St. Vincent”™s Medical Center has now fully developed its in-house Patient-Family Advisory Board.
According to Darol Bates, director of patient relations at St. Vincent”™s, the goal of the new board, which first convened in January, is to promote patient-centered care through enhanced collaboration.
“We like to say that we provide patient-centered care, but some feedback from patients and family members suggests we can do some things differently and better,” said Bates. “Instead of sitting at a meeting with only St. Vincent”™s staff members, we need to talk with patients and families and see what matters most to them.”
The board, which according to Bates has been embraced by employees and the board of directors, consists of several staff members and 14 volunteer patients and family members of patients who have received care at the Medical Center.
According to Bates, the idea of forming the board was initiated by Susan L. Davis, St. Vincent”™s president, and Kerry Eaton, vice president of patient outcomes.
“Hospitals typically do what they think the patients want, but often have not gotten their input,” said Eaton. “We wanted to ensure that our patients and families had a voice at the table when decisions about patient care are made. It is our belief that incorporating their feedback into practices will improve the patient and family experience.”
According to Eaton and Davis, they were inspired to create the board after learning of a similar group at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
The Advisory Board is chaired by Gerd Weindling of Trumbull, St. Vincent”™s volunteer Medicare counselor and a family member of a patient who received care at the medical center.
According to Eaton, attendance at monthly meetings reflects the diverse population served at St. Vincent”™s.
The group has populated a number of hospital committees; conjured up a lobby hand-washing station; changed a patient transportation policy; and is currently at work on a new visitor policy that focuses on patient preference.
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“Everyone has the opportunity to make St. Vincent”™s better,” said Mary Ellen Hagedus, a board member from Fairfield. “Serving on this board has helped me heal after losing my father. My father loved this place and this is the way to honor him.”
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