Greeters added to improve patient experience
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Two greeters, one at the main entrance and another in Same Day Surgery, will be welcoming visitors to Backus, providing direction and answering ques- tions during the morning hours. At left is Hiedi Nordstrom and right is Rose Fratoni.
On just her second day on the job, Backus greeter Hiedi Nordstrom made her presence felt.
As she was completing her day greet- ing patients in Same Day Surgery, an elevator malfunctioned and a patient was stuck. She heard the call for help and used her new wireless phone — only charged for five minutes — to call the switchboard. Within minutes the person was safely removed from the elevator, and her day was done.
Ms. Nordstrom is one of two new greeters at Backus, the other being Rose Fratoni. One is stationed in Same Day Surgery and the other at the front entrance during the early morning hours before Information Desk personnel arrive.
The philosophy is this: You only get one chance to make a good first impression.
And in a hospital setting, that first impression can be a lasting one. Even if the best care is provided, if a patient is lost without help or isn’t registered in a timely fashion it can make the difference between a good and bad experience.
This has always been a matter of pride at Backus. And experts believe that patient experience will play a larger role in hospital reimbursements in the new era of healthcare reform.
Whether it is signing in surgical patients, offering directions, communicating to patients’ loved ones or just smiling and politely saying “Welcome to Backus, how can I help you?,” the greeters are a key piece of patient-centered care.
Friends and family waiting for loved ones in the Same Day Surgery waiting room recently were impressed. They said the combination of the patient tracker, a lareg electronic board that allows them to see the status of patients throughout the surgical process, and the greeters made their experience much less stressful.
“It creates so much less anxiety for family members,” said Rachel Olson. “I had to find the cafeteria and she
(the greeter) showed me how to get there,” said Eileen Scavoni.
“Everyone is so nice, they really help you here,” said Sharon Sloan. “Especially if it is your first time at the hospital and you don’t know which way to turn. It can be confusing.”
The greeters didn’t need a lot of training to find their way around Backus. Ms. Fratoni is a longtime patient care
technician at Backus who has also worked at the Information Desk, and Ms. Nordstrom served as a greeter here years ago.
The new staff members are part of an overall wayfinding initiative at Backus, with a goal of making it easier for patients to find their way around the hospital. Whether it is new signage or new staff, years of facility renovations, expansions and process changes have made this a top priority.