What does quality mean to you?

Prior to my acceptance in the MS-HSA program, I had the privilege of interning at a highly-regarded hospital in Central Florida well-known for its dedication to providing high quality healthcare to its patrons. This hospital prides itself on well- trained physicians, a top-notch nursing staff and a reputation for professionalism. My role as an intern included a myriad of duties including fielding phone calls, maintaining supplies, preparing required forms (Do Not Resuscitate, Advanced Directives, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act release) and directing the foot traffic in Labor and Delivery. With guidance from my preceptor, I was also responsible for scheduling important lab work to assist physicians in mapping out their initial plan of care. This position; albeit an entry level one, came with huge responsibilities which could adversely affect the quality of healthcare being delivered.

On the second day of my internship, my preceptor was unable to work and, due to limited staffing, I was thrust into an environment I was not fully qualified to handle. Baffled that a facility that prides itself on having an excellent reputation in healthcare quality would allow an intern to assume such a crucial role in such a short period of time, I had to make some critical decisions. At that time, I asked myself the very question posed by Dr. Oetjen for this blog assignment: “What does quality mean to you (me)?” Although just an intern on a temporary unpaid assignment, I realized that the position I held on that particular day came with huge responsibilities, I asked myself more specifically:  “What can I do to maintain the high quality of care that each individual has come to expect?”

In response to these questions, I set out to handle every situation to the very best of my abilities and to seek out knowledgeable staff when posed with challenges. On this particular day providing quality healthcare meant: answering phone calls by the second ring, maintaining open communication with family members in the waiting room, contacting physicians immediately when requests were made, returning phone calls within minutes of receipt, quickly responding to call lights and fostering open communications with nurses to keep them fully informed of situations which may have arisen in their absence. At the end of the day, I realized that providing quality healthcare meant taking an active role in the delivery process and owning every detail inherent to it (as it relates to my position) while attempting to add value to the hospital’s reputation; or at the very least, not diminish it.

Although no longer an intern, I have used my experiences that day to guide me in making quality decisions for customers in my current position. I realize that quality means taking personal ownership and accepting that no matter how small the task (and regardless if compensated), one should apply integrity, professionalism and a full working knowledge of the bigger picture to guide their decision in providing a better outcome.