Patient Experience is a program set forth by Cincinnati Children’s Radiology Department to investigate and put into effect ways to make the visit outcomes of our patients and their families better. Implemented by our Quality Improvement and Compliance Division (QI), the program seeks to improve overall patient and family experiences. It’s not just about the type of care children receive, but how they feel when they are here and how we can make it better.
Each year, the radiology department joins the entire hospital in celebrating Patient Experience Week. During the week, we celebrate and honor everyone that impacts patient experience every day.
In our department, one of the ways we celebrate is by showing appreciation to our coworkers for their hard work and continued efforts on behalf of the patients and families. Employees nominate their peers for the Radiology Patient Experience Award. This is the person that consistently goes “Above and Beyond” and follows our Core Values: Make a Connection/Difference, Work as a Team, Communicate/Tell the Truth, Respect Everyone, Exceed Expectations.
This year there were more than 160 nominations for the Radiology Patient Experience Award.
Three winners were presented with the award: Erin McNamara (MRI tech), Carey Eiser (anesthesia imaging nurse), and Tammy Weitzel (rad tech). Here’s what some of the nominees had to say about our winners:
“Erin is a rockstar. She is one of the best floats we have in the MRI department. She won’t let a patient sit in the waiting room for more than 5 minutes without grabbing them. She busts her butt every day to make sure the day goes smooth. Erin also helped train almost all of second shift and didn’t complain once. She is always there to help. She is just a huge part of our team, and we would be lost without her. Erin, you are so loved and appreciated! Thank you so much for everything that you do!!”
“Erin just cares so much about the patients, her coworkers, and the hospital. Her passion is inspirational, motivational, and just plain stellar. I think we could all benefit from attempting to be a little more like Erin. WWED = What Would Erin Do?”
“Erin is an employee that excels in going above and beyond. She is very proactive, dependable, and positive. Erin also desires to give her patients and their families the best experience here at
CCHMC. The MRI department is beyond lucky to have Erin!”
“Carey is so great with our patients and families! She is energetic and friendly and is always willing to make sure things are done well. She often walks patients out to their cars or to the inpatient unit and never complains about extra work. She goes above and beyond making sure the unit is stocked and the floors are clean 🙂 You rock, Carey!”
“Compassion and teamwork. Always willing to lend a hand, pick up shifts, take call, switch shifts. Carey tackles hard tasks and patients with ease. She is never idle and goes above and beyond while taking care of patients. I really enjoy her work ethic!”
“Carey always has a smile on her face and makes each and every patient and family member feel at ease. She explains each step in a way everyone can understand and offers toys/tablets or gets Child Life involved when necessary to keep each patient happy and occupied until it is time for their scan. She provides frequent updates to each patient and family and makes sure all of their questions are answered. Carey is an advocate for her patients and does not hesitate to speak up and relay important information to ensure their safety. She is a wonderful team player constantly checking on her collogues to see if she can help in any way and often takes initiative to help out without being asked.”
“Tammy’s kindness and caring comes through in all her interactions with patients, families, and staff. She is a knowledgeable and gentle person who brings such positivity to the work environment. She exemplifies all of the core values: Makes a Connection/Difference, Works as a Team, Communicates/Tell the Truth, Respects Everyone, Exceeds Expectations.”
“Tammy is an exceptionally caring X-ray tech. She always provides great care and is very compassionate. She is reliable and a super coworker!”
“Over 20 years of providing excellence in imaging and patient care, well known throughout the region. Works all OP locations, all shifts and outstanding teammate. Never calls in sick.”
Dianne Hater is our patient and family advocate. She comes to work every day with a smile on her face, with the primary goal of enhancing the radiology experience for patients and their families. Her initial responsibilities were focused around improving the waiting room experience, answering patient and family questions while they waited, providing information about hospital policies, and connecting families with financial and social assistance programs. She worked closely with the registration personnel, technologists, and patients when issues arose with respect to imaging instructions, other same-day appointments and imaging delays.
Glenn Miñano is a media specialist in the Department of Radiology, providing graphic design, photography, printing, video services, and administration of the department’s online properties. His works have been published in several medical articles, such as the American Journal of Radiology and the American Institute of Ultrasound. He has been providing these services to the Radiology Department since 1996.
Meredith Towbin is a freelance copy editor and writer. She has copyedited the Department of Radiology’s blog since it launched. She also works as a copy editor for the home improvement website BobVila.com. Her writing has been featured on HuffPost as well as other writing sites.
