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Written with contributing author Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare

As the healthcare industry becomes increasingly focused on improving patient experiences, the role of a Patient Experience Liaison has become increasingly important. This individual serves as a bridge between patients and healthcare providers, helping to ensure that patients' needs are met and their voices are heard. A Patient Experience Liaison can play a critical role in enhancing the quality of care and overall satisfaction of patients, as well as fostering a culture of empathy and patient-centeredness within healthcare organizations. Recently, we spoke about the topic with Lisa Gilliam, RN, MSN, CPXP, who works as a Nurse Supervisor at Redlands Community Hospital.

Gilliam, who worked as a Patient Experience Liaison for 6 years, talks about the importance of paying stressed the importance of paying attention to patients' unique needs.

“Patients just really want to be heard, they want to know you care. Getting down to that eye level of the patient and taking that moment, even if it’s a couple minute can really change the perspective of that patient’s experience, and the family’s experience,” she said.

Gilliam also discussed how she has implemented systems to address patients' feedback to create new initiatives that addressed pressing patient problems concerning lost belongings and night-time quietness.

In addition, Gilliam highlighted her work with the Beryl Institute. “Beryl Institute has amazing resources on their website, whitepapers and videos. I learned so much for them that I eventually decided that I wanted to be a part of the Beryl Institute so I joined their patient advisory committee,” she said.

Gilliam explained that her role allows her to aid everyone inside the hospital room. “I get to help the patient, I get to help the family and I get to help the nurse. It’s really about educating that patient and filling those gaps that we didn’t fill at the bedside,” she said.

The philosophy Gilliam describes concerning the healing power of a rich patient experience is the idea that powers the Journey PX brand. Our innovative patient engagement platform is uniquely designed to elevate your PX while eliminating work for your nurses and other key staff.

Journey PX solutions close gaps in communication by keeping patients informed of their daily plan of care, and streamlining communications between patients, families, and care teams. They also empower patients by providing individualized education and engagement tools. Journey PX allows hospital organizations to hard-wire bedside shift reports, saving clinicians steps and time.

Journey PX’s digital whiteboard, My Day Today, provides vital information to hospital care teams, patients, and their families. My Stay provides patients with the education they need via access to an extensive education library. This allows patients to become more empowered through health literacy and enhances their readiness for discharge. It also helps support patients after discharge by providing education that can be texted to them. Journey PX’s virtual care solution, Connect, enables video calling for patients and families. It also provides a secure connection that allows for virtual visits and rounding by hospital care teams, all through the TV in the patient’s room.

To hear more from Lisa Gilliam including her thoughts on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and more listen to the full PX Space podcast interview below.

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Written with contributing author Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare

There are several healthcare professionals that assist families during their childbirth journey. Many families are choosing to hire doulas, trained professionals who provide physical, emotional, and informational support throughout the process. These professionals bring a lot to the table when it comes to patient experience, support that is essential for expecting parents. Debbie Young, Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula, shared some valuable insights on the topic in a recent interview.

Young explained that there are several types of doulas including traditional birth doulas, postpartum doulas, and community doulas, who serve specific communities' needs. She also noted that many hospitals do have doula programs. She elaborated on how doulas work with hospital care teams during childbirth.

“I see myself as part of a team because I am not there to do clinical things, but I am there to do the support part. You think of all the skills needed by the clinical personnel, nurse, doctor, and midwife; I want to be a part of that team. I do not replace any of them, instead, I am there as an extra bonus,” she said.

Young explained one of the things that set the role of a doula apart is that they are devoted entirely to the expecting family.

Many parents who have recently got the news they are expecting may be interested in the process of starting with a doula. Young explains that doulas meet with parents several times throughout the perinatal journey. She meets with an expecting mother at least two times and noted that the chemistry between expecting parents and their doula is important.

“First, I just to do a meet and greet for free because, as I tell families, I am going to be with you at one of the most vulnerable times of your life, and even if I am very smart, and I know what I am talking about, if I do not have a personality that matches your personality, I am not the right doula for you. Let me give you the name of a couple of other doulas in the area that you could call upon. I do stress when I talk about hiring a doula from my childbirth education classes, that parents talk to two or three people because that person is going to be at this intimate time in their lives,” she said.

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In today’s healthcare landscape care delivery models are evolving to address recent challenges such as workforce shortages. As technology continues to impact the healthcare industry, and the popularity of telehealth on the rise, many hospital organizations are beginning to invest in innovative technology tools. Journey PX Connect allows hospitals to bring an additional healthcare expert into the patient room virtually. Connect enables video calling for patients and families. The solution also provides a secure connection that allows for virtual visits and rounding by providers, nurses, other clinicians, and authorized staff, all through the patient’s in-room TV.

Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare elaborated on the added value of bringing in additional experts virtually, to the bedside.

“Currently, hospitals are dealing with nurses that are overwhelmed, overworked, and an experience complexity gap. Why not look at another professional that you can add to the care team to drive quality? Technology such as Journey PX Connect provides hospitals with the ability to bring additional experts to give that added layer of support,” said Robinson.

She also noted that in specialized units like Mother Baby Units, these experts would be professionals such as doulas and lactation consultants.

The importance of education was another topic discussed by Young, who began her 35-year career in the childbirth field as a childbirth educator. Young is noted for her extensive work in childbirth education. In fact, in addition to her current role as a doula and doula trainer, she provides childbirth educational materials to health professionals, patients, and students as the Customer Relations Manager at InJoy Health Education, an education partner of Journey PX.

“Education is really important. I think that when patients go into labor just assuming everything is going to work out fine, they may have no idea what they are getting into,” said Young.

