An Unexpected Outcome of Team-Based Care
A hospital room is not the venue most couples have in mind to marry the love of their life. But sometimes things don’t go as planned, and small gestures from unexpected people can turn a stressful situation into a celebration.
That’s what Morrison Healthcare’s team and nursing staff at OhioHealth Riverside Hospital offered to a couple of newlyweds whose plans changed drastically due to health problems. Team-based care made a difference for this patient and her new husband, proving that the healthcare team includes clinical and non-clinical staff.
It all started with a nurse who reached out to Cory, a Patient Experience Manager, asking if one of her patients, who had just gotten married in her room, could get a sweet treat to celebrate the occasion.
It turns out that the couple had been high school sweethearts who had lost contact over time. Decades later, they met at a retirement community where they both now live. They started dating there, fell back in love, and had plans to get married, but then the woman was rushed to the hospital needing cardiac surgery. Not wanting to go through surgery without marrying the long-lost-love of their lives, the couple decided to get married in the patient’s hospital room.
Team-based care delivers joy
Meanwhile, Cory decided he wanted to do more than provide a few desserts. He enlisted his team’s help to give the couple a proper wedding celebration that was compatible with the patient’s prescribed diet.
With the help of the hospital Chef, a Patient Services Manager, the nursing staff, and two other associates, Cory was able to put together a heartfelt celebration that included pork chops with a custom pan sauce, angel food cake, flowers, and decorations. No detail was left out, and music filled the room while the couple dined.
Understandably, the patient and her groom were a little overwhelmed by the impromptu celebration. They thanked the staff and dined together in the quiet of the hospital room.
What is Team-Based Care?
Collaboration between clinical and non-clinical staff made this celebration possible. According to the National Academy of Medicine, team-based care is the promotion of health services by a group of health professionals who work together to deliver coordinated, high-quality care. Because team-based care is often described as patient-centered and a patient’s experience is the sum of all interactions, healthcare teams, in many cases, extend beyond clinical staff.
Learn more about Compass One Healthcare Positive Impressions Program that helps healthcare facilities provide superior patient experiences, like the one at OhioHealth Riverside Hospital.
Positive Impressions includes training that encourages integration with clinical staff to improve patient experience, safety, and clinical outcomes.
