The woman worried out loud that health care providers thought she was a “difficult patient.” But that’s not what Alyson Montani, new patient coordinator in Penn Medicine Radnor’s Hematology/Oncology Department, thought. She just saw the new patient, whose extreme claustrophobia and nervousness had led her to cancel previous appointments, as someone who deserved kindness, empathy, and a little extra TLC.
“Aly comforted her every step of the way,” remarks fellow new patient coordinator Lynne Peel.
The patient was nervous about the parking garage and about finding her way around a building she’d never been to before. Peel noted that Montani found ways to help every step of the way. She contacted security and made arrangements for the patient to park in an easily accessible space. On the patient’s appointment day, Montani personally escorted her to and from her car, ensuring that she didn’t have to navigate an unfamiliar building all by herself.
“The patient was so appreciative,” says Peel, who added that Montani never thought of the woman as a difficult patient. “She just wanted to give the patient a wonderful ‘Penn experience’ – which she did!”
At Penn Medicine, we all aspire to be Difference Makers who represent the Penn Medicine Experience (PMX) in action. PMX sets a consistent standard across all of our entities and work locations to make every touchpoint an opportunity to build enduring connections with patients, families, visitors and colleagues, which is a foundational part of the UPHS Success Share program.