I’ll never forget my first experience with a hospital, as a 5 year old. I had liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer in children, in my left arm. Yes, the skill of the surgeon was essential in removing the growth … and a relapse a year later, but it was the nurses and support staff who were there with me.
Back in the day, parents had strict visiting hours and these were enforced, over a length of stay of 5 days. But the nurses and support staff comforted me, and though I don’t remember much from the time, I do remember that people cared.
Fast forward to a professional career that spans more than 25 years in healthcare and I think of all the people who are in hospital beds now … every bit as scared as that kindergarten student in 1965.
What are the processes that we can implement that will allow the support staff, the nurses, and doctors to spend more time with patients, comfort them, and create good outcomes? My goal with this blog is to help find what works, and try to “spread the word.”
In past lives, I’ve held management positions with Thomson Reuters, and Philadelphia area providers Jefferson Health System, Main Line Health, and Graduate Health System.
My current role is leading ARAMARK Healthcare’s partnerships with industry organizations on research and education to align support services like environmental services, food and nutrition, clinical equipment, facilities management, patient transport, laundry and linen, central supply/materials management, and security, with outcomes that matter like clinical, financial, and patient and employee satisfaction.
I also serve on the Board at Bon Secours Baltimore Health System.
The academic world is a passion of mine that I feed as a senior scholar at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia.
Helping the next generation of leaders also is very important to me and I’m able to get involved through my work with the advisory councils in the health care graduate programs at both Widener University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
If you are as passionate about healthcare as I am, I would love to hear from you to help foster the conversation.
