Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

“Not Your Father’S Heart”: How Healthcare Discrimination For Neurodivergent Patients Taught Me About The Human Experience, Cate Murphy

Patient Experience Journal

It is easy to assume all patients who come into a hospital for acute crisis care have a clear understanding of how their experience will be facilitated. When a patient is neurodivergent, they cannot always agree to needed intervention. This is exacerbated by the “poor timing” of questions portrayed to impact the critical care received, sometimes irreparably. This is my story of watching my young, active partner suffer two massive heart attacks and refuse intervention because he was ashamed to admit he had not seen a doctor in over thirty years. Due to his neurodivergence, he could not process questions …

Investing In The Bottom Line: The Value Case For Improving Human Experience In Healthcare, Jason A. Wolf, Vishal Bhalla, Brian Carlson, Jennifer Carron, Lanie Dixon, Julie K. Oehlert, Brant J. Oliver

Patient Experience Journal

Investment in human experience is imperative for healthcare organizations. It is a strategic focus that can lead to great benefits. Those that overlook experience, seeing it as “simply” about satisfaction or survey data, do so at great cost to their organization, team members, and most importantly those we serve – patients. A commitment to human experience – integrating the patient, workforce, and community experience – is essential for all healthcare organizations in realizing the goals they strive for and the impact they aspire to achieve. It leads to high-quality outcomes for those they care for. It creates a positive environment …

The Evolution Of Patient Experience: From Holistic Care To Human Experience, Corey Adams, Reema Harrison, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

Patient experience has evolved as a critical concept and outcome in health systems internationally. Evolving from consumer-led movements, coupled with shifts in the positioning of patients among clinical professions, the global focus on patient experience is now evident in nationally mandated measurement tools, the creation of dedicated institutional leadership roles, and outlets such as the Patient Experience Journal. By critically analysing the pivotal factors and milestones that have shaped its evolution throughout healthcare history, this review provides an in-depth exploration of the evolution of patient experience. In doing so, the review provides a critical analysis of the application of patient …

Looking Back To Move Forward: The Next Decade And Beyond For Human Experience, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

This issue comes out at an important moment for the experience conversation. It was ten years ago from the publication date of this issue on April 30, 2014, that the first issue of Patient Experience Journal (PXJ) was released. PXJ was intended to be a gathering place. A virtual town square for the experience movement where people could and would come together to share ideas and proven practice. This value of collaboration is at the foundation of our very efforts as a global community through The Beryl Institute. Experience is not some secret competitive ingredient in the world of healthcare. …

Breaking The Transactional Mindset: A New Path For Healthcare Leadership Built On A Commitment To Human Experience, Kirsten Krull, Jerry Mansfield, Jennifer Gentry, Karen Grimley, Barbara Jacobs, Jason Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

Numerous health care publications have focused on the compelling need to improve patient experience and the associated improvements necessary to address workforce well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated and illuminated long-standing problems in health care including workforce shortages, inequity in health care delivery outcomes, care provider burnout, and overall societal structural racism.^1,2 The Beryl Institute’s Nursing Executive Council (NEC) manuscript Rebuilding a Foundation of Trust: A Call to Action in Creating a Safe Environment for Everyone³ focused on actions and behaviours to heal relationships and build trust between care providers and leaders with commitments to safety, empathy, shared decision …

Four Commitments For The Future Of Healthcare: Reflecting On A Decade Of Patient Experience Journal, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

This issue closes the first decade of Patient Experience Journal’s (PXJ) contribution to evidence and innovation, to sharing stories and research, to elevating the conversation and pushing the boundaries of the experience movement. We have never hesitated to nudge at the status quo or to respond with agility to the challenging moments we have faced. We have welcomed diverse voices as contributors, and we have seen an even more diverse readership. In reviewing the pages of PXJ over the last decade, we see a true evolution of the experience movement itself. The words of our contributors have provided a lens …

Special Issue 2024: Transforming Experience In Non-Hospital Settings, Patient Experience Journal

Patient Experience Journal

Patient Experience Journal(PXJ) is excited to announce the call for submissions for its July/August 2024 special issue focused on exploring how healthcare organizations are transforming experience in non-hospital settings. So much of the experience conversation has been focused on and driven by the hospital setting – from acute care, to pediatrics, safety net hospitals and more. While this focus remains essential to some of the most critical care delivered in the healthcare ecosystem, it is important to recognize the volume of care being provided in new and existing settings. This special issue seeks to uncover and elevate the practices …

The Frontier For Human Experience Is Closer Than We Think, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

When we think of frontiers, we think of boundaries between the known and unknown, the edge we see in the distance, something that is always just over the horizon. Yet when we step into what was once the frontier, the horizon moves on us, with new distances to cross, edges to reach. It is this dynamic of frontiers, wrapped in our individual and shared experiences of the last few years that shape this very special issue. It is also why now more than ever frontiers are an important part of our transformation. Frontiers that push us beyond where we can …

Building On A Decade Of Hope: Why We Must Champion The Human Experience, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

The pages of PXJ have served a primary purpose, to expand the evidence on patient experience and push the boundaries of innovation in this critical work. But through this commitment, PXJ has seen much more happen. The contributions of our thousands of authors, reviewers and editors have also fostered an environment of connection. PXJ has emerged as something more than just a journal. It has become a place for conversation. It has served as a conduit for expanding excellence in practice. It has fostered new thinking. And it has broadened our global community. There is something very special found on …

In Divided Times, A Focus On Human Experience Connects Us, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

The realities of the time in which we find ourselves, not only in healthcare, but in society overall, have exposed so much of what was simmering beneath the surface of our humanity. Issues of equity and inclusion, of stress and burnout, of division and misconception and even the existence of alternative “truths” have caused rifts in our connection, weakened our societal foundations and pulled on the seams of the healthcare system itself. We close our eighth volume of Patient Experience Journal (PXJ) under this veil, yet I believe we have an opportunity to use this moment as a place from …

Breaking Barriers To Equity: A Conversation With Dr. Julia Iyasere, Jason A. Wolf Phd

Patient Experience Journal

I was honored to have the opportunity to talk to someone I've been fortunate to meet in the past few months and who has taught me incredible things about the topic of equity in healthcare and even more so the idea of health justice, Dr. Julia Iyasere, Executive Director of the NewYork-Presbyterian Dalio Center for Health Justice. As a physician, an educator, a researcher, and I suggest an evidence-based social activist, Dr. Iyasere has led the establishment and growth of the Dalio Center in just the over 9 months since its launch. But the ideas she champions in her work …

Moving From Talk To Action: A Commitment To Ensuring Equity Must Ground Our Efforts To Transform The Human Experience, Jason A. Wolf Phd

Patient Experience Journal

When we first introduced the call for submissions for this special issue last August, we were still churning in the first wave of the COVID pandemic. Just three to four months from the start of an unending rash of unexpected and harsh realities that we were faced with in healthcare and in society at large, we too found that the moment was revealing all the weaknesses and wounds that had existed in the foundations of the healthcare system from well before the pandemic hit. Our own research at The Beryl Institute in 2020 reinforced a quiet reality: that people do …

Reexamining “Defining Patient Experience”: The Human Experience In Healthcare, Jason A. Wolf, Victoria Niederhauser, Dianne Marshburn, Sherri L. Lavela

Patient Experience Journal

In 2014, the authors came together with the explicit purpose of understanding how people were defining patient experience.¹ Our broad review and analysis of the literature led us to a few critical points. One, as our review showed, there was an absence of a commonly used definition around patient experience in healthcare. Two, while consistency in the use of one definition was not revealed, there was great alignment around central components seen as critical to patient experience. Three, we highlighted the recurrence of key concepts from the literature that are also found in the definition offered by The Beryl …

No Visitors Allowed: How Health Systems Can Better Engage Patients’ Families During A Pandemic, Jennifer Schlimgen, Amy Frye

Patient Experience Journal

The ravages of COVID -19 and the no visitor policies that accompany it have forged a tectonic shift in the patient and family experience. This hit home for me with a recent family member health event and hospitalization, leading me to think “we HAVE to do better!” Why should hospitals and health systems care about family involvement during COVID-19?

Experience Framework

This article is associated with the Patient, Family & Community Engagement lens of The Beryl Institute Experience Framework (https://www.theberylinstitute.org/ExperienceFramework).

