When is the last time you were in a restaurant, motel or health care facility and said “Wow, the service here is amazing!” At University Hospitals Geneva Medical Center and University Hospitals Conneaut Medical Center we strive for that everyday. Whether you come to one of our hospitals for an MRI, or a bowl of soup, that is the feedback we want from our patients. Our employees are the key to making that happen. I am blessed to work with the most compassionate, caring and the hardest working staff you have ever seen. Many people ask why I publish my home phone number (964-2505) in all of our publications and on the Internet; it is because of our employees. I have the utmost trust in our employees as they care for our patients within our community, I know that they would want to know if our patients were not happy with our service.
What does an engaged employee look like? In my mind, it is an employee that is willing to go above and beyond to make our patients happy. Let’s face it, the hospital is not the first place many people would choose to spend their free time. We understand that and want to make their time with us special. Our employees, physicians and Board of Directors are honored that you have chosen UH Geneva Medical Center and UH Conneaut Medical Center for your care, and it is our pleasure to treat your needs with care and compassion. A few examples will illustrate my point.
We are in the process of improving our signage at both facilities, and until then we do not have the best way-finding. We do not say “take that hallway and turn left and then right.” Instead we say, “Mrs. Smith, I will take you to that area.” It is the personal touch that separates the great companies. One of my favorite stories is about a little girl who was getting a blood test. An employee stopped midway through her lunch to sit with the little girl and read her a story while she was getting blood drawn. I could tell you many stories like that one from my experience at UH. When you witness true compassion like this everyday, you can be certain you have a very high level of employee engagement.
In closing, the next time you use one of our hospitals, I hope you can say “Wow, the service here is amazing.” And if you do, please tell one of our employees or physicians that they do “make a difference.”