She explained that one of her most important goals is to provide expecting mothers with an education on a variety of topics that also covers a wide array of “what if” scenarios.

“When my students get into the delivery room, they are prepared. No one can be prepared for absolutely everything, but they are prepared. I just taught a class last night where we did a labor rehearsal. Next week, my class is going to be all about postpartum. Education about breastfeeding and post-birth warning signs, etc., they will need it all, and I think it is crucial,” she continued.

Providing comprehensive health education on topics such as breastfeeding, safe sleep, and post-birth warning signs is a key component of antenatal and postpartum care. The sources and delivery of this education are additional layers that impact the quality of patient care for newborns and their parents. This special environment requires a patient engagement platform that is tailored to the unique needs of new mothers, babies, and families. Recognizing this, Journey PX recently developed Journey PX Mother Baby, a new solution designed specifically for mother-baby units, which delivers vital health education, prepare parents and newborns for discharge, and enhances the overall patient experience.

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To hear more from Debbie Young about the doula’s role in patient care, including assisting the nursing team and additional benefits doulas provide, listen to her full PX Space interview with host Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, below.

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Written with contributing author Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare

The healthcare industry has continued to evolve rapidly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in response to challenges such as workforce shortages, more complex patient cases, and the rise of telehealth.

Some industry professionals have turned to innovative ideas about care delivery models to adapt to these challenges.

One department at the University of Louisville Health has recently adopted a new interdisciplinary care team model that places pharmacists at the bedside with a patient assignment in an unconventional role, adding another expert to the bedside care team. The University of Louisville Health execs came up with the supplemental care delivery model program in response to the nursing shortage.

A recent study published by McKinsey and Company suggests that if there are no changes in current care delivery models, there will be a gap of 200,000 to 450,000 nurses nationwide by 2025. Conversely, for every 1 percent expansion of capacity—created through changes in care delivery models, technology-enabled productivity tools, or alternative sites of care settings for patients—the number of nurses needed would decrease by about 25,000. Recently Linda Robinson, MSN, RN, CPXP, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare, spoke with two members of the University of Louisville Health team—Tara Neuner DNP, RN, CCRN Mixed Acuity Professional Development Practitioner, and Amy Braden PharmD, BCPS Manager of Inpatient Pharmacy Operations about the topic.

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Braden explained that the University of Louisville Health executive leadership team considered various ideas, and ultimately decided to bring in pharmacists, who are medication experts, onto a unit to become more directly involved with patient care, providing patients with not only medication education but the administration of medications as well.

Braden said the conditions that gave birth to the innovation of the model adopted by the University of Louisville Health team. Questions such as: “‘What can we do to combat this nursing shortage?’ ‘We are seeing some pharmacies close in the area, with the disruption in retail pharmacies, is there an opportunity to bring pharmacists into the patient care model?’ We asked ourselves what we can do with our care model to change some of the ways that we are taking care of our patients and have a better interdisciplinary approach,” she said.

The University of Louisville team decided to integrate pharmacists directly into the care model so they could collaborate with nurses and become a part of the care team at the bedside. Thus, the pharmaco-management pharmacist program was born.

Braden elaborated on why bringing pharmacists on to the bedside care team has been so beneficial.

“[These pharmacists] are a bit of a hybrid. They are bringing in a lot of their retail experience and their ability to connect and talk with patients. They are also administering medications on the unit, which is something very new. These pharmacists took on a whole wealth of knowledge as far as medication administration, different routes of administration,” she said.

Neuner explained that she developed an educational program that started with the fundamentals of nursing and simulations with mannequins. Much focus was placed on medication administration routes and techniques as well as hospital protocols, policies, and procedures. Many of the skills were new and not part of the skill set of a retail pharmacist. Three months after training was completed, real-life patient scenario competency sessions were held that required the pharmaco-management pharmacists to perform their duties in a simulated environment. Neuner also provides continuing education sessions when new situations arise. She makes sure that they are comfortable, prepared, and have all the resources that they need.

Nuener described how the pharmaco-management pharmacists have brought a new level of patient and nursing support onto the trauma stroke unit. Neuner said the pharmacists on the unit have given her great feedback. "They love it, they have built relationships with the nurses with the unit secretary, when we brought them back down to their follow up class, their competency class, we found that they also have formed relationships with the patients and they were just happy and ecstatic, "she said.

The extra education, personalization, and support the new model has provided patients is extremely beneficial. Nurses on the unit have also had additional burdens lifted from their shoulders, as Braden explained.

“I know one of the big things that one of the charge nurses on the unit said was that sometimes they don’t have the time to get to the meds because they are so focused on other tasks.” She further explained that putting pharmacists on the unit gives patients the chance to ask questions from different expert members of the care team, which is an optimal care model.

Transitions of care was another area the University of Louisville Health team was hoping to expand with the new program. “The way that we have our pharmacists set up right now, they try to participate in transitions of care as much as possible. We have our internal medicine pharmacists who are helping facilitate discharge by getting meds to beds from our outpatient pharmacy that is on site. Also, by making sure that patients know the importance of their medications before they leave to ensure that they get their prescriptions,” said Braden.

She also explained that the new model has helped support patient’s readiness for discharge.

“We are trying to decrease readmissions and increase continuity of care as much as possible. But by having these extra pharmacists on the unit, we are really making sure that every single patient has this opportunity. We are really trying to tee them up for success in advance,” she said.

Healthcare organizations can also transform their care delivery plan by investing in the right patient engagement technology. Journey PX supports care delivery by leaning down clinical workflows, closing gaps in communication, and allowing healthcare professionals to meet with patients virtually at the bedside via a secure connection through the patient’s in-room TV.

Robinson shed some light on how Journey PX can accomplish this.

“Having been a nurse for 35 years, I find the model adopted by the University of Louisville transformational. Seeing how care delivery models are evolving is exciting. Another thing I have seen is organizations bringing healthcare experts into the patient room virtually. If you cannot create a supplemental model with real bodies, virtual is a wonderful way to accomplish that,” she said.

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Journey PX solutions also prepare patients for discharge by keeping them informed of their daily plan of care, providing individualized education, and streamlining communications between patients, families, and care teams. Journey PX facilitates hospital organizations in hard-wiring bedside shift reports, one of the biggest drivers of quality and safety.

Journey PX can also create a meds-to-beds program that is customized to the unique needs and designs of hospitals. Journey PX can integrate with the EMR and engage the patient at the bedside via prompts, medication education, and pharmacy information to drive medication health literacy. Read more about the topic in a recent feature article on the subject.

To hear more from Tara Neuner and Amy Braden about the topic, listen to the full PX Space podcast interview below.

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Written with contributing author Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare 

Rick Rolfsen, DNP, RN, has had an unconventional pathway to his successful nursing career. In a recent PX Space podcast interview, host Linda Robinson MSN, CPXP, RN, spoke with Rolfsen, who is a friend and former colleague. In the interview, Rolfsen shared his insights on the nursing profession, his teaching experiences, and how his career as a nurse has allowed him to pursue his passions, including a fun opportunity with the Cincinnati Bengals.

“My path to nursing was a little less traditional than most. Growing up I didn’t think much about nursing as a career as I played a lot of sports and initially was studying to be an athletic trainer in college,” he said.

He explained his career goals started to change as his studies continued and he was given a suggestion to consider studying to become a nurse.

“It was the mid-eighties, and there weren’t a whole lot of men getting into nursing. It was a time when it was just starting to evolve with more men getting into the field,” he said.

Rolfsen has found unique ways to incorporate his passion for sports into his profession. He volunteers as the medical staff for the Covington Catholic High School Football Team and volunteers on the medical team that does semi-annual check-ups for his favorite NFL team, the Cincinnati Bengals. These opportunities allow him to combine his love for sports with his nursing expertise.

Rolfsen explained that once he began his career as an RN, not only did he love his job, but several opportunities for career growth and additional education emerged for him. These opportunities led him to earn both Master's and Doctorate degrees in nursing, as well as his current positions as a professor and full-time ER nurse. Currently, Rolfsen inspires the next generation of nurses as a nursing professor at Thomas More University in Crestview Hills, KY. He also works as a charge nurse at St. Elizabeth Emergency Department in Covington, KY, and -as a staff nurse at Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center Orthopedics.

Rolfsen's career demonstrates that nursing is a diverse profession that allows individuals to help people and incorporate their interests into their work. His experiences also highlight the importance of mentorship and passing on knowledge to the next generation of nurses. He explained that the COVID-19 pandemic has mainly had a positive impact on his new classes of incoming students. He stated that although a few nursing students did drop out of fear initially, mainly the numbers at his university stayed the same. He also expressed that these students saw the important role healthcare workers played during the pandemic and were drawn into the profession because they wanted to help.

“Kids were telling us that they saw what was going on and they wanted to help. During the pandemic, people were praising nurses for the hard work they were doing. Nurses were showing up and working on the front lines and that drew more kids into nursing,” he said.

The team at Journey PX is passionate about partnering with nursing teams to transform care delivery models. Guided by recommendations from a seasoned team of experts, the cutting-edge, cloud-based patient engagement platform offers solutions that save clinicians steps and time, allowing them to lean down clinical workflows and offload non-clinical tasks. Journey PX offers patient engagement solutions that are uniquely designed to allow nurses more dedicated time at the bedside with their patients. The Journey PX solution My Stay, offers patients access to an extensive library of patient education videos, giving patients access to the health education they need to become more informed about their condition and proactive about their care. Nurses can support the patient by auto-assigning them an individualized education plan that is particular to their health needs. The Journey PX Connect solution also offers nurses the capability of securely connecting via video in the patient’s room, which allows them more access to patients, saves them valuable time, and helps keep them safe, reducing exposure.

In a time when nurses face more challenges than ever, with burnout from the COVID-19 pandemic and a workforce shortage, Rolfsen's story offers new perspectives and hope to future nurses. His unconventional path to a successful nursing career breaks down common stereotypes and illustrates the variety of enriching benefits the career offers. As a nurse, educator, and sports enthusiast, Rolfsen's experiences show how the nursing profession can be a pathway to success in many different areas of life.

You can hear more insights from Rolfsen in his PX Space podcast interview with host Linda Robinson.

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Written with contributing author Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare 

February is National Heart Health Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and strokes are number 5. The CDC also states that approximately one person dies every 34 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. 

MDM Healthcare Vice President of Clinical Excellence Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, recently sat down and discussed heart health with Dr. Creighton B. Wright, an acclaimed cardiac and thoracic surgeon. Dr. Wright, who retired from clinical practice last May, has earned an extensive list of prestigious awards and medals for military service throughout his career. These include being honored by The American Heart Association with several awards: The Kaplan Visionary Physician Award, The Award of Excellence, the Distinguished Achievement Award, and most recently with the inaugural Creighton B. Wright Leadership Impact Award, which he accepted at the Greater Cincinnati Heart Ball on February 3rd. 

Dr. Wright used the metaphor of a house to explain the way the heart functions. “Basically, when we talk about the heart, we talk about our rooms, our doors, our electricity, and our plumbing. We have the atria and the ventricles, which are the rooms, we have the electrical system, which relates to pacemakers, and other electrical aspects, the ablations and the treatment for atrial fibrillation and the arrhythmia, like we saw with the cardiac arrest recently that took place on the Bengals field, and then the plumbing, which for many people are the coronary bypasses. So we have the inflow through the coronary arteries and the outflow through the veins. The disease processes are blockages in the arteries, from hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and other elements that cause obstruction of the blood vessels, and Angina pectoris, or coronary events which cause myocardial infarction, the heart attack that most people are so frightened of,” he said.   

He further explained how the treatment has continued to evolve over the years. He explained that when he was first trained as a cardiovascular surgeon, in 1971 coronary bypass surgery was just beginning to become a common procedure. He also explained how technology used for treatment has evolved over time, noting that the modern-day pacemaker was optimized using technology from NASA scientists. “During my career, we have developed better procedures to open those blood vessels, or in the circumstances where it is a long segment, we bypass it. So much of the coronary bypass work has evolved to arterial grafts. So, the internal thoracic artery or the radial artery as well as saphenous, veins from the legs are used as the detours the bypasses around a given blockage like you would have on a street you take, take a detour, take an alternate pathway around that blockage,” he said. 

Dr. Wright shared some insights into heart disease prevention noting that in addition to monitoring cholesterol, lifestyle factors such as obesity, exercise, stress levels, and smoking all play a part in heart health. He also mentioned genetics as another primary indicator for a heart disease diagnosis. “You can’t pick your grandparents; the gene pool is the gene pool. You can, however, modify your behavior, and certainly obesity and smoking are two major health impacts I have had to deal with as a physician,” he said. A healthy diet, regular exercise, and giving up unhealthy behaviors are some ways patients can combat heart disease.  

Dr. Wright noted the importance of patients receiving health education from the right sources, so that information is as up-to-date and accurate as possible. “That's why we work with the American Heart Association, we try to do evidence-based education. There are lots of scientific programs locally and nationally where much of the current science is presented on an annual basis. People are working from the cellular level to the total human level to try to enhance heart knowledge and heart care,” he said.  

The importance of accurate health information from the right sources is a concept that is also embraced by Journey PX. Journey PX’s patient engagement solutions drive communication and crucial health education, even when clinicians are not in the room. The extensive library of patient education videos offered through the My Stay solution keeps heart and stroke patients informed and educated about their care throughout their hospital stay. The education library can be embedded in the EMR and can be automated or manually deployed based on stroke and or heart health risk factors, treatments, or diagnoses. Once the education is completed, it can auto-document the completion and comprehension back into the EMR. In addition, Journey PX’s Connect solution allows for secure virtual rounding and provider visits. The combination of these features saves clinicians valuable time and steps and provides patients with a richer patient experience. My Stay also allows vital health education to be delivered via email and text upon discharge for both patients and their caregivers.  

Dr. Wright “We need to make sure that we are communicating on a level that is understandable to the patient, whether it is language, culture, or education level. We have medical languages, which are different. So, we can use terms such as osteodystrophy and myocardial infarction, but the key is to be sure that we are explaining these medical concepts in terms that everybody can understand and to make sure patients can comprehend this knowledge,” he said.  

This is another concept Wright mentioned that is echoed by the team at Journey PX, which is designed to make sure that anything that goes on the Digital Whiteboard, My Day Today, is in a language patients can understand. “We never want patients to become frustrated or afraid to ask questions in the hospital,” said Robinson. She continued to explain that this philosophy extends to the videos Journey PX houses in the health education library, My Stay. Patients are best served by technology that is intuitive and easy to use. If patients can use a TV remote, they can use the cloud-based patient engagement solution Journey PX. It integrates with the hospital’s electronic medical records (EMR), so it displays accurate real-time information. Displaying information in this way is something that drives positive outcomes.  

Finally, Dr. Wright, who served as an Army Colonel in both the Vietnam and Gulf wars, mentioned that the US Military has had a problem recruiting medical personnel and doctors, and encouraged students to consider turning to the US military service as it had significant benefits including scholarships. “We need patriots," said Dr. Wright. 

You can hear more from Dr. Wright about heart health by listening to the PX Space podcast interview. To view more information on heart disease and stroke, and to support the cause, head to the American Heart Association website.

Written with contributing author Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare

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The healthcare industry has become increasingly open to technology following the COVID-19 pandemic. New innovations in technology have given healthcare organizations the ability to transform the hospital environment. Digital display technology provides a more modern and rich experience for patients, families, and care teams. Recently, nursing thought leader Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN spoke with Chase Natoli, the Executive Vice President of Technical Sales at MDM Commercial about the topic.

Natoli works with an expert pro AV team to provide innovative display products including digital signage, DVLED displays, and video walls.

“I like to call it a digital canvas because there should really be an overarching strategy,” said Natoli.

The Pro AV team at MDM Commercial also provides essential additional signage solutions throughout each stage of the project from consultation and project planning to installation, integration, and training.

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“We spend a lot of time developing these solutions, and thankfully we have an incredibly talented team behind us and some wonderful partners to help get through these things and build these projects. I love the exploratory phase of sitting down with our clients trying to understand their vision and what they see for themselves,” said Natoli. “Providing the support and the training for our clients is something we pride ourselves on. We want to make sure they are given the knowledge and ability to take control over the content of their displays.”

Digital displays provide healthcare organizations with many capabilities, such as helping patients navigate the facility, get educational content, and receive crucial information.

“Now with technology advancements, we are in a unique position to be able to really help ease the stress and burden of some of the aspects of hospital visits, even to the extent of being able to impact the experience before the patients or loved ones even leave their house. For example, through an email with guided instructions or a Google Maps type experience, if you will, of getting them from their house to the parking garage, from their parking garage to wherever they need to go within the facility,” explained Natoli.

