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around the system
HUNTINGTON — Neither
Peter Morley nor Tom O’Reilly
works at Huntington Hospital
or even in the healthcare field.
But they serve side by side
with hospital staff and board
members on the hospital’s new
Patient/Family Centered Care
Partnership Council. Chaired by
Amy Loeb, RN, nurse manager
of 2SouthWest, the Council’s
mission is “to create dynamic
patient, family and caregiver
partnerships that enhance
the healthcare experience at
Huntington Hospital.”
The group aims to enhance
the patient experience by encouraging open, twoway
communication, articulating patients’ and family
members’ needs and ensuring those needs are met.
“We want community members to have a real
partnership with the hospital to help enhance the
patient experience,” Ms. Loeb said. “We want the
patient and family perspective so we don’t have to
assume we know what they want and need.”
Huntington board member Carmela Anglim brings
decades of experience to the partnership, including
service as a hospital trustee, a hospital volunteer and
administrator of volunteer services for another Long Island hospital.
“The hospital is the great equalizer,” she said. “Sooner or later
we all get here. Patients can feel frightened and isolated and families
may be reluctant to be involved. Our goal is to empower patients and
families and bring them into the circle of care.”
The council will do more than enhance patient comfort.
“This is a safety initiative too,” said Ms. Loeb. “By facilitating
communication, when patients leave the hospital they will
understand why they were here and what they need to do to stay
well in the future.”
Ms. Loeb pointed to existing hospital programs that support the
goals of the council. Weekly patient safety rounds bring department
heads onto patient care units where direct care providers can discuss
emerging concerns and issues. The Palliative Medicine Program is
another avenue for patients and caregivers to set mutual goals.
This collaborative approach is beginning to take root at hospitals
16 Summer 2012
Patient/Family/Caregiver
Partnerships Include
Community Members
By Theresa Jacobellis
around the country. It began at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore following
the tragic death of a child whose mother’s concerns were not taken
seriously by her healthcare team. The Institute for Healthcare
Improvement, the World Health Organization and other national and
international groups focused on healthcare quality endorse healthcare
teams formally including patient and family input.
“Patients and their loved ones are our eyes and ears,” said Ms.
Loeb. “We want to invite them to be our partners in caring because
it benefits all of us.”
“For me, this is not just another clinical initiative but a pathway
to truly having a transparent organization,” said Deborah Feehan,
RN, clinical nursing supervisor. “Through community input we can
improve the care and experience our patients receive.”
Pictured above are members of the new Patient/Family Centered Care
Partnership Council.