Concierge program expands to meet needs of patients

Inpatients at Swedish Covenant Hospital are now greeted by a new member of the clinical care team – a concierge. Funded through the Patient Care Fund, the new concierge program provides personalized services to patients and their families.Thanks to the generosity of donors, the program recently expanded through the hiring of a full-time team member, Hannah Prevost-Schultz. Hannah shared with us about her role at Swedish Covenant Hospital and how she hopes to make an impact through her work.What is your role as a patient experience consultant?My role is multifaceted which I like because it allows me to be involved in multiple patient experience initiatives at once. We want to make sure we’re being proactive at every touch point in a patient’s care so I am rounding on patients daily, fielding their phone calls and troubleshooting their experiences with them as quickly as possible so we can provide an excellent experience for them. Some days I’m providing our complimentary items to show we want to anticipate their needs and other days I’m lending an empathetic ear as they share about their experience. When patients come here, we want them to know we’re available and responsive and my role supports those efforts. Why is the concierge program important?The program provides another way for us to engage our patients in a very human and non-clinical way. We strive to care for patients as whole persons in their uniqueness and with human kindness. This program seeks to support their clinical healing environment while recognizing and often times anticipating their other human needs. When their days in the hospital are filled with tests, medications and medical terms, we seek to bring another layer of humanity to their experience with us. We are striving to support an environment that creates a feeling of loyalty among our patients. We work to provide ways for them to feel so seen, heard and well cared for that they wouldn’t dream of going anywhere else because they feel so connected to the Swedish Covenant Hospital family.How has the concierge program made a difference for patients?I’ve had the privilege of hearing many different patient’s stories over the past few weeks and I’ve seen the impact our program can have on building loyalty because of how they are treated. I sometimes encounter patients whose expectations aren’t being met and through taking the time to listen and empathize with their frustration; I’m able to identify a need (no matter how big or small) and act quickly to address it so they are feeling heard and seen instead of being lost in a system. Other times it’s a simple offer of a complimentary item that they may have forgotten at home in the rush of their unexpected arrival at the hospital. This shows them we’re anticipating their needs, no matter how small, because the patient is at the center of what we do. I’ve seen patient faces turn from frowns to smiles, we’ve shared laughter and tears, all the while reinforcing that amidst the clinical surrounding they’re in, we all see them as a holistic human with dynamic needs and we want to care for them in their entirety, at every touch point.What inspires you to work for Swedish Covenant Hospital?I’m inspired every day when I walk the halls in our hospital because of the people I see.  One of the coolest things I’ve learned so far is how many long term employees there are working here. The vast majority of people I’ve met have worked here for 10+ years and I’m already experiencing some of the same reasons why they stay- the community! There is a tangible feeling in the air when you walk around that people genuinely want to work here and serve our community. It’s motivating for me to see that lived out in the stories I hear from our patients and in my own experience getting to know everyone. Swedish Covenant Hospital is a special place.To learn more about supporting the Patient Care Fund at Swedish Covenant Hospital, click here or contact the Foundation at (773) 293-5121 or Foundation@swedishcovenant.org.