Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - St. Anthony - (Page 53)

Getting Back to With the help of trained volunteers, patients are making smoother transitions home and fewer trips back to the hospital life S by Carla Carwile hortly after 81-year-old Jan M. of Lakewood had her hip replaced at St. Anthony Central Hospital last year, she was, in her words, “Rarin’ to get out! The surgery went even better than I’d expected, and I was excited to get home and back to doing things I enjoyed.” On the second day of her three-day hospital stay, she was visited by Rita Lieberman, a volunteer with St. Anthony Hospitals Health Passport ReConnect Leadership program, who was there to help make Jan’s transition home easier and to minimize the odds she would be rehospitalized. By asking key questions and actively listening to the responses, Lieberman was able to confirm that the Lakewood resident understood the self-management steps essential to her continued recovery and to suggest resources that might make the process smoother. Jan’s comment that Lieberman “was very knowledgeable” reflects the intensive preparation that all ReConnect volunteers receive. According to ReConnect Project Coordinator David Kaye, volunteers complete nearly 40 hours of training in both the classroom and in practice by shadowing chaplains and veteran coaches in the hospital setting before working with patients. Last year, nearly 700 patients benefited from ReConnect volunteers’ visits. With more ReConnect Leaders coming on board each quarter and the venues for coaches expanding to include emergency departments and community locations, the total number of patients served in the months ahead will grow significantly. Jane Barnes, government affairs advocate, guided creation of the Health Passport program in 2003 and of ReConnect Leadership in 2010. “This is the cutting-edge, for it looks at care from the patient’s perspective and not just that of a clinical provider,” Barnes says. “By focusing our attention in this way, we empower patients to play a more active role in their own health. Together, we can achieve better outcomes.” The Role of a ReConnect Leader ReConnect Leaders fill a valuable role as part of the healthcare team to improve the quality of a patient’s hospital experience. They go above and beyond to provide important services to patients and their families in the following areas: • Patient advocacy while in hospital, including discharge communication and consistency of information • Transition coaching to ease the patient’s return home • Family, patient, physician communication • Chronic disease management education and coaching Vim & Vigor • SPRI NG 2012 53

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - St. Anthony

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - St. Anthony
Contents
Opening Thoughts
Community Connections
Moving Forward
Heads Up on Heart Failure
Get Real
How Far We’ve Come
Patient Survival Guide
Perfect Attendance
A New Day
Lean on Me
Intimidated by the Gym?
What Is Your Volunteer Style?
A Prescription for Relief
SPECIAL: Key Conversations
From the Foundation
Solving Your Sleep Puzzle
Getting Back to Life
Healthy at Every Age
Ask the Experts

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - St. Anthony