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A Call To Action For Human Experience, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

As we open the 8th volume of Patient Experience Journal (PXJ), we all stand in a world much different than we did just a year ago. A year ago we were in the height of crisis, facing unknowns and uncertainty. We didn’t know if we were tackling an issue that was weeks, months or years in front of us. We were truly not even sure what tomorrow might bring. As I shared in opening Volume 7, we were already experiencing something special in the midst of real tragedy. We were seeing light peeking through heavy clouds. I opened that issue …

Moving Forward To The Future Of Healthcare, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

To say this moment in our shared global history feels shaky or uncertain for so many is not a statement of despair. Rather, it is acknowledging a reality through which we can best act and hopefully step through. As of the time this editorial will publish, well over 50 million cases of COVID-19 will have been reported. This is a reality all of humanity is sharing together; it is a challenge that healthcare is being called on to tackle. The work of people around the world to care for the sick, to find the right treatments and vaccines and the …

Special Issue – July 2021 The Impact Of Inequity & Health Disparities On The Human Experience, Patient Experience Journal

Patient Experience Journal

Patient Experience Journal (PXJ) is excited to announce the call for submissions for its July 2021 special issue on the impact of racial inequality, health disparities, and discrimination on the human experience. The world now finds itself in the grips of a global pandemic that is taking its toll on communities socially and economically, placing strain on healthcare workers and revealing the very systemic weaknesses and inherent biases that have been resting just beneath the surface of our society for years. The challenge of disparity and inequity is not unique to healthcare, but in the era of COVID-19, what many …

My Six-Word Story: Power To Reconnect And Connect, Alexie Puran

Patient Experience Journal

The COVID-19 global pandemic is a threat to the well-being of our healthcare professionals. Recent studies on the mental health effects of healthcare professionals from China and Italy have revealed higher levels of depression, anxiety and psychological distress. As a Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician working on the frontline and a H3 (Helping Healers Heal) Peer Champion, I sought to support my staff’s well-being and emotional resilience. My Six-Word Story, a simple and meaningful activity was designed to support the psycho-social well-being of those on the frontline providing care. This new project was implemented in the Pediatric Emergency Department at NYC …

Caring For Our Caregivers In Body, Mind And Spirit During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Rick Evans, Philip J. Wilner, Kristen Spillane

Patient Experience Journal

New York City became the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. The surge of critically ill patients combined with widespread social distancing measures created extraordinary challenges for healthcare workers. Many frontline workers experienced significant physical, psychological, and emotional distress. They faced demanding patient care responsibilities while managing personal obligations and health concerns.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was imperative that NewYork-Presbyterian care for its workforce’s physical, psychological and emotional needs, not only because of our commitment to our colleagues as people, but also because of our obligation to continue to deliver high quality care and experience to the …

Beyond Platitudes: A Nurse’S Journey Of Self-Reflection And Vulnerability, Monica Friesen

Patient Experience Journal

The efforts taking place in healthcare organizations and communities globally should represent what is best in humanity, perhaps even more so in this unprecedented time of COVID-19. This short personal narrative is the acknowledgement that “best” needs to start with “me” and my story of self-reflection and journey of vulnerability.

Experience Framework

This article is associated with the Staff & Provider Engagement lens of The Beryl Institute Experience Framework. (http://bit.ly/ExperienceFramework)

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Getting Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable: A Conversation With Marsha Sinanan-Vasishta, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

We find ourselves managing two critical moments and a powerful confluence of events, one a crisis in health. We are still facing the COVID crisis, and we are trying very hard to rely on evidence and truth that will lead us forward in addressing that in the best way possible. We are also in a crisis of humanity, one that has been simmering beneath the surface for years, the issue of systemic racism and disparities in healthcare, further highlighted by the COVID crisis. This article shares the conversation I had with Marsha Sinanan-Vasishta, MSN, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, CPXP, Deputy Chief …

Leadership Matters: A Conversation With Dr. James Hildreth, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

I was extremely honored at this moment in the midst of our current health crisis to have a conversation with Dr. James Hildreth, president and chief executive officer of Meharry Medical College. The focus and commitment expressed by Dr. Hildreth reflects the very mission statement of Meharry Medical College itself, to advance health equity through innovative research, transformative education, exceptional and compassionate health services and policy-influencing thought leadership. As equally important is the alignment of Meharry’s purpose with our very own at the Institute, as Meharry’s mission continues to empower diverse populations to improve the well-being of humankind. Dr. Hildreth …

