Skip to contents
In This Issue:
Program shows that with commitment to quality people and quality care, the sky’s the limit
Building upon the momentum set by BWH’s first three teams, BWH’s newest ASCEND team has eagerly set out to answer the hospital’s call to improve patient satisfaction in the Pre-Admitting Test Center (PATC). In the last four years, ASCEND teams have been responsible for enhancing customer service in the Outpatient Pharmacy, Outpatient Radiology and Ambulatory Services; creating and implementing the Brigham Employee Suggestion Today (B.E.S.T) program; and developing a new system to improve the handling of patient belongings.
The ASCEND program was first launched in 1998 in an effort to provide BWH employees with access to a unique leadership development program, geared toward hospital improvement projects. While working with a diverse group of colleagues, ASCEND participants have the opportunity to enhance their teambuilding and management skills, while making a positive impact on the BWH community.
The 2002 ASCEND Team for the Improvement of PATC is lead by group leaders John Lew, manager, Recruitment and Retention and Miriam Trainer, nurse manager, CWN 9. Team members pictured are (standing, l to r) Ken Lamy, senior financial analyst, Finance; Sam Skura, revenue manager, Finance; Timothy Lynch, operations supervisor, Tower 7CD; John Lew; Maureen McIntyre, project manager, Ambulatory Business Office; (seated, l to r) Gretchen Flack, service coordinator, Patient Family Relations; Miriam Trainer; and Arline Broberg, administrative assistant, Thoracic Surgery. Not pictured are team members Michelle Thomas, operations supervisor, Nursing; Wendy Martinez, executive assistant, Women’s Specialty Services and the Team’s executive sponsors: Chief Operating Officer Matt Van Vranken and Vice President of Human Resources, Cheryl Locke.
While their project only officially kicked-off on Tuesday, April 23, the 2002 ASCEND Team has already taken several precursory steps to gather data and information on the history, function and daily operations of the PATC. The group has conducted a full tour of the PATC led by Angela Bader, MD, director of PATC and John Hauke, PATC operations manager. Following their tour, the team met a second time to assess their findings and list potential areas of development. Over the next year, the Team will continue to meet on a monthly basis and more often as needed, to develop solutions and propose an improvement plan to hospital leadership.
“The team has realized that their mission is large in scope and there is a breadth of possible solutions, that impact a variety of people,” said Lew. “To tighten the focus of our project we have created sub-teams that will target the needs of three major populations – PATC patients, physician practices and PATC staff,” he added.
As their project moves forward, members of the 2002 ASCEND team will follow the tradition set by their predecessors – to improve the hospital and in doing so, grow professionally and personally.
Look for an update on the PATC Team’s progress and coverage of the 2001 ASCEND Team for the Management of Patient’s Belongings’ final report and project implementation in future issues of BWH Bulletin.