LG Health has a rich culture of Continuous Improvement which is the result of a collective effort from leaders, employees and the community.
Enhancement opportunities come from various places throughout the organization. Sometimes an idea is elevated through the huddle board process. Occasionally, change is driven by regulatory standards. Other times, improvements are made through patient and visitor feedback.
The latter has driven recent changes at Lancaster General Hospital, ultimately improving the experience for families and visitors.
A visitor shared how small details can make a big difference when navigating the hospital with a visual impairment, especially when utilizing the elevator. She suggested that having other forms of communication, like an audio announcement of what floor the elevator was on, would better aid her while visiting. This feedback, received through the Care to Share phone message system, was elevated to LG Health leaders.
“The elevators at Lancaster General Hospital were installed in 1958 and updated in 1994. At the time, auditory technology was not available. Now this technology has become a standard for all new construction, but older buildings are exempt,” explained Adam Ciemniecki, director, Facilities Management. “However, we want to empower all in our care, including our visitors, so this suggestion led our team to investigate what it looked like operationally and financially to make these upgrades.”
After conducting an assessment with the help of an elevator specialist, the team developed a strategy to install technology that announces what floor the elevator is on in each visitor elevator and eventually, the employee elevators. The upgrade to the visitor elevators was completed in late spring, and now an announcement is made as the doors to the elevator open.
“Safety at LG Health extends beyond the care of our patients and employees; it includes our visitors and our community. The elevator enhancements required the collaboration of various teams to ensure that we were providing safe, comfortable care for all,” said Susanna Wiborg, director, executive projects.