Real experiences shared by patients like you help us realize the impact of our care on our patients’ lives.
Read Talicia’s story and watch Abe’s, Tara’s and Amanda’s stories to better understand the excellent patient care we strive to provide every day.
Talicia’s story
After giving birth at the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Talicia experienced a severe hemorrhage that required quick action from her care team to save her life.
Talicia later learned that care she received was not an anomaly but rather a standard of care at Penn Medicine. The availability of hemorrhage carts, enhanced safety protocols and training for labor floor nurses to rapidly transfuse blood, was part of a comprehensive, system-wide, multi-year initiative to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce racial and ethnic disparities.
Read more of Talicia’s story and learn what Penn Medicine is doing to improve maternal health equity
Abe's story
Abe has faced many health challenges: prostate cancer, two heart attacks, complex heart surgery, kidney cancer that spread, and erectile dysfunction. Through it all, Abe got amazing support and care from his doctors at Penn Medicine.
“It doesn’t matter what happens to me medically, I know that Penn and the Penn doctors have my back. Saved my life too many times.”
Tara's story
After being diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension and told a transplant was her best option, Tara turned to Penn Medicine. While Tara chose Penn for its transplant program, one of her closest and more important relationships was with her pulmonologist.
“She made me feel so human again,” Tara said about her doctor, Kerri Akaya Smith, MD, medical director of Penn Medicine's Pulmonary Hypertension Program. “And that little bit of humanity was so kind.”
Because of her relationship with Dr. Smith, Tara gained access to a new drug as soon as it went on the market. And, that drug improved her condition enough that a transplant was no longer necessary.
Amanda's story
Amanda had a rare, autoimmune disorder called Anti NMDA receptor encephalitis - but she didn't know it. Symptoms of Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis can often be misdiagnosed as other psychotic conditions, and in Amanda's case she was misdiagnosed several times. Others thought Amanda was crazy. It wasn't until she came to Penn that she was cured.
“It was just such a joy, because they told me she would be fine, and I got to see that she would be fine,” Amanda’s mom said of seeing her daughter return to normal.
Share your story
We value every patient’s experience. If you have a story to share or feedback to provide, we encourage you to contact us. Your insights contribute significantly to our ongoing efforts to improve patient care and safety.