Once Upon a Time…
Community members came here to share their stories and advice about care
“Put patients first, no matter your position.”
Gerard Migliore of Allentown
Migliore (left) is no stranger to hospitals. He was born with a hereditary kidney disease to which he lost his three brothers. After having a kidney transplant 19 years ago, he’s doing well. He has blood drawn for tests every eight weeks. Greeting him is Kathryne Hahn, a scheduler at the Diagnostic Care Center at LVH–Cedar Crest. They’ve developed a special bond, often talking about the children’s books Migliore is writing. “Like a machine, every piece, every employee, of a hospital makes it work,” Migliore says. “Everyone contributes to a patient’s experience.” Having worked in a hospital for many years, mostly in communications, Migliore recognizes LVHHN is a place where staff is empowered to make a difference. “It may be just another day for you, but it’s not for patients and their families,” he says.
Marjorie Stevens had her children at LVH–17th and Chew (then The Allentown Hospital). Her husband had heart surgery at LVH–Cedar Crest. She took tai chi classes at the Healthy You Center. Her friend recently had orthopedic surgery at LVH–Muhlenberg. And some of the customers she met during her 30-some years as the director of and volunteer at the Parkland Community Library have a story about care at LVHHN.
“The hospital has been a part of my life, as well as my family’s and friends’,” says Stevens, an Orefield resident for more than 35 years. Now, we’re using Stevens’ story to shape the future of our patients’ experiences. We took a bold step, asking 16 community members to share their stories with caregivers and offer advice. They spoke during Journey of Growth, two retreats devoted to taking our care to the next level. The retreats resulted in more than 2,000 ideas, which a committee is reviewing and determining if they can be implemented.
While some ideas require planning and resources, community members offered simple ideas for improving the patient experience. Stevens’ advice: “Treat all patients as though they are your family or friends. News of great care travels.” Here are stories and advice shared by others:
“If you don’t know the answer, find someone who does.”
Rev. Donald and Virginia Knapp of Allentown
Before having surgery for colon cancer two years ago, Rev. Donald Knapp was bothered by something his mechanical mind naturally wondered: “How would the doctor connect the little intestine to the colon without it leaking?” His doctor’s response: “If you knew everything, you’d probably want to do it yourself in your garage.” It was funny, but it didn’t comfort him. “I should have insisted on an explanation,” Knapp says. The Knapps summed up their advice in a song they performed at the Journey of Growth retreats.
“Listen to patients and their family members.”
Janet Liberty of Kutztown
More than a year ago, Janet Liberty’s son, Michael Sakasitz (left), was in a motorcycle accident and rushed to LVHHN. Protective gear saved his life, but he fractured his skull, suffered brain damage and broke some ribs. Liberty (center) also noticed her son wasn’t moving his left hand, and twice asked his caregivers if his doctor was aware of it. Several days later, Sakasitz yelled out in pain after his doctor shook his hand. He, in fact, had a broken finger that needed surgery. “My son is doing well,” Liberty says. “I’m hoping his story will encourage caregivers to fully scan trauma patients for injuries.” Sakasitz and his wife, Lynn (right), are grateful to his caregivers and recently returned to the hospital to say thanks. “Because of their efforts and care, I’m as viable as I can be with a brain injury,” he says.
“Don’t assume everyone understands what they hear.”
Guillermo Lopez Jr. of Bethlehem
Guillermo Lopez’s mother, Sara, spoke mostly Spanish. But when caregivers spoke English to her, she acted like she understood every word, nodding and smiling. “When they left, she would turn to me and say, ‘Junior, what did they say?’ ” Guillermo Lopez says. He wanted to be sure she understood important health information, so he learned to ask for an interpreter. “It was scary for me to explain often complicated information to my mom,” he says. “An interpreter took that burden off of me.” Lopez’s mother passed away in June after struggling with heart disease. Her story, he says, is a reminder not to assume people understand what they hear, especially medical information. Guillermo is pictured here with his family (starting second from left): son Daniel, wife Isabel and daughter Amy Perando.
This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM
