Sitting behind our nurses, doctors, and clinical staff are multiple teams that share a common goal – to ensure every Cabrini patient has the best possible hospital experience. This week is Patient Experience Week, a time to recognise everyone who plays a part in ensuring that every moment matters for our valued Cabrini patients.

From the moment a patient steps into one of our buildings and is greeted by Reception staff like Susie Macdonald and Amanda Orgill, until the time they are farewelled by an orderly like Nick Correale, every interaction a patient experiences is important.

Our clinical staff provide the medical care, but there are so many other contributors to a patient experience.

Eddie Harrison is Capital Works Project Director, who has patients front and centre of mind when planning the safe and comfortable design, construction and relocation of Cabrini’s wards and buildings.

“It’s little things like making sure that any drilling or noisy construction work near wards only happens once patients are awake, and that construction near consulting suites only takes place outside of consulting hours,” Eddie says. “They all make a difference to the patient experience.”

Richard Louis only has to ask once how a patient takes their tea. Richard has been Food Ambassador on 2 North for the past eight years, and is well aware that even the smallest of things make a big difference.

“I talk to them and make them smile so at the same time they forget the pain,” Richard said. “I get to know the patients because I work only on this ward. I don’t have to ask anymore (after the first couple of times of making their tea). I remember what they like straight away, so I won’t ask, I just make their cup of tea. They appreciate it.

“We all have to make sure when patients leave here that they are happy.”

Amber Colin is one of our Rehab in the Home physiotherapists. By listening to a client’s needs, and tailoring programs to suit every individual, she makes every moment matter.

“We make sure patients are not getting a cookie cutter program, that it’s tailored towards their own specific goals and needs,” Amber said.

“I had a patient who had a fall while trying to feed his cat. He’d lost a lot of confidence, so instead of giving him standard balance exercises, we actually practised bending over and feeding his cat in different environments, practising safer ways to do that so he’d feel confident it wouldn’t happen again.

Going above and beyond is something Amber does as a matter of course to ensure she can give her patients the very best Cabrini experience.

“I took up golf a couple of years ago because for a lot of patients I work with, it’s a goal of theirs to get back to golf after a hip or a knee surgery,” Amber said. “It helps with my (rehab program design) if I know firsthand what it takes to swing a golf club.”

During this special week, we celebrate all our Cabrini staff members, whose work often flies under the radar, but doesn’t go unnoticed.

Read more about Patient Experience at Cabrini