Most of us create a daily To-Do List and measure our success by how many items we strike off our list before the end of the day.

There is an item on the To-Do List of Blessing Health System employees that is not on most other lists—making true human connections with each person served every day.

April 27 through May 1 is national Patient Experience Week, a time within Blessing Health System when we take a moment to reflect on that commitment.

The commitment to making true human connections made a difference in the life of Salina Wilson of Clayton and her family.

Salina’s Aunt Tina was at the end of life, a difficult time for everyone involved. But in the darkness, Salina and her family found light with the help of Blessing staff.

In an email to Blessing, Salina called the Intensive Care Unit staff very professional, informative and caring, and said nurse Keith Wilson was exceptional.

She recognized the outstanding care provided by Mohammed Memon, MD, medical oncologist; Nanjappa Somanna, MD, pulmonologist; and John Rickelman, DO, medical director, Intensive Care Unit.

She ended her comments by sharing that her aunt lost her battle with cancer, and it was a very sad time for her family, but went on to say she really wanted to let the staff at Blessing know that they did a wonderful job.

Salina does not know what is on the daily To-Do List of any provider involved in her aunt’s care, nor the countless Blessing team members who work behind the scenes to ensure the health care system’s processes work effectively.   

What Salina understood clearly is that during a very dark time, the Blessing team made a difference for her and her family, a difference that caused Salina to put her grief aside, just for a moment, to say thank you.

Health care providers are going through a very difficult time now. It’s a time when making true human connection with patients and their loved ones could take a back seat to the worry each provider has about themselves and about our loved ones.

But the people with whom I work at Blessing don’t let that happen. At Blessing, making true human connections is the top item on everyone’s daily To-Do List.

On behalf of everyone at Blessing Health System, thank you for letting us be a part of your life.

Maureen Kahn, RN MHA, MSN
President/Chief Executive Officer
Blessing Health System/Blessing Hospital