‘Experience Critical’ to Give Mid-South Students A Jumpstart on Health Care Careers

Memphis, Tenn., Aug. 30, 2004 –Baptist Memorial Health Care launched today an area-wide search for a team of volunteers to serve in Baptist’s emergency rooms in a program called Experience Critical, another component in the metro-wide emergency room campaign launched by the organization in November 2003.

The Experience Critical program is designed as a nontraditional volunteer corps – targeting mostly area college students or recent graduates interested in pursuing health care careers, who would be dedicated to providing support to emergency room patients, families and staff. The hands-on experience will not only serve as a great addition to a student’s resume, but the volunteer hours also may be worth college transcript credit.

“We are looking for energetic people who will flourish in the fast-paced ER environment, where they can learn about patient care and health care operations,” said Chuck McGlasson, director of emergency services at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis. “This is an invaluable opportunity, as we will provide volunteers with the critical experience they need for a jumpstart on a career in health care, and they’ll provide support that patients and families need during their stay in our ER. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

Experience Critical volunteers will play a part in the lifesaving work that the ER staff does every day, serving as liaisons and patient advocates during peak times in Baptist’s three metro ERs – Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto and Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville. Volunteers will facilitate enhanced communication among Baptist colleagues, patients and their families; make patients and their loved ones more comfortable; and work to enhance the entire ER experience for visitors. Although the physicians, nurses and other health care professionals in the ER will continue to provide direct care to patients, volunteers will provide indirect patient care through communication to ER visitors and families and by helping ER staff with such duties as transporting patients, stocking rooms, answering phones and updating department boards.

Both national industry research and local market research commissioned by Baptist show that many patients do not understand the ER’s processes and protocols, which can lead to patient dissatisfaction with wait times. The focus groups, case studies and surveys also found that ER visitors strongly consider the effectiveness of communication when rating their satisfaction with their ER visit, according to Beverly Jordan, vice president and chief nursing officer for Baptist Memorial Health Care.

“Research shows that a strong focus on customer service and effective communication in an ER are keys to positive patient experiences,” Jordan said. “We want our patients to be very satisfied with their visits to our hospitals, and this special team of volunteers will help achieve that.”

Emergency department overcrowding is one of the biggest issues facing hospitals nationwide. A survey released early in 2002 by the American Hospital Association found that 90 percent of large hospitals’ ERs were at or over capacity, and 60 percent of hospitals nationwide felt they were filled to capacity and could not easily accommodate additional patients. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics, there were 108 million ER visits in 2000, up 14 percent from 95 million visits in 1997. In Tennessee, those increases have been even more dramatic. According to information released by the Tennessee Hospital Association in late 2002, the number of emergency room visits at the state’s hospitals has increased 31 percent in three years, more than double the national rate of increase.

For more information on Experience Critical or to find out how to become a volunteer, please visit www.experiencecritical.com or call 800 4-BAPTIST.

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