Just got back from a Press Ganey conference*. Iowa Specialty Hospitals & Clinics - Belmond Campus got several awards, and this is a great thing. Ok, so I heard in the halls -- this thing about the Belmond hospital team winning awards (it was Clarion hospital team years ago), as far as I’m concerned it is Iowa Specialty Hospitals & Clinics winning the award. Not a specific unit, not a specific campus - everything everyone does holds us collectively up, and we all deserve to celebrate this recognition. I am so proud to my core of all the incredible service offered up everywhere in this organization - daily, hourly and by the minute - you guys have no idea. Thank you for all you do! #honored.
I worked out at the fitness center at the resort a couple of times this week. (Yesterday, I had 17,000 steps - I know, I’m impressed too.) And, the clock was off by an hour and the windows were filthy. I struggled with my inner desire to clean the windows and change the clock. I did mention it every time I was there though. Seriously, they had 3000 people dedicated to service excellence at their resort and the clocks were off and the windows were dirty? Know your audience.
Brian and Amanda in Nutrition Services helped me out last week at some parties at my house (“thanks guys!!!”), and we talked to Amanda about wine. We talked about how you can pair a wine with food and it changes the flavor and taste experience of the wine. We talked about the correct glasses and temperature of the wine. The bottom line was foods, wines, people, etc. do differently when handled in different ways. We should treat everything - food, people, pets - with the same respect we’d like to be treated with (Standards of Behavior and Golden Rule.)
*The first Press Ganey conference I went to was in November 2001, and we were named Community Memorial Hospital at the time (as was 100 other hospitals in the United States). When we checked in, the person at the desk gave us an envelope -- an invite to a snazzy reception for the top 5% of the hospitals in the nation. As we hadn’t even sent out a survey yet - we thought, “well that is a cool way of onboarding the new clients to Press Ganey!” Turns out they got the wrong Community Memorial Hospital. Whatever Community Memorial Hospital they were asking to the reception was obviously pretty good. We felt very awkward, and we ate as much cheese and drank as much champagne as possible before running out of the room. We came back to Iowa and changed the name of the hospital.
