Patti Snow, Patient Experience Partner at Centra, emphasizes how essential relationship-building is in shaping patients' experience, despite the challenges and constraints that healthcare teams can face.
When Patti found her home at Centra over a decade ago, she recognized that positive relationship building was fundamental to succeeding as a Patient Experience Partner. In healthcare, relationship building is an integral part of every staff member's skill set involved in direct patient care. Some staff members spend hours, months, and sometimes years with patients, while others may only interact briefly. However, every interaction leaves an indelible impression that shapes the patients' perceptions of their healthcare journey.
When patients enter Centra’s facilities, they relinquish control over their daily routines and rely on the staff to make decisions on their behalf. To support this, the team must foster communication, compassion, trust, and consistency—key elements in building strong relationships. Staff members work together across the system, always keeping the patient at the center of their focus. Patti went on to say, “While my team may not always be able to change a patient's clinical condition, we can always influence their experience.”
The Patient Experience Team embodies Centra’s mission of “improving the health and quality of life for the communities we serve,” and this mission is at the core of what Patti and her colleagues strive for each day. They engage with patients, families, and friends during challenging and emotional times, guiding them through their experiences. Patients are not just room numbers; they are someone’s top priority, and to truly improve their health and quality of life, each one must be considered a priority as well.
