was initiated in 2008, Press Ganey satisfaction scores for outpatient areas have increased. BWH also launched the Patient First Academy, a training program for frontline staff and practice managers with the goal of improving service for patients and families. In addition, Ambulatory Services has a reward and recognition program to acknowledge employees who provide outstanding service to patients.
Celebrate BWH’s achievements in service excellence and learn more about the Patient First campaign at one of the upcoming Patient First fairs. Every employee who attends the fair will have the opportunity to enter a raffle for a free iPad.
Upcoming Patient First Fairs
Sept. 23 | noon – 2 p.m., 850 Boylston St. Main Lobby
Sept. 26 | 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center
Sept. 27 | noon – 2 p.m., Foxborough Community Room
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