Skill, passion, commitment. From the valets who are the first to greet arriving patients, to the admissions coordinators who activate the intake process, to the nurses, doctors and technicians who play the high-profile hands-on roles in patient care: It takes a large team of dedicated colleagues—out front as well as behind the scenes in less visible but vital roles—to provide the exceptional care that’s at the core of what we do.

The colleagues featured here epitomize the skill, passion and dedication required to create a positive care experience from start to finish.

Andrew J. Kuhre
Valet Manager
St. Mark’s Hospital
Salt Lake City, Utah

The first person you see at a hospital often sets the tone for everything that follows. Nearly eight years ago, Andrew went to work for the valet team at St. Mark’s, greeting patients and visitors the moment they arrive.

“Our job is to help simplify the patient’s visit and offer important support on arrival and departure,” Andrew says. “Whether you need a wheelchair, directions or help with anything, I’m here for you. Often these moments are their first experiences at the hospital, and we may be the ones to break the ice and make them feel comfortable and cared for.”

Andrew’s vocation has also become an avocation.

“I had no idea how important the work would become to me and how valuable my work could be for the patients,” he says. “My appreciation for my job has evolved over the years, along with a greater understanding of my role in making someone’s visit a little easier.

Dustin Massey
Supervisor
Contact Center Operations
National Contact Center Management Group
Nashville, Tenn.

Patient care often begins long before a hospital stay and continues long after discharge. Dustin knows this fact better than most. He oversees a 16-member team dedicated to enhancing the interactive patient experience for approximately 11,000 patients from across the country each month.

“I lead a team of patient care liaisons who support our patients and their caregivers in using MyHealthONE [our patient portal] and other portal systems via phone, email and secure messaging,” Dustin says.

Dustin makes a difference by encouraging everyone on his team to be “kind, caring and compassionate” during every interaction with those they serve. “You never know what someone is going through or how a caring attitude might impact their day.”

Barbara Sawyer, CCRN, RN
Nurse, Air Medical Transport
Mission Hospital
Asheville, N.C.

In emergency situations, many patients arrive via ambulance. In extreme cases, they may require air transport. This is Barbara’s world. She’s been a flight nurse with Mission Hospital for 33 years.

“There are times when we arrive and take over patient care, and the task feels daunting. But the two of us—nurse and medic—give the care we’re trained to provide. Our goal is to deliver the patient in a better state than we received them.”

Having raised her own family and cared for her parents and in-laws, Barbara understands the circle of life and cherishes the chance to give back.

“All of my caretaking has made me wiser, a better listener and, hopefully, a person who’s able to share wisdom based on life experiences,” she says. “It’s important to use our training and skills to the best of our ability, but also to never lose the human side of what we do.”

Janice Hansen
Patient Admitting Representative
Women’s Wellness Center at Ogden Regional Medical Center
Ogden, Utah

Janice understands pain and suffering. Her personal journey has been full of both. She’s lost four children. She has lupus. She’s dealt with debilitating back problems and also battled breast cancer. Her spouse has also battled health issues.

“I know how important it is for a friendly face to be the first person our patients see. I want them to know that they’re viewed as individuals with a family, with worries and with hopes for a positive outcome.”

Janice says her life experiences help her relate to every patient. “I always strive to create a connection with anyone whose path I cross to let them know that I’m invested in them as a person, am interested in their life and care about where they’re going.”

Semetta Williams
Department Secretary Patient Advocate
Trident Medical Center
Charleston, S.C.

Semetta has a passion for helping others, making her an ideal patient advocate. “The original attraction was being able to work closely with patients and their families,” she says. “I get so much satisfaction knowing I made someone’s day a little better. It feels good to hear a patient say, ‘I was nervous about being here, but after speaking with you, I feel better.’ ”

That approach hasn’t changed throughout Semetta’s 25 years at Trident Medical Center.

“Patients benefit from knowing that I’ll do everything in my power to make sure they receive excellent care. My co-workers can always count on me to be a great team player, and the facility can benefit from my living the hospital’s mission every day.”

Hilary Green, RDN, CDE, NASM-CPT
Registered Dietician
Denver Center for Bariatric Surgery
Rose Medical Center
Denver, Colo.

Proper nourishment is one of the keys to good health. Hilary provides individual consultations to answer patients’ questions and, more importantly, help them develop strategies to adopt necessary lifestyle and diet changes.

“I’m also able to teach free classes for patients before and after surgery, and lead support groups for ongoing engagement,” Hilary says. “Everything that our program has now is because patients have requested or suggested it, or we saw an opportunity to exceed their expectations even further.”

Hilary calls her job “extremely rewarding,” and especially values the interactions she has with her patients years after their procedures. “I enjoy helping them, so they feel very confident that they’re in good hands and see how much we care about them and their outcomes.”

Rameshwar “Dinesh” Charran
Maintenance Technician, Plant Operations
Eastside Medical Center
Snellville, Ga.

When it comes to unsung colleagues in a hospital setting, consider the maintenance staff: They aren’t nearly as visible as some other team members, but their role can greatly affect the overall patient experience.

Dinesh’s varied responsibilities include attending to plumbing and HVAC issues as well as repairing or replacing light fixtures. He makes daily rounds to ensure various pieces of equipment are current and operating properly. In short, his work may go unnoticed by the public, but it’s absolutely essential.

“My job impacts patients in a great way because their experience reflects how well I perform on a daily basis,” Dinesh says. “My greatest joys are knowing that patients are comfortable and making sure everything is in working order. It’s a pleasure working with a team that appreciates my efforts.”

Mehul Pisavadia
Patient Experience Manager
The Wellington Hospital
London, England

After being hired as a porter in 2010, Mehul rose through the ranks, becoming a patient experience manager in 2019.

“It’s really rewarding, as everything is centered on creating the very best patient experience,” he says. “It’s all about going above and beyond to make sure our patients are happy. That’s what I love the most.”

Mehul says he speaks with patients regularly “to see how they’re doing and if there’s anything we can do to improve their journey with us. It’s important to capture patient feedback so we know what we’re doing well and where we can improve.” Consistent improvement is the constant goal.

“The little things really can make a difference in a patient’s day, from a smile to a short conversation,” Mehul says. “Spending time with them is incredibly rewarding; many have said they feel so much happier after they’ve spoken to me.”