Comfort and compassion- BWH Bulletin - For and about the People of Brigham and Women's Hospital
Comfort and compassion- BWH Bulletin - For and about the People of Brigham and Women's Hospital
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April 3, 2000
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In This Issue:
Comfort and compassion
BWH’s Volunteers of the year
Are you “Prepaired” for JCAHO?
April Calendar
Join Team Brigham on Marathon Monday
National Laboratory Week
Imagine arriving at a hospital with your spouse, parent, or friend and waiting while he or she undergoes surgery. You feel unsure about what will happen next. Pacing back and forth, you wish you could share your anxiety with someone. You wish you knew more about the procedure and what to expect in the hours, days, and months ahead. Although you long for something to do, such as checking your e-mail or running an errand, there is little you can do but wait. To ease that stress and improve the hospital experience for both patients and families, the new Robert and Ronnie Bretholtz Center for Patients and Families was conceived. On May 15, construction will begin. Such a center has long been a goal of the hospital, particularly of its late chairman of the Board of Trustees, Robert Bretholtz, who passed away in 1999 after a battle with cancer. Bretholtz's dedication to improving service to patients and families made a profound impact on the hospital, and a center designed to make patients' and families' experience at the hospital more informative, supportive, and comfortable was central to that vision. When phase I is completed in the late fall of 2000, the Bretholtz Center will greet visitors as they walk through the 75 Francis Street entrance. After being admitted through Patient Access Services, families will find private areas in which to meet with caregivers, chaplains, or other support staff while patients undergo surgery or other procedures. Nearby, a health library will provide information on a vast array of health topics, as well as internet connections for further health research. Because the center will be staffed full-time, families will always have someone to answer their questions. “Part of providing high-quality care is being aware of and meeting the needs of patients and families,” said Mairead Hickey, vice president of Women's and Specialty Services. “The Bretholtz Center will centralize many of the patient/family services we currently offer, as well as add new services and expand others.” Among the new services will be a Business Center with computer connections, telephones, and fax machines, as well as concierge services, including assistance with hotel accommodations and information about restaurants, shops, and museums. “The Bretholtz family is deeply committed to quality patient care, and Rob's dedication to this issue while chairman of our board was fundamental and unsurpassed,” said BWH President Jeffrey Otten. “The new center is a testament to his dedication and a realization of his vision.”