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Natoli discussed several ways hospitals are using Pro AV technology, including providing interactive experiences, enhanced wayfinding throughout hospital facilities, real-time information absorption, modern digital art, robot guides, and more. “Once you get the canvas on the side of the building the sky really is the limit in terms of how creative we can get with the content. We have a great in-house content team, aside from that, we have the expert technical team and the developers who can integrate with these different backend systems in the hospital to provide useful information to people as they are beginning that journey, too,” he said.

“We are at a point with the advancements in DVLED (Direct View LED) technology and outdoor displays that you are starting to see screens pop up on the side of the building, whether it be for advertising purposes or informational purposes such as providing emergency room wait times and integrating with a check-in platform within the hospital.”

Natoli discussed additional innovative ways digital signage is being used in hospital settings including providing screens for digital donor walls, and informational screens for patients in waiting rooms.

“It really starts from the outside of the building, whether it is for real time information absorption, a wayfinding experience delivered through the mobile phone or education delivered through the mobile phone, like what we do with the Journey PX platform. Another example is kiosks for wayfinding outside for a larger campus all the way into, you know, right into the main entrance,” he said.

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He also mentioned the advanced capabilities his team has when using digital signage for artistic deployments inside hospitals.

“We can do curved screens, concave and convex. We can do angled screens to wrap around walls, and it has allowed us to leverage an artistic utility and provide a stunning element. We have had some clients that have gone as far as to do that type of project as a centerpiece and utilizing such techniques as biophilic content for these projects,” he said.

This type of visual stimulation can bring the stress levels of visitors and staff down, which is incredibly impactful in a stressful hospital environment.

Natoli noted a past project in a cancer treatment wing at a hospital.

“We have a highly creative solution deployed where patients can take a walk through the journey of what treatment is going to look like and see the genetics and the care teams that they are going to be working with. It is about a 120-page experience as you navigate through it deployed on a 55-inch touchscreen monitor that is kept up to date. There are embedded videos for education in it as well. Between what we are doing on the signage side and even through the Journey PX platform, I think we are striving to be a part of the solution to help ease the stress at hospitals and keep people informed,” he said.

This is an idea echoed by Robinson, who advises the Journey PX team as the Vice President of Clinical Excellence at MDM Healthcare.

“We live in a day and age where there is a lot of noise. There are a lot of things thrown at all of us everywhere we go—even in these environments in the healthcare space—which is a problem. Our brains get trained to just filter this stuff out and ignore it. I think all of us at MDM put in a lot of work to be a part of the solution,” she said.

Another application for hospital digital signage is digital menus in hospital eateries.

“We have a lot of those deployed in various hospitals. Our content team has developed extensive menus that are themed,” Natoli said.

Robinson noted that this type of signage not only drives hospital revenue but elevates the experience for hospital visitors, staff, and patients.

Digital canvases also help healthcare organizations strengthen and elevate their brand.

“The brands themselves become stronger when all areas that display their messages are aligned, whether it is physically on-site at the healthcare campus or receiving information through email or visiting the website. It provides a consistent experience for everybody from the top down,” Natoli said.

In an era where modern technology drives progress in all industries, including the healthcare industry, Pro AV solutions can significantly elevate and modernize the hospital experience for those who visit and work there.

“It is not just the medical personnel in a hospital that impact the patient experience, it takes a variety of experts to provide that rich experience and space of wellness for patients and their families. The Pro AV technology really helps do that,” said Robinson. “It is an exciting space to be in, and I think as technology has evolved, it has provided some great tools to put information in the hands of those that need it. We hope we are having a significant impact on the overall experience people have as they go on their journey through the healthcare system,” said Natoli.

Listen to the full podcast episode below and connect with Chase and the Pro AV team at MDM Commercial online.

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Listen to the full podcast interview with Chase Natoli below.

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Video has increasingly become a popular medium for education. The medium has proven to be an effective way to convey information and engage learners. In the healthcare industry, video education can be particularly useful for promoting health literacy. An article published in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners states, “Patient-education needs to be a central priority in every patient encounter. The use of technology can convey complicated ideas by pictures, video, and multimedia, which transcend the spoken and written word and provide opportunities to bridge the divide of limited health literacy.”

Animation is a powerful tool in health videos, particularly when it comes to conveying complex ideas and improving the clarity and effectiveness of health videos. Animators can create visual aids that help to clarify and simplify health information. It also is a form of engaging content that can hold the attention of viewers and enhance their learning experience. Recently, MDM Healthcare Vice President of Clinical Excellence Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN sat down with Tim Jones, Emmy award-winning animator, CEO and Co-Founder of Health Nuts Media.

He explained that the use of video content to promote health literacy goes as far back as World War II when the U.S. Department of Defense commissioned artists such as legendary director Frank Capra and writer Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, to help them produce training videos for soldiers. “They decided to create these animated films to help these newly inducted soldiers understand the information that was going to help keep them alive. I find it interesting that in some way what I do today has been around for eighty or ninety years,” said Jones.

After a successful Hollywood career, including receiving an Emmy award, Jones became involved with animating content for the Starlight Foundation, who asked him to help produce animated videos for teens with cancer.

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He explained that the impact these videos made was apparent after a young cancer survivor expressed that these videos helped her in her fight with the disease. Jones reflects on how powerful this moment was for his career. “I love animation, the storytelling, and the artistry but it was not until that moment that I realized the impact it had made. I thought it was for entertainment only and I really did not fully understand that it could be such an effective tool and make such a difference in people’s lives. So that is how I got started,” he said. In 2010, he co-founded Health Nuts Media, which is now healthcare’s leading producer of health-related animation.

Jones also explained that animation can be used to depict scenarios or processes that may be difficult to capture through live-action video. “Animation can create an authentic connection with the audience in a way no other medium can. In animation, we suspend our disbelief and buy into the animated world. When we use animation and humor to make a more poignant point it can be really effective,” he said.

He also discussed the use of animation and video to promote health literacy. He referenced case studies that support the fact that people are more likely to retain information obtained by watching a video as opposed to a pamphlet, or even verbal instruction. “Both short-term knowledge and long-term retention is improved when health knowledge is obtained from watching a video,” he said.

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Animated videos allow for enhanced storytelling, which is another one of its unique benefits Jones noted. “We focus on is the storytelling and the message of why this is important. A lot of the successful patient education really is impactful on an emotional level,” he said.

Standout, impactful content is one of the reasons MDM Healthcare is proud to list Health Nuts Media as a content partner. MDM Healthcare’s innovative patient engagement platform, Journey PX, elevates the patient and care team experience through technology solutions. Solutions such as My Stay, which offers patients a substantial education library that covers an extensive list of medical conditions and medications. This resource, coupled with Journey PX’s integration with the EMR, provides hospital care teams with the ability to auto-assign education in an individualized manner in response to a patient’s unique set of needs.

Jones also touched on the fact that due to advances in technology, patients now can watch education after discharge, which is even more impactful when it comes to their retention.

Journey PX allows for video education that is assigned during the patient's stay to also be sent via text or email to the patient for viewing at home to reinforce learning. Journey PX can also embed individualized patient education in the patient’s portal for home viewing to aid in answering any questions the patient may have once they are home.

You can view more about Health Nuts Media, including some examples of their animation on their website.

Listen to the full podcast interview with Tim Jones below.

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Written with contributing author Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare

The costly effects of hospital readmissions have a significant impact on hospital organizations. According to an article published in the Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, “a significant portion of the expense incurred within the US healthcare system can be attributed to hospital readmission.” In addition, it states that “over $52.4 billion is spent annually to care for patients that were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days for a previously treated condition.” Another cost to consider is readmissions' effect on compliance with government standards. According to a report published by the AHRQ, The Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), imposes a financial penalty on hospitals with higher-than-average readmission rates for certain conditions. In addition to the material costs of hospital readmissions, they also are detrimental to patient safety and overall quality of care.

Hospital organizations can invest in patient engagement technology to help reduce hospital readmission rates. This is because enhanced patient engagement using patient technology leads to better outcomes and supports health equity. A recent Forbes article also suggested that enhanced patient engagement through technology leads to better outcomes, resulting in reduced readmission rates. It states, “These systems automatically collect information and alert the patient and doctor if anomalies arise. Outcomes improve because diagnoses are based on more and current data.” There is a wealth of information and engagement patients receive using patient engagement technology, which contributes to a reduced chance of their readmission.

It is important to highlight some of the essential properties of patient engagement technology that support hospitals’ strategies to mitigate the cost of readmissions. Patient engagement enhances the humanization of care and supports better patient outcomes. To further support the clinician’s effort to humanize care patient engagement technology empowers, educates, and engages patients in their care which enriches the patient experience. Engaging and empowering the patient in this way allows more time for the clinician to interact in a personal way with the patient, building trust and humanizing care. This in turn also supports efforts of value-based care.

Essential properties to look for are:

· Intuitive user experience
· Integration with the Electronic Medical Record for accurate real time information
· Easily accessible daily plan of care information 24/7
· Information displayed in a language the patient can comprehend
· Virtual video and video calling features
· Individualized patient education with an auto assignment functionality based upon diagnosis, problem list, orders, risk assessment, age, needs assessment, etc.
· Engages and empowers the patient to participate in their care and the hospital environment via prompts, surveys, service requests, etc.
· Customization options for hospitals

Journey PX’s technology solutions are uniquely designed with the essential properties highlighted above and therefore an ideal choice for hospitals looking to invest in patient engagement technology to reduce readmissions. Hospitals can prepare patients for a successful discharge using Journey PX’s could-based patient engagement solutions. Journey PX solutions prepare patients for discharge by keeping them informed of their daily plan of care, providing individualized education, and streamlining communications between patients, families, and care teams. Journey PX allows hospital organizations to hard-wire bedside shift reports, one of the biggest drivers of quality and safety.
Journey PX’s digital whiteboard, My Day Today, provides vital information to hospital care teams, patients, and their families. My Stay provides patients with the education they need via access to an extensive education library. This allows patients to become more empowered through health literacy and enhances their readiness for discharge. It also helps support patients after discharge by providing education that can be texted to them, giving an added layer of assurance that they will not be readmitted. Journey PX’s virtual care solution, Connect, is another piece of technology that supports the patient’s daily plan of care and readiness for discharge. Connect also allows for less risk of infection, another contributing factor to hospital readmissions.
The new healthcare model is a consumer-centered model. This patient-centered model drives self-care, and with the use of technology, the patient is more engaged and empowered than ever. Armed with patient engagement technology, the patient is the captain of their care team. Patients can now use an array of services, apps, and other technology to get the information that they need. This supports the four core principles of patient and family-centered care: respect and dignity, information sharing, participation and collaboration.

The shift to the patient-centered model is a proactive shift designed around prevention and well-being, rather than a reactive approach. In this post-pandemic healthcare landscape, patients' perceptions of technology have changed when it comes to their care. To conclude, costly readmissions are a strain on the hospital system and have a staggering annual total cost. In a post-COVID era hospital organizations have had to face additional challenges in implementing a plan to keep the costs of readmissions down. The investment in patient engagement technology pays back dividends as the multitude of capabilities has addressed several costly problems and provides several beneficial solutions. There are several essential properties patient engagement technology should possess to be most effective in optimizing it along these lines. The cutting-edge, cloud-based patient experience platform Journey PX provides solutions uniquely designed with the capabilities needed to be a strong ally in any hospital’s strategy to keep the excessive costs of readmissions down and improve quality and safety initiatives.

Written with contributing author Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare

Video has increasingly become a popular medium for education. The medium has proven to be an effective way to convey information and engage learners. In the healthcare industry, video education can be particularly useful for promoting health literacy. An article published in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners states, “Patient-education needs to be a central priority in every patient encounter. The use of technology can convey complicated ideas by pictures, video, and multimedia, which transcend the spoken and written word and provide opportunities to bridge the divide of limited health literacy.”

Animation is a powerful tool in health videos, particularly when it comes to conveying complex ideas and improving the clarity and effectiveness of health videos. Animators can create visual aids that help to clarify and simplify health information. It also is a form of engaging content that can hold the attention of viewers and enhance their learning experience. Recently, MDM Healthcare Vice President of Clinical Excellence Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN sat down with Tim Jones, Emmy award-winning animator, CEO and Co-Founder of Health Nuts Media.

He explained that the use of video content to promote health literacy goes as far back as World War II when the U.S. Department of Defense commissioned artists such as legendary director Frank Capra and writer Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, to help them produce training videos for soldiers. “They decided to create these animated films to help these newly inducted soldiers understand the information that was going to help keep them alive. I find it interesting that in some way what I do today has been around for eighty or ninety years,” said Jones.

After a successful Hollywood career, including receiving an Emmy award, Jones became involved with animating content for the Starlight Foundation, who asked him to help produce animated videos for teens with cancer.

Screenshot 2023-01-06 123938

He explained that the impact these videos made was apparent after a young cancer survivor expressed that these videos helped her in her fight with the disease. Jones reflects on how powerful this moment was for his career. “I love animation, the storytelling, and the artistry but it was not until that moment that I realized the impact it had made. I thought it was for entertainment only and I really did not fully understand that it could be such an effective tool and make such a difference in people’s lives. So that is how I got started,” he said. In 2010, he co-founded Health Nuts Media, which is now healthcare’s leading producer of health-related animation.

Jones also explained that animation can be used to depict scenarios or processes that may be difficult to capture through live-action video. “Animation can create an authentic connection with the audience in a way no other medium can. In animation, we suspend our disbelief and buy into the animated world. When we use animation and humor to make a more poignant point it can be really effective,” he said.

He also discussed the use of animation and video to promote health literacy. He referenced case studies that support the fact that people are more likely to retain information obtained by watching a video as opposed to a pamphlet, or even verbal instruction. “Both short-term knowledge and long-term retention is improved when health knowledge is obtained from watching a video,” he said.

JPXTripleDeckerScreens copy2

Animated videos allow for enhanced storytelling, which is another one of its unique benefits Jones noted. “We focus on is the storytelling and the message of why this is important. A lot of the successful patient education really is impactful on an emotional level,” he said.

Standout, impactful content is one of the reasons MDM Healthcare is proud to list Health Nuts Media as a content partner. MDM Healthcare’s innovative patient engagement platform, Journey PX, elevates the patient and care team experience through technology solutions. Solutions such as My Stay, which offers patients a substantial education library that covers an extensive list of medical conditions and medications. This resource, coupled with Journey PX’s integration with the EMR, provides hospital care teams with the ability to auto-assign education in an individualized manner in response to a patient’s unique set of needs.

Jones also touched on the fact that due to advances in technology, patients now can watch education after discharge, which is even more impactful when it comes to their retention.

Journey PX allows for video education that is assigned during the patient's stay to also be sent via text or email to the patient for viewing at home to reinforce learning. Journey PX can also embed individualized patient education in the patient’s portal for home viewing to aid in answering any questions the patient may have once they are home.

You can view more about Health Nuts Media, including some examples of their animation on their website.

Listen to the full podcast interview with Tim Jones below.

Copy of Gold Blue Law Firm Sleek Corporate Law Firm Website (Instagram Post (Square)) (Website)

Video has increasingly become a popular medium for education. The medium has proven to be an effective way to convey information and engage learners. In the healthcare industry, video education can be particularly useful for promoting health literacy. An article published in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners states, “Patient-education needs to be a central priority in every patient encounter. The use of technology can convey complicated ideas by pictures, video, and multimedia, which transcend the spoken and written word and provide opportunities to bridge the divide of limited health literacy.”

Animation is a powerful tool in health videos, particularly when it comes to conveying complex ideas and improving the clarity and effectiveness of health videos. Animators can create visual aids that help to clarify and simplify health information. It also is a form of engaging content that can hold the attention of viewers and enhance their learning experience. Recently, MDM Healthcare Vice President of Clinical Excellence Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN sat down with Tim Jones, Emmy award-winning animator, CEO and Co-Founder of Health Nuts Media.

He explained that the use of video content to promote health literacy goes as far back as World War II when the U.S. Department of Defense commissioned artists such as legendary director Frank Capra and writer Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, to help them produce training videos for soldiers. “They decided to create these animated films to help these newly inducted soldiers understand the information that was going to help keep them alive. I find it interesting that in some way what I do today has been around for eighty or ninety years,” said Jones.

After a successful Hollywood career, including receiving an Emmy award, Jones became involved with animating content for the Starlight Foundation, who asked him to help produce animated videos for teens with cancer.

Screenshot 2023-01-06 123938

He explained that the impact these videos made was apparent after a young cancer survivor expressed that these videos helped her in her fight with the disease. Jones reflects on how powerful this moment was for his career. “I love animation, the storytelling, and the artistry but it was not until that moment that I realized the impact it had made. I thought it was for entertainment only and I really did not fully understand that it could be such an effective tool and make such a difference in people’s lives. So that is how I got started,” he said. In 2010, he co-founded Health Nuts Media, which is now healthcare’s leading producer of health-related animation.

Jones also explained that animation can be used to depict scenarios or processes that may be difficult to capture through live-action video. “Animation can create an authentic connection with the audience in a way no other medium can. In animation, we suspend our disbelief and buy into the animated world. When we use animation and humor to make a more poignant point it can be really effective,” he said.

He also discussed the use of animation and video to promote health literacy. He referenced case studies that support the fact that people are more likely to retain information obtained by watching a video as opposed to a pamphlet, or even verbal instruction. “Both short-term knowledge and long-term retention is improved when health knowledge is obtained from watching a video,” he said.

JPXTripleDeckerScreens copy2

Animated videos allow for enhanced storytelling, which is another one of its unique benefits Jones noted. “We focus on is the storytelling and the message of why this is important. A lot of the successful patient education really is impactful on an emotional level,” he said.

Standout, impactful content is one of the reasons MDM Healthcare is proud to list Health Nuts Media as a content partner. MDM Healthcare’s innovative patient engagement platform, Journey PX, elevates the patient and care team experience through technology solutions. Solutions such as My Stay, which offers patients a substantial education library that covers an extensive list of medical conditions and medications. This resource, coupled with Journey PX’s integration with the EMR, provides hospital care teams with the ability to auto-assign education in an individualized manner in response to a patient’s unique set of needs.

Jones also touched on the fact that due to advances in technology, patients now can watch education after discharge, which is even more impactful when it comes to their retention.

Journey PX allows for video education that is assigned during the patient's stay to also be sent via text or email to the patient for viewing at home to reinforce learning. Journey PX can also embed individualized patient education in the patient’s portal for home viewing to aid in answering any questions the patient may have once they are home.

You can view more about Health Nuts Media, including some examples of their animation on their website.

Listen to the full podcast interview with Tim Jones below.

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Written with contributing author Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare

Up to 45% of Americans do not fill prescriptions because of cost. Medication non-adherence annually leads to $100-$300B in excess morbidity and mortality. Not filling a medication prescription is considered primary non-adherence. There are many reasons that patients do not fill their medication. It could be a lack of medication understanding, insufficient funds, poor communication, limited health literacy, and even something as simple as an inability to get to the pharmacy. Because of these facts hospital discharge is a particularly important time. This is an opportunity to supply the patient with their needed prescriptions and have a pharmacist counsel them on the purpose and side effects. It is also a time for the patient to ask questions or voice concerns regarding lifestyle changes due to medication.

We recently interviewed Angela Brunemann, PharmD the Director of Business Development for a large pharmacy care services company that serves millions of Americans. Brunemann collaborated previously with Vice President of Clinical Excellence, at MDM Healthcare Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN to design and implement a patient engagement technology program for a large hospital system in Kentucky called Discharge Medication Delivery Service.

In her interview she discussed broadening the patient experience, patient engagement, and the use of technology in a hospital setting from a pharmacist's perspective, demonstrating the impact of the pharmacy’s role.

Brunemann emphasized the importance of touchpoints for patients. when she develops a plan of care. “Thinking about the patient experience as a whole, it encompasses every touchpoint we have with the patient. And a lot of people call those moments of truth because it's those touch points from the very beginning, that kind of set the stage for the patient, and then start to ask the question, okay, now how does pharmacy have an impact in that, because that's where we find new opportunities to impact patient experience” she said.

Brunemann stressed the importance of developing programs centered around patients’ needs and using technology developed around that information. She also stressed that the design of patient engagement technology is important. “We want technology to acclimate to the patient's environment. So it isn't generic, and it feels like it was almost like a concierge. This is your personal pharmacy technician,” she said. She also emphasized timing, personalization, and relevancy as key aspects of effective patient engagement technology.

Meds to Beds with JourneyPX

Journey PX has the ability to create a meds-to-beds program that is customized to the unique needs of hospitals. JourneyPX can integrate with the EMR and engage the patient at the bedside via prompts, medication education, and pharmacy information to drive medication health literacy. There are several features that would frame the program: Auto assignment of medication education upon medication order, Meds to Beds participation prompt, notification via text, email, or EMR to the pharmacy that the patient would like to participate in the meds to beds program, pharmacy medication counseling visit in person or virtual via video Connect.

Filling patient prescriptions in-house also keeps revenue in-house that would otherwise go elsewhere. Upon admission when the patient TV is turned on a prompt will appear asking the patient if they would like their medication prescriptions filled prior to discharge. Choices of “yes” or “no, thank you” are offered. If the patient chooses yes a thank you response appears and notifies the patient of the program process. Most often that a pharmacy representative will be in to speak with them. Some hospitals personalize these messages with staff photos and a time frame to expect a visit. If the patient chooses a no response they receive a message thanking them and letting them know that if they change their mind to let their nurse know and the pharmacy can be notified or they can find the meds to beds program under the patient services tab on the Journey PX My Stay home screen and opt in to participate there at any time during their stay. Once the prompt is received by the pharmacy a time would be scheduled to review the patient's discharge medications either in person or virtually. This scheduled time could appear on the patient’s My Day Today board (digital whiteboard). If virