Patient Experience Team Recognized for Excellence in Patient Communication and Advocacy

From left: Li Li, patient experience advocate; Michelle McFall, patient experience manager; Amber Rauch, patient experience advocate; and Sophia Rognlien, patient experience advocate.

Olympic Medical Center’s Board of Commissioners recognized four outstanding employees from the OMC Patient Experience team at a recent board meeting, acknowledging their commitment to pursuing excellent patient communication and advocacy, and improving patient experiences at OMC’s hospital, clinics and home health.

As part of the Patient Experience team, the recognized employees work to support patients and their families to address every aspect of their encounter with OMC. This team is dedicated to collaborating with medical departments and clinics to ensure OMC exceeds the expectations of patients and families.

Chief Human Resources Officer and General Counsel Jennifer Burkhardt and Patient Experience Director Patti Haught presented the awards to the Patient Experience employees, which included Michelle McFall, patient experience manager, and patient experience advocates Li Li, Amber Rauch and Sophia Rognlien. Burkhardt opened with comments, saying, “It is a privilege to recognize an outstanding team of professionals whose commitment to excellent is evident in everything they do.”

Haught shared kind words from patients about each honoree, first sharing about Patient Experience Manager Michelle McFall: “I am writing this letter to commend and thank [Michelle]. She very patiently listened to my concerns and carefully explained what was being done. I greatly appreciate her kindness, time and generous assistance in resolving this issue for me. In my estimation, she is most certainly a ‘bright star’ in your organization.”

From left: Sophia Rognlien; Jennifer Burkhardt, Chief Human Resources Officer and General Counsel; Patti Haught, Patient Experience Director; Amber Rauch; Li Li; Darryl Wolfe, CEO; Michelle McFall; and John Nutter, Board President

Patient Experience Advocate Li Li’s patience, care and communication didn’t go unnoticed by a recent patient who shared how appreciative she was of Li, saying, “[Li] is kind, caring and helped get answers to all of my questions. She really listened to me, and it was obvious that she cared about me as a person. She does a wonderful job, and you are fortunate to have her on staff.”

As a Patient Experience Advocate, Amber Rauch is appreciated by both patients and the departments she supports. Haught shared this from an OMC nurse manager: “I have to tell you how much I appreciate working with Amber. What a great addition to your team! She is intelligent, caring and helpful. Any time I ask for her assistance, there is no hesitation; she jumps right in. She is a natural patient advocate, and I can’t say enough good things about her.”

According to Haught, Patient Experience Advocate Sophia Rognlien has been key to helping emergency department patients navigate an already stressful situation. One patient shared that during her emergency department visit, she watched Sophia talk with patients and keep them updated, going above and beyond. “She was just wonderful. I had arrived at 3 p.m., and after several hours and a few updates, Sophia said she would check with the doctor. When she returned, the doctor was with her, and the nurse took me back to a room. She is amazing!”

Burkhardt explained how the Patient Experience team has made an impact most recently in the Emergency Department, with the ED team sharing how “the attention that they provide patients and families allows us to focus on patients’ clinical needs with confidence that their emotional needs are also being taken care of, and that’s important. Thank you again to your amazing team, it has really made a difference!”

“These four are passionate advocates for our patients and approach each situation with kindness, sensitivity and compassion,” said Burkhardt. “It is an honor to recognize our highly respected and valued Patient Experience Advocates and Patient Experience team.”