Penn Medicine Experience (PMX) Week is always an exciting time at Pennsylvania Hospital. Held in October, PMX Week offers a time for staff across the health system to take a breather and recognize the achievements of their colleagues, all while renewing their commitment to being compassionate, present, empowered, collaborative, and accountable. PMX Week 2019 also launched a new initiative to highlight one BE Standard each year, beginning with compassion.
PAH leaders greeted staff with breakfast bright and early on Monday, and all members of the hospital community were invited to gather in Zubrow Auditorium for the annual kickoff ceremony. Each year, Pennsy creates a video to fit the PMX Week theme. PAH leaders greeted staff with breakfast bright and early on Monday, and all members of the hospital community were invited to gather in Zubrow Auditorium for the annual kickoff ceremony. This year’s edition was set to “Lean on Me” and featured staff from across the hospital dancing and swaying to the song, while others talked about how even the smallest acts of compassion can enrich lives.
Later, the Schwartz Center Rounds focused on self-compassion and preventing burnout when in the midst of crisis, such as opioid use disorder. Guest speaker Steve Trzeciak, MD, MPH, chief of Medicine for Cooper University Healthcare and author of Compassionomics: The Revolutionary Scientific Evidence that Caring Makes a Difference, dove into the effects of compassion in clinical settings on patients, care delivery, and caregivers.
“Whether you’re a nurse who goes above and beyond at the bedside, an EVS team member who never fails to stop and give directions to visitors, or a social worker who always has a smile to share, we all can practice compassion and create a better experience every day,” said Eileen Murphy, MSL, director of Patient & Guest Relations and Volunteer Services, who led the PMX Week Committee with Carolyn Tobin, director of Food & Nutrition and Environmental Services. “PMX Week is about recognizing these important efforts and giving back to our exceptional, committed staff who give so much every day.”
Throughout the week, gifts, candy, and carnations were distributed as tokens of thanks, and activities ranging from an employee art display and a historical open house in the Pine Building, to massage therapy and visits from the Paws for Pennsy pups were available for staff across the hospital. At the annual Patient Advocacy Awards, 11 outstanding patient advocates were honored by their peers for having a consistently positive impact on the patient and family experience. Congratulations to Dan Bangert; Sharmell N. Branch, MSW; Carmela Bynum; Patricia Craig, RN; Madeline Dawson, MHS; Lauren Ellis, MSN, RN, CEN; George Geiger; Pat Lanzilotta; Cherie Lee, MS; Karen Panossian, BSN, RN, CCRN; and Dahlia Sataloff, MD.
While the festivities came to an end on Friday, the committee ensured PMX Week 2019 went out with a bang — and a yee-haw! — with a country western hoedown in Elm Garden. Thank you to everyone who made this year’s PMX Week a great success, and for continuing to put compassionate patient care first at the nation’s first!