From Left to Right: Back Row - John Mason, Progressive Care Unit (PCU), Alex Martinez, Orthopaedics/Surgery, Front Row - Maresa Class, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Maria Perez, Mother Infant/ Pediatrics, Jessica Diaz, Hematology/ Oncology, Sonia Hernandez, Medical/Surgical, Susan Romano, Trauma
As Antonio M. Duda, 47, a patient on the Progressive Care Unit (PCU) awakens from a mid-afternoon nap he is greeted with a big, bright smile. Though this face is unfamiliar to him, he immediately finds himself at ease with the gentleman standing before him.
“Good afternoon Mr. Duda, my name is John and I am the Patient Relations Liaison on this floor. I’m here to assist with your needs and make your stay as comfortable as possible.”
John Mason is the Patient Liaison for the PCU. He is one of seven recently hired employees for this newly developed position at Cooper. On a normal work day, he sees over 70 patients on his floor (N8/S8), introducing them to the unit and accommodating the needs of both the patient and his or her family in any way possible. Each liaison is assigned to a different floor within the hospital and becomes the concierge for that unit. The liaisons help to maintain cleanliness on each unit, set up meetings between doctors and patients, handle patient complaints and assist in patient discharges.
These positions were created to reflect the important components of personalizing, humanizing and demystifying the patient and family healthcare experience. A Patient Relations Liaison plays an active role in patient care and are often the eyes and ears reporting concerns to appropriate managers. Their leadership and communication skills on each floor provide a healing environment that is beneficial to the recovery of each patient.
“The same way you have doctors and nurses here for clinical purposes, I’m here for customer service reasons,” said Mason. “It’s amazing how the littlest things can make a big difference for a patient. The other day I found a newspaper for a gentleman on my floor and I am still receiving praise from him for it. It was as if I had handed him a one hundred dollar bill.”
For some patients, a hospital stay can be a few short days or several long weeks. During that time, it’s evident that a special bond takes place between the patient and his or her liaison. Through their daily interactions, a friendship is formed. Mr. Duda, nearing his fourth week in the PCU, continuously looks forward to his daily visits with John.
“John has helped me out tremendously and his hospitality has far exceeded my expectations,” said Mr. Duda. “He’s the man to talk to when I need something.”
The liaisons have already gone above and beyond their job descriptions, taking ownership of their units. A few have taken it upon themselves to create separate movie and game nights for their unit. These activities give patients a chance to interact with one another and keep them occupied during sometimes long evenings.
“This is a fabulous position that was strongly needed here at Cooper,” said Helen Nichter, R.N., Associate Clinical Manager for PCU. “They help support the physicians and nurses by handling the non-clinical aspect of caring for a person. Every situation, good or bad, is handled efficiently and effectively.”
Susan Romano, the Patient Liaison for the Trauma Department, visits patients that are in critical condition due to being seriously injured from an accident or catastrophic event. Incapable of much physical movement or interaction, Romano spends most of her day visiting with family members of the patients on her floor and helping them cope with this traumatic and sometimes sudden experience. She is their walking “resource guide” providing information on visiting hours, patient disability, financial concerns or any other questions that may arise.
“Many of the families that I see are extremely emotional and just need to vent out their frustration to someone who will listen,” said Romano. “I help them get through this very difficult time by lending a helping hand and providing a strong shoulder to lean on.”
The new Liaisons were already previous employees of Cooper and were selected based on their proven record of showing a commitment to patient and family centered care. They will all be able to provide notary services, and have been trained in Crisis Intervention, Pastoral Care Programs, Planetree, Care with Compassion, Infection Prevention Service Recovery and “Dealing with Difficult People”.
“A patient is an individual to be cared for, not a medical condition to be treated,” said Maresa Class, Patient Relations Liaison for the Intensive Care Unit. “Through our training we are now able to effectively care for their emotional well-being as well as their physical well-being.”
Everyday, new patients are admitted to the hospital bringing with them requests, concerns and questions. Therefore, a Patient Liaison’s responsibilities and techniques continuously change to fit their work environment. However, all seven liaison’s share one thing in common: each leave work everyday knowing that they have made an impact in someone else’s life.