Topics - Patient and Family Resource Centers
The Patient and Family Resource Center at the Memorial Regional Hospital
Hollywood, Florida
The Patient and Family Resource Center at the Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Florida opened on August 11, 2008. The Center was the dream of the Memorial Regional Hospital's Patient and Family Advisory Council-the Council envisioned the Center, proposed it, secured funding, and made it happen.
The Patient and Family Resource Center features three computer work stations, photocopier, fax machine, and printer as well as a family lounge area. Specially trained volunteers staff the new center; they help patients or family members sign on to the computer to access bookmarked health information websites, create their own confidential webpage to keep family and friends updated, locate resources such as support groups and community services, as well as find hotels and restaurants.
According to Susan Montgomery, Director, Patient- and Family-Centered Care Services, the Center is analogous to a hotel business resource center and concierge function. The Center is seeing "between 25-35 family members and patients each day, most of whom are making a beeline for the computers to do their email, pay bills, research medical conditions, and so on. It has been an amazing experience."
"Based on our personal experiences as family members and patients, we recognized the need for a 'one-stop' center within the hospital," explained Jennifer Davis, Chairperson of the Memorial Regional Hospital Patient/Family Advisory Council. The Center makes it possible for family members to stay in touch with others about their loved one's condition, complete important business while in the hospital, and make copies or send a fax. According to Jennifer, "access to these resources means that overwhelmed family caregivers will have a few less things to worry about during a loved one's hospitalization. That allows all of us to concentrate on the process of healing."
Montgomery glows, "I have a wealth of stories already-the NICU parents whose baby began to improve so they came in to shop online for cribs; or the daughter who was here for 36 straight hours with her terminally ill mother, and rushed in because she needed to fax a resume by a deadline; or a newly diagnosed cancer patient who needed to jump start his list of "ask the doctor" questions; and the patient who simply said "I've been here for 15 days and I'm 'jonesing' for my email."
"We've learned a lot and are happy to share the lessons." Contact Susan Montgomery at smontgomery@mhs.net.
