Keywords

Bedside rounding, Bedside shift report, Best practices, Bluewater Health, Critical care, Family-centered care, Family-centric, Healing environment, ICU, Interdisciplinary care, Leadership development, Manager education, Patient, Patient advisor, Patient advocate, Patient-centered care, Patient-centric, Patient handover, Patient rounding, Patient safety, Patient transfer, Patient transitions, Patient visitation, Policy, Quality improvement, Safety, Staff safety, Top performer, Visitation hours, Workplace violence

Authors

1. Matchett, Debbie BScN, RN
2. Haddad, Michel MD, MSc, FRCSC
3. Volland, Jennifer DHA, MBE, BSN, RN

Abstract

Consumers are increasingly becoming the voice and impetus for hospital organizational change in the United States. This is in part due to their increased stake in cost sharing with hospitals, health systems, and the ambulatory setting and revisions to health plans with higher deductibles and copays. With customers wanting services better, faster, and more economical than in the past, organizations need to break the ceiling on improvement levels for exceeding expectations of patient experience. Of interest is the hospital critical care area, because of the heightened patient needs, support, and resources that are required in this acute setting. Bluewater Health, located in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, is a top-industry performer on the patient experience access-to-care dimension. Much can be learned from the multiple practices it has used to create an environment that embraces patients and families to the fullest extent, ensuring the resources needed for optimizing care are received.