We hear it all the time: "I wish other hospitals did this."
Sometimes what patients and their families need most is information, and we pride ourselves on providing it in a timely, compassionate, personal manner.
During heart surgery, we meet with the patient’s family to answer questions and address concerns. We teach them about what we're doing and why we’re doing it. When you are in our care, your family will never be at a loss for where to turn for support. They’ll have their own personal envoy to lean on and to tell them what to expect next – someone they can call upon at any time of the day or night.
Whether you need newsletters with pertinent information, or help voicing concerns of family members to doctors or staff members, there is someone in your corner to offer support, solutions and to ensure that information is flowing both ways.
And after surgery, we match patients and their families with volunteers from our Heart Connection program. These volunteers, who are often former EIRMC patients, have first-hand knowledge and insight that can provide a ray of hope when it’s most needed.
Another group of former patients have found that information is so vital, that they’ve actually started a support program on their own: the Committed Hearts. This non-profit organization helps current cardiac patients by offering personal support and providing an in-house library of books, reference materials, and a computer for individuals to use for research.