By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
A Patient Experience Liaison has been added to the Emergency Room lobby at the Val Verde Regional Medical Center to improve the patients’ experiences in the facility.
VVRMC added the Patient Experience liaison clinic Dec. 16. The
liaison clinic includes a team of staff members who will be
Jenkins, Jureza Moselina, Sofia Castro, and Laura Gavia pose with Jorge Jurado in the new
room in the Val Verde Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Room (ER) lobby. The Patient
Experience Liaison will help VVRMC with creating a second window in the ER lobby area with
staff members trained to help patients more quickly, based on their needs. (Photo by Louis
Zylka)
working in an area of the ER lobby to strengthen the hospital’s communication with patients and reduce wait times.
When patients enter the ER lobby, they will see a new area on the left side of the entrance with a clinical staff member on duty. A clinical staff member trained to assess patient conditions. The area is a small room with two open windows, which allows staff members to observe the lobby area and to help patients more quickly.
These staff members will be available daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and they are trained to help patients with tasks including monitoring vital signs, collecting basic information for quicker registration and providing comfort measures such as water, bandages and blankets.
In a written memo by Jorge Jurado, VVRMC’s chief executive officer, the liaison is designed to provide real-time support and communication for patients and families during peak hours at the hospital.
The responsibilities of the members in the liaison include:
- Proactively updating patients about their status and reassessing vital signs
- Answering questions and providing information about the ER process.
- Offering comfort measures, such as water, blankets, or other support, to ensure patients feel cared for during their wait.
- Replaying patient’s concerns to the clinical team to enhance care coordination.
“Our goal is to improve the overall patient experience in the emergency room by creating a more welcoming, responsive and transparent environment,” Jurado wrote. “The Patient Experience Liaison will play a critical role in ensuring that every person who walks through our doors feels seen, heard, and valued.”
Jurado mentioned in his memo that the introduction of the Patient Experience Liaison reflects the hospital’s ongoing effort to prioritize the needs of their patients and enhance the services and facilities in the building. Jurado also included in his memo a quote from Dr. Judith Olivarez-Trevino, chief nursing officer at VVRMC.
“We want every patient to feel confident that they are in good hands from the moment they arrive,” Olivarez wrote. “This role is about going beyond medical care to provide the human touch that makes all the difference.”
The liaison includes registered nurses and emergency medical technicians. Cesar Gonzalez, EMT-Basic, Clark Gridley, EMT-Advanced and Christobal Jenkins, registered nurse, were the first employees who worked in the Liaison on its opening day.
Jenkins and Gonzalez talked about how their roles will help the hospital. Gonzalez said they help by registering patients quicker. Jenkins said their involvement will help provide “more efficient care” for patients who can be helped more quickly.
