Patient-and-Family-Focused Care Key at UPMC Passavant

For many patients, a stay in the hospital can be a trying experience. It’s often difficult to be away from home, and some people feel quite uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings. The experience also can be difficult for family and friends who are worried about a loved one’s health.

At UPMC Passavant’s campuses in McCandless and Cranberry, special attention has been paid to making the patient experience a more positive one. In addition to being able to take advantage of world-class health care services, patients and their families also have access to a number of amenities specifically designed to make their stay at the hospital a more relaxing, enjoyable experience.

“Beyond the bricks and mortar of our buildings, our technological capabilities, and the expertise of our physicians and nurses, what impresses patients most is the attention that we pay to small details,” explains Teresa A. Petrick, president, UPMC Passavant. “We call it patient-and-family-focused care. And from valet parking, to a complimentary daily newspaper, concierge services, and restaurant-style menu, patients find their stay at UPMC Passavant to be very different from any hospital experience they’ve ever had.”

Patient-and-Family-Focused Care Starts at the Front Door

Even before patients arrive at a UPMC Passavant campus, plans are under way to make their arrival and stay a little easier. UPMC Passavant’s At Your Request Concierge Services provide patients with directions to the hospital and hotel recommendations, as well as any other help that they can provide.

“I believe that our concierge services help to provide a comfort level to patients and families, because they know that we’re looking out for their best interests, not just clinically, but as individuals,” says Gary Mignogna, vice president, Human Resources, UPMC Passavant. “It’s better for a patient if he or she is not concerned about family members; a man who is having open-heart surgery doesn’t need to be worried about taking care of his wife.”

Mr. Mignogna gives the example of patients coming in from out-of-state, who need assistance even before they arrive. “We will call the family ahead of time and provide directions, as well as information about hotels in the area,” he explains. “If they are still apprehensive, we will be standing at the door to meet them when they arrive.” In addition, the hospital works with local hotels to provide discounted accommodations for the families.

At Your Request Concierge Services aren’t just limited to patients and their family members. Employees of UPMC Passavant can take advantage of specific programs designed to make their lives a little less hectic as well. Pick-up and

delivery of employees’ cars to a local car dealership for service appointments, dry cleaning services, mail drop-off, and fax service are some of the services offered.

Rethinking Hospital Food Service

UPMC Passavant partners with Sodexho to offer room service to its patients. “We’ve taken a hotel approach to food service, which is very different than traditional tray line service,” explains Lori Walker, director of Food, Concierge, and Transportation Services. “What’s nice about this is that each meal is cooked to order; we don’t do large-batch cooking. This also enables us to work with each patient to educate him or her on eating a healthy diet.”

After a patient calls the three-digit room service number, he or she orders food from a room service operator. If the patient’s doctor has modified his or her diet, the room service operator will work with the person to find foods that meet the doctor’s requirement while still satisfying the patient’s needs. “Through the room service approach, we are able to provide one-on-one education to the patient,” says Ms. Walker. “Previously, patients received a ‘wish list’ of foods and circled what they wanted, and that list was edited to give them the foods that they were allowed to have. Often they didn’t know why they couldn’t have certain foods. Now, we can work with them to educate them on making good choices.”

Patients also are able to order meals when they want instead of at the hospital’s predetermined time. “Meals aren’t given when we think patients should eat, but instead, when they want to eat,” says Ms. Walker. “Because they are able to eat more liberalized diets, they will also have a better chance of making healthier food choices after they return home.”

Making the Wait Less Worrisome

For family members, a lot of time in hospitals is spent waiting — waiting for test results, or for a surgery to be finished, or even waiting for a patient to wake from a nap. To make the time go more quickly and to reduce the anxiety levels of those who are waiting, UPMC Passavant offers free wireless Internet in certain areas of the hospital.

“Many patients and visitors say they enjoy the convenience of checking and responding to their e-mails or logging on to browse the Web,” says Karen Borosky, vice president, Information Services, UPMC Passavant.

Wi-Fi locations within UPMC Passavant include the cafeteria and oncology waiting area on the ground floor; and Donor Hall, the Amenities Desk, the front lobby, the Cardiac Cath Lab waiting room, the registration waiting area, the East Wing Lab waiting area, Austin’s Playroom, and the Emergency Department waiting room on the first floor.  Free Wi-Fi also is available in the OR waiting area on the second floor and in the ICU waiting area and terrace areas on the third floor.

Families also can choose to wait in the coffee shop, where new flat panel TVs have been installed, or they can enjoy coffee and snacks in designated areas within the ICU and surgical areas. There is also a cafeteria on the ground floor that offers themed cuisine and traditional home-style meals. For family members who want to move around while awaiting results, UPMC Passavant also provides restaurant-style pagers, so that family members can be informed when they need to return to a specific area.

For family members looking for some quiet time, there is a Chapel on the ground floor, a Meditation Room in the ICU waiting area, and a Healing Garden located in an outdoor alcove across from the Chapel. The Healing Garden features two rock waterfall fountains filled with goldfish, flowering plants, an attractive stone walkway, and benches where families can sit and relax. The garden is also home to “Hope,” a statue of a little girl holding a butterfly, designed by renowned artist Susan Wagner.

Helping You Home

When patients are ready to leave UPMC Passavant, the focus on patient-and-family-focused care doesn’t stop. For those families who have a lot of items to carry, UPMC Passavant offers free bellhop service to make sure that the patient, and his or her  possessions, make it to the front door safely. Valet service is available upon discharge and arrival as well.

“Supreme customer service is not a program or a slogan; it is a way of treating the very core of our business, who are our visitors, customers, and employees,” says Ms. Petrick. “Our goal is to provide a nurturing environment that is conducive to healing.”

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