It takes an extraordinary team of dedicated professionals to deliver excellent patient care — and also receive national recognition for it. A combination of clinical excellence and compassionate, personalized care earned The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) Press Ganey’s 2016 Guardian of Excellence Award. Patients from hospitals across the country provide input and feedback on their care. Survey results put the OSUCCC — James in the top 5 percent for care received across the United States. The Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award is a nationally recognized symbol of achievement in health care, and it is presented annually to recognize top performing health care organizations that have consistently sustained performance in the top 5 percent of all hospitals surveyed. James Director of Patient Experience Renee Jones explains the key qualities of patient-centered care we focus on at the OSUCCC – James. “Patient-centered care must be compassionate and personalized with the patient being at the core or center of the care continuum,” she said. “There is no routine cancer, and each patient is treated as a unique and special person based on their genetic make-up, family medical history, their environment and their health behaviors.” Achieving excellent, patient-centered care begins with hiring the most compassionate and caring staff. Jones says this involves listening to and seeking feedback from our patients and their families. “We routinely visit our patients within the first 24 hours of their admission to learn about their experience. Is the staff being responsive to their personal needs? Do they understand their plan of care? If these things are not happening then we connect the appropriate teams to make sure this gets corrected,” Jones said. To additionally help make sure patients’ needs are met, the OSUCCC ­– James has a very active Patient Experience Council and Patient/Family Advisory Council to gain feedback and insight on how we can ensure each patient has a great experience. In addition to our clinical staff and patient councils, we have a compassionate inter-disciplinary staff — case managers, social workers, pastoral care staff, patient experience staff and volunteers — who all do a great job of supporting our patients and their families. To that point, patient-centered care also means taking care of our patients’ families, and taking care of ourselves, Jones said. “We know that families want to be with their loved one during difficult times, and that’s why we make it as comfortable as possible for our guests,” she said. “We have flexible visitation, shower facilities, laundry facilities and a Patient and Family Resource Center where families can go to research health information or just relax and take a break.” The hospital is open 24/7, so our lobbies and public space areas have staff available to assist our patients and families at any time of the day or night. As Jones mentioned, patient-centered care means staff at the OSUCCC – James are mindful of taking care of themselves. “We know that we cannot take excellent care of our patients and families without taking care of ourselves,” she said. “Programs to support stress reduction, mindfulness and compassionate support are available to our staff as well. Further Reading: Ohio State Receives Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award Become a Patient and Family Experience Advisor Join H.O.P.E.: Helping Others through Peer Experiences