Two members of the patient transport team.
On the day of their surgeries, patients and their families have a lot on their minds. The last thing they need to deal with is getting lost. That’s why Duke Raleigh Hospital is debuting a new patient transport system to help visitors during construction.
“We knew that when construction started, there would be big impact to patients and visitors,” said Diane Mitchell, Manager of Operations Administration for Duke Raleigh Hospital. In-patient transportation had already been trialed using nursing staff, but the operations team wanted to do more to support patients—especially once construction begins on the same-day surgery unit and closes the road.
Mitchell met with colleagues at Duke Hospital in Durham and modeled a program on theirs. The new team will meet patients in front of the hospital, transport them where they need to go on a golf cart, then pick them back up and bring them to discharge when the time comes. Not only are patients and their families helped, but the new program takes the burden off of nurses, who can stay with their other patients.
“I’m excited, because we’re really helping the patients and the families,” Marshika Judd, Lead Patient Transporter, said. “Now, somebody will be here to greet the patients and visitors and get people where they need to be. Plus, the transporter can talk to them, give them a good spirit and a good smile on the way down.”
The patient transport team came on board at the end of March. They are currently assisting with discharge on all in-patient units, and the additional staff will help with patient transportation once same-day surgery construction begins.
You can contact the team by calling (919) 862-5528. A team member will also be stationed at the volunteer nursing station in the lobby area.
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