Greetings!

Several months ago, we hired some new people and reassigned some other folks to become "greeters" at the various entries to our hospital. Their job, as the name implies, is to be available to help people find their way in the hospital, including escorting them as necessary to find the right place in our 2 million square feet of space. No, we do not get paid for this from the insurance companies or Medicare or Medicaid. It is simply designed to help people and make them feel more comfortable and welcomed.

I just received this nice note from one of our research staff folks after a meeting we held about improving the patient experience here:

Here is one small thing that I think we are doing extremely well. I’m often in the atrium of the Shapiro building, and every day I see the staffers in their maroon blazers helping patients with questions and giving directions. It’s the small things that make a big difference. Just yesterday I saw a woman entering in the Binney Street entrance on crutches who was immediately greeted and asked if she would like a wheelchair. She seemed very surprised at the offer, but seemed to be grateful for it. It stuck with me all day; she got not more than three steps into the hospital and she was already being cared for. I see things like that all the time now and I’m certain that patients, visitors, and other BIDMC staff do as well.