The Healthcare Heroes No One is Talking About

My career at Novant Health has been defined by a diversity of experiences. I have worked in all kinds of roles, including a few within the hospital. As a result, I’ve seen just about every aspect of the remarkable care we provide.?

One role stands out above the rest these days: my time leading guest services and patient relations within the walls of Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center.?

Customer service roles are some of the most difficult ones out there, no matter what industry. Often, people are turning to you because there is a problem, and they need someone to fix it.?

In healthcare those calls come because someone is sick, someone is hurting, someone is in pain, and the people who love them will do anything to help.?

Our team members in guest services step in and provide our patients and their families with a resource, a solution, a sounding board. I can tell you from watching them in action, they are the behind-the-scenes heroes of the healthcare world. They were during my time there, and they most certainly are now, as the COVID-19 pandemic has stretched all of us beyond measure.?

Their superpower? A profound and powerful sense of empathy.?

During my time in guest services, my strategy was always to meet people where they were. I began every patient interaction in this way, acknowledging and giving value to their emotions. I knew any anger or frustration I encountered was a manifestation of fear, exhaustion, anxiety or pain. I would tell each of them, “You’re doing what you should be doing. You’re advocating for yourself or your family, and you shouldn’t stop.”?

The approach resonated. Our patients and their families felt heard (because they were). They felt understood (because they were). And they believed we were in the fight together (because we were).?

We helped a lot of patients and families in those days, and those experiences made me a better leader and person. I understood acutely the value of listening actively and harnessing the power of empathy. I realized how impactful those actions are in just about everything we do in the field of healthcare and beyond.?

How many problems could we solve if we listened — really listened — first, before drawing conclusions? What would it mean for our teams, our stakeholders and our organizations if we led with empathy instead of authority? What if we met everyone where they are??

These days, my colleague —?Melissa Perrell, senior vice president and patient advocacy officer?at Novant Health — is leading our guest services team, and I want to take a moment to acknowledge their work. They approach every day with a powerful combination of grit and grace. It takes commitment to show up to work every day knowing someone will be in pain, someone will be afraid, someone will be lost — and you’ll be the one they will turn to for help. At the same time, these team members know the importance of ensuring our work in this space is just as remarkable as any of our clinical efforts. Healthcare is about taking care of people, not just patients. People trust us with their health, their lives and their families. We must give them everything we’ve got.?