Welcome! Brian Bourne, Potomac’s new Director of Patient Relations, continues the work of his predecessor, Laura McHenry. McHenry,
who retired in July, helped define the role of patient relations at Potomac
and nationally. Under her direction, the program grew from hospitality
to patient advocacy.
Everyone needs someone in their corner. A boxer needs his trainer, a runner needs his coach, a student needs his teacher. Hospital patients need someone in their corner as well. At Potomac, patient representatives fill that role – and more.
In 1986 Potomac Hospital established a Patient Relations department. Laura McHenry, R.N., BSN, having formerly served as a staff nurse and administrative nursing coordinator, was selected as Potomac Hospital’s first patient representative. She later became the director of the department.
Today, the role of the patient representative at Potomac Hospital is truly multifaceted, and the credit for this goes to McHenry. In addition to excellent customer service, risk management and quality improvement skills, a patient representative is knowledgeable in all aspects of the hospital, a good listener, a fair mediator, compassionate, empathetic, practical and committed to patient rights.
Patient Relations grows from hospitality to patient advocacy
“The patient relations program began as a hospitality outreach to newly admitted patients and a central complaint management system for the hospital, and was a one-person department for 10 years,” says McHenry.
As the Joint Commission on the Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations and other federal and state regulations pertaining to patient rights and responsibilities evolved, so did the department’s responsibilities, which grew to encompass all policies, procedures and educational materials pertaining to patients’ rights.
Also, as patient volume continued to grow, the need for additional patient representatives became increasingly evident, particularly in the Irene V. Hylton Emergency Care Center. In response to this growth, patient representatives began staffing the Emergency Care Center in 1997. In 2003, the Cecil and Irene Hylton Foundation donated $5.5 million to Potomac Hospital, in part for continued improvements in the Emergency Care Center. A portion of those funds were allocated for increasing the patient representative staff. As a result, Potomac now provides nearly 24-hour, seven-days-a-week patient representative staffing in the department.
“Patient relations has evolved immensely over the past 20 years, ” says McHenry. McHenry oversaw the department as it grew from a one-woman show to a team of 16 full and part-time employees. This expansion is a tribute to her hard work, her dedication to Potomac Hospital patients, and her activism in national professional organizations that have worked to define the role of patient relations in healthcare.
Welcoming Brian Bourne, the next generation of patient relations at Potomac
After 29 years at Potomac Hospital, the last 20 as the director of Patient Relations, McHenry retired in July 2006. She passed the torch to the new director, Brian Bourne, MHA. Bourne has experience in patient satisfaction, service excellence and process improvement in major healthcare facilities around the country.
“It’s my goal to continue Laura’s steadfast support of patients and their families,” says Bourne. “She built a great program here, which our patients appreciate. I plan to follow her lead and continue to advocate for patients at Potomac Hospital.”
How Patient Relations Can Help You
Being a patient in the hospital can be a stressful experience. That stress, combined with the fact that you’re not feeling well, can have an effect on your recovery. Patient representatives provide a line of communication from the patient to the organization, which helps improve the experience for each of our patients and our families.
In addition to helping patients communicate their needs and resolve issues, patient representatives also help patients with living wills and healthcare powers of attorney, provide information about organ donation, recognize and celebrate patient compliments, and nurture effective dialogue between patients and their caregivers.
A Patient Relations representative can be reached by calling ext. 1575 from a hospital telephone or 703-670-1575.
“We’re here to assure that each patient always feels like he or she is our only patient,” says Bourne. “It’s our job to advocate for patients and make sure we are fulfilling the hospital’s mission to care for our community.