A Commitment To Hope, Jason A. Wolf Phd, Geoffrey A. Silvera

Patient Experience Journal

On April 1, we made the decision to reconfigure our scheduled special issue on Behavioral Health to the topic of this issue - Sustaining a Focus on Human Experience in the Face of COVID-19. In the midst of crisis, we were uncertain how people would respond to this call or even if they could in the face of the realities they were addressing each day. Yet, the research, cases and stories started to arrive. The contributions in this special issue represent a patchwork of powerful insights and a historic record to document this moment. What we have brought together …

Special Issue – July/August 2020: Sustaining A Focus On Human Experience In The Face Of Covid-19, Patient Experience Journal

Patient Experience Journal

At this critical time in our shared history, we are faced with a powerful challenge, the rapid impact of COVID-19 on our healthcare systems and community. With that acknowledgement, we are refocusing our 2020 special issue of Patient Experience Journal (PXJ) to address Sustaining a Focus on Human Experience in the Face of COVID-19. Submissions received for our initially planned special issue on patient & family experience in behavioral health will remain in review and consideration for future issues of PXJ.

There are heroic efforts taking place minute-by-minute to address the clinical and personal needs of patients, while also …

The Essential Nature Of Experience In A Time Of Crisis And Beyond, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

As we have engaged with community members around the world, the last few weeks have provided a unique window into the face of this crisis as we have seen not only the deadliest days on record, but have also had some of the most hopeful conversations at the same time. While we are and still will face challenges in the weeks to come, we too have seen humanity elevated in profound and powerful ways. While it can be offered with little argument that things will never be the same, in moving forward, we too can assert and I believe, that …

The Future Of Patient Experience: Five Thoughts On Where We Must Go From Here, Jason A. Wolf Phd, Cpxp

Patient Experience Journal

In looking to the future, we must never forget it is grounded in today and the steps that brought us to this point. Those efforts and actions that led to where we stand now set the foundation for all we can do and what we will accomplish as we look to the future. This idea of not looking too far ahead without knowing where you stand is fundamental in human nature. Far too often we have let our gaze to the future miss the people right in front of us or overlook the significance of the moment in which we …

Call For Submissions Special Issue - July 2020: Patient & Family Experience In Behavioral Health, Patient Experience Journal

Patient Experience Journal

Patient Experience Journal (PXJ) is excited to announce the call for submissions for its July 2020 special issue on the topic of patient & family experience in behavioral health. With a continued focus on the critical role of behavioral health in society today and a growing recognition of the importance of experience for those in behavioral health settings, a conversation on the practices in place and the identification of evidence of efforts leading to positive outcomes will be essential expanding the experience conversation in this setting. This special issue is open to all authors conducting cutting-edge research, implementing innovative practices …

Reframing Innovation And Technology For Healthcare: A Commitment To The Human Experience, Jason A. Wolf Phd, Cpxp

Patient Experience Journal

This latest special issue of Patient Experience Journal focuses on the role of technology and innovation in patient experience. The articles included in this issue help us think about the ideas of innovation and health information technology (HIT) in some new and interesting ways. They also have us push the boundaries of what has framed what innovation and technology application look like in healthcare today. With this perspective, we explore the idea that HIT is not simply a process improvement tool; it is a means to elevate the human interactions at the heart of healthcare. Simultaneously in healthcare, innovation has …

Reframing The Conversation On Patient Experience: Three Considerations, Jason A. Wolf Phd, Cpxp

Patient Experience Journal

In experience, every voice matters, and each of those individual voices are contributing to an ocean of ripples that are positively impacting countless lives. In experience, no one organization owns, nor should claim to own all the answers, but many contribute to the possibilities found in elevating the human experience in healthcare. In experience, when we ensure this is a true strategic focus at the heart of healthcare we will find our way to achieving all the outcomes we aspire to achieve and know are possible in healthcare. This issue helps frame that reality through contributions from around the world …

Call For Submissions - Special Issue July 2019: The Role Of Technology And Innovation In Patient Experience, Patient Experience Journal

Patient Experience Journal

Patient Experience Journal (PXJ) is excited to announce the call for submissions for its July 2019 special issue on the topic of the role of technology in patient & family experience. A focus on technology and innovation will be essential in healthcare experience, requiring new ways of thinking and doing and the technologies and tools to ensure efficiencies, expand capacities and extend boundaries of care.

This special issue is open to all authors conducting cutting-edge research, implementing innovative practices or with powerful experiences to share around efforts in either creating or implementing technology focused on positively impacting the patient experience …