Piedmont Columbus Regional’s patient experience team has implemented a “Meet My Loved One” project that enables staff at both Midtown and Northside campuses to make a personal connection with COVID and ICU patients.

"Meet My Loved One" started at UAB at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and was adapted by North Mississippi Medical Center where it was named a 2020 Leading Innovator by Press Ganey. 

Each day, the patient experience team reviews new ICU and COVID admissions and they call the patient's identified emergency contact to get more personal information about the patient. They put the information on a form, which also allows the team to identify important aspects of the patient's life that family thinks is important as well as caregiving tips.

That form is laminated and goes on the front of the patient's room door for staff and providers to review.

"We recognized that these patient populations have unique barriers, such as communication or the ability to have a visitor at the bedside," said Director of Patient Experience Meg Sturdevant. “Getting this type of information is a satisfier for their families, who know that we are caring for their loved ones. These are also great talking points for staff who can more easily connect with their patient as they deliver clinical care. These are things staff would have never known about our patients if it weren't for this project.”

Cheryl Tomlinson’s husband, David, is currently fighting for his life in the COVID unit. David, like so many others, has a pre-existing condition that made him susceptible to a more severe form of COVID.

“It’s real scary for all of us to know what he’s been through and how hard he struggles just on a given day to breathe and be mobile […] and then this happens. It’s a little worrisome and I can’t be there. I’ve always been his ears and his voice since he’s hard of hearing,” said Tomlinson. “I just think that the staff being able to get a little personal has been good.”

Piedmont Columbus Regional’s patient experience team has shared project details with sister hospitals in hopes it can be implemented in other Piedmont hospitals across the state of Georgia.