A Thoughtful Design that Enhances the Care Team’s Experience

We reached a significant milestone last week as we celebrated the grand opening of our new Louis and Phyllis Friedman Building. Next week, we look forward to welcoming our very first patients onto our two new 30-room units in the building: Fran and Mark Harris Patient Care Unit 42 Medicine/Oncology and William C. and Suzanne Eck Higinbothom Patient Care Unit 52 Medicine/Stroke. 

In light of the opening of the units, I wanted to share a bit about the thoughtful and very intentional design of the units and patient rooms within them. Before we started the construction process, we solicited feedback from patients, staff, volunteers, and donors. In mid-2021, we designed a mock patient room, and allowed employees, former patients, and volunteers to walk through and give their thoughts on the layout. We listened carefully and created a design that would offer comfort and convenience to patients and families, while also optimizing efficiency for staff and providing them with state-of-the-art equipment and technology, right at their fingertips. 

Top: Unit 42 team; Bottom: Unit 52 team

Employees that will be working on the units have expressed excitement about several amenities that will make their day-to-day work easier. Gone are the days of the workstation-on-wheels, which nurses previously had to roll from room to room. Each room on the new units has its own workstation, where staff can easily access patient records and input information. Rooms are also equipped with an Epic Monitor, which can be used as a review and/or teaching tool, allowing clinicians to review data and results and then share information in a patient-friendly way. Digital door displays positioned outside the patient rooms share critical care details, such as necessary precautions, vitals and fall risk level, before members of the care team enter. 

One very innovative feature of each room is the “patient server,” which is essentially a storage cabinet for necessary medical supplies, fresh linens, as well as linens that need to be cleaned. This server is accessible both inside and outside the room, meaning that staff does not have to exit the room to seek commonly used supplies, nor do they have to unnecessarily enter rooms for tasks such as removing linens to be cleaned. 

Caregiver stations on the units are centrally located and situated with visible sight lines to patient rooms. These stations allow our staff space to complete technology and communication tasks while still being within view of their patients. Additionally, because we know it is important for staff to have the opportunity to decompress, breakrooms are nearby but distinctly separated from the caregiver stations and patient rooms, meaning staff can have lunch and take breaks with minimal interruption. 

Staff members have shared their happiness that the new rooms will enhance the experience for patients and their loved ones. The new rooms are twice the size of our older patient rooms, with bathrooms that are also larger and designed for safety, complete with accessible showers and more. Patients’ loved ones will also have additional comforts in the space, as the “family zone” within the room includes a multi-purpose bench that can transform into a place to work, sleep, dine, and be a part of the healing process. 

Leapfrog rating 

We recently got the news that GBMC Hospital received a "B" grade in the Fall 2023 Leapfrog Survey. This "B" grade marks an improvement from our previous survey results and is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our exceptional staff. The Fall 2023 survey took into consideration process/structural measures, Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey results, and outcomes measures when assigning the grade. Thank you to all for your dedication to continuous improvement. 

Recognizing Staff 

While I am thankful to all our employees year-round for their essential services, I appreciate the opportunity to recognize them during various national healthcare worker observance weeks. This week, we are celebrating many! In honor of Medical Staff Services Awareness Week, I'd like to thank our medical services professionals for their expertise in areas such as medical staff organization, accreditation, provider enrollment, regulatory compliance, and provider relations in their vital role as gatekeepers of patient safety. As part of Allied Ophthalmic Personnel Week, please join me in celebrating our ophthalmology team for their commitment to improving the delivery and quality of eye care at GBMC. National Radiologic Technology Week is November 5-11. I am grateful to our medical imaging professionals for providing critical diagnostic and interventional imaging services for patient care and health care safety. 

This week we also recognize our Patient Transport team for their vital role in patient flow, patient care, and overall patient experience as well as our Forensic Nurses for their ongoing commitment to patient-centered, trauma-informed specialty care of patients impacted by violence. 

Last, but certainly not least, November 9 was Genetic Counselor Awareness Day. At GBMC, we are fortunate to have our team with the Harvey Institute for Human Genetics helping patients better understand the genetic testing process, identifying key information in patients’ family health history, and supporting patients through important medical decisions.  

Thanking Our Veterans 

Saturday is Veterans Day. Today, our Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee led our annual organization-wide Veterans Day Ceremony to honor the millions of American military personnel who have served to protect us. I’m grateful to all those who have personally sacrificed to ensure our freedom and especially want to thank our GBMC HealthCare employees and volunteers who are veterans on our main campus, in our physician practices, and throughout Gilchrist.