Throughout 2019, the council partnered with leadership to improve quality and safety with a focus on the sepsis initiative. After the sepsis education, the council participated in a sepsis simulation clinic where they acted as the patient and family members witnessing the care our sepsis patients receive. They gained a better understanding of what happens during a code sepsis and were able to share with the care team ways to engage the patient and family members during this stressful time.
“The sepsis simulation is a great development for Spectrum Health facilities. The introduction to the strategy for addressing a sepsis diagnosis early will save so many lives. I appreciate that a nurse is always assigned to a patient and that sepsis is taken very seriously.” -Vedra Gant, council member.
My experience as a Spectrum PFAC advisor has been amazing each year. It is through positive, collaborative relationship-building that the PFAC has a meaningful voice-of-the-patient impact within Spectrum Health Big Rapids and Reed City Hospitals, as together we strive to provide health care of the highest quality to our community.
My first exposure to Spectrum Health was many years ago, as a heart-catherization patient at Meijer Heart Center in Grand Rapids. My experience was very positive in every way. Since then, I have received care in Big Rapids multiple times where I've received high-quality care that meets or exceeds my expectations. I also do collaborative work with hospital leadership in my professional role at Ferris State University, through which I've met talented, dedicated professionals who truly want to provide high quality care for each patient.
As an active community member with interest in healthcare delivery, I wanted to learn more about Spectrum Health and have opportunity to share insights from a patient perspective.
The Spectrum BR/RC PFAC has seen tremendous growth in the past three years, expanding to a more diverse membership spanning all age groups from young adult through senior citizen. As a team, we've built strong relationships with hospital department leadership, which results in our ability to openly discuss challenges and opportunities as seen through the lens of the patient. As a result, we've been invited to represent the voice of the patient in everything from campus signage to patient flow, patient/nurse interaction, patient education material, and building renovation plan review, just to name a few.