Penn Medicine’s traveling Listening Lab made its PPMC debut at the end of January, offering staff, patients, and visitors alike the opportunity to step into another’s shoes and listen to their health care experience. The exhibit exemplifies the Penn Medicine BE Standards, with particular emphasis on being compassionate and present.
At the official launch, CEO Michele Volpe shared her own Penn Medicine Experience story with the staff members and visitors in attendance. She took the audience back in time, years before she joined Penn, to the moment when she decided it was necessary to transfer her critically ill father from a hospital in South Jersey to PPMC. His health was failing, and she knew he needed the best care team possible.
“He was in the critical care unit for several weeks while his cardiology team prepared him for surgery,” she recalled. “One day while visiting him, the realization that my father may die overwhelmed me. I was sitting in a surgical waiting room sobbing when a member of the pastoral care group sat down next to me, took my hand, and told me she was there if I wanted to talk. I have always remembered that act of kindness — it was a part of my reason for accepting this position at Presbyterian when offered many years later.”
At PPMC, the exhibit was split into two sections in the Cupp Lobby, offering additional privacy for staff, patients, and visitors as they took a few minutes to listen. The stories range from poignant moments between patients and their providers, to personal reflections on the loss of a loved one, to vulnerable expressions of the challenges of caregiving.
For Suzanne Smith, MEd, CHES, director of Patient Experience, the Listening Lab not only offers a healing experience for the storytellers who use it as an outlet to share their experiences candidly, but it can enrich the lives of the listeners as well. “The hope is to help our staff members to become more active listeners and to be more present in their interactions with patients, family members, and each other,” she explained. “The Listening Lab encourages us to embrace listening as a meaningful form of care. It builds compassion, strengthens relationships, and fosters a sense of community and connection.”
Missed the Listening Lab’s stop at PPMC? Visit PennListeningLab.org to view the exhibit schedule, listen to stories online, or learn how to share your own story.