Q: I don’t know anything about Jason. Where did he grow up? What sports did he play as a kid?
A: We received many questions and some people wanting to know a little more about me (I guess it is a slow news day). I was born in Wichita Falls and moved to Arlington, TX where I lived until I graduated from high school. I played all sports growing up but stayed with soccer, both on a club level and throughout high school. I am a huge Dallas Cowboys fan as I use to watch the games as a boy with my “Pa Pa.”
If you have been a new employee over the last year or so, you have heard me talk about “Memorable and Meaningful Moments” (or M&M) moments. We have the best medical equipment and best medicine, but most importantly, the best people. While equipment, supplies and medicines are so important, most of our patients cannot tell if they received the right medicines, right supplies or even the right procedure.
But, it has been proven that when a patient goes through an outpatient procedure, hospital admission or a clinic visit, and they have a memorable and meaningful experience, it “sticks” and they feel like their care was even better.
I recently got to see a memorable and meaningful moment with my mother-in-law who had to have bunionectomy surgery. The night before her surgery, as we sat around the dinner table and talked, it was pointed out that she had gotten her nails done, hands and feet, before her surgery. When I got to her pre-op room before her surgery, my mother-in-law said the nurse complimented her on her finger nail polish color, saying that it was “in style.” When the OR nurse came to take her back to surgery, she asked if we had any last questions. My father-in-law said in his most stern voice, “Yea, I have a question.” The OR nurse, with a sweet demeanor, said "What is your question?" Trying to stay serious, my father-in-law asked if his wife’s toe nail polish would be messed up with surgery. The OR nurse, said “Of course not, it will be perfect.”
While this had nothing to do with her surgery or recovery, it put a smile on my mother-in-law’s face. It took the tense moment before surgery, and replaced it with that memorable and meaningful moment. Thanks to all of you in our clinic and hospital who took great care of her. Talk soon, Jason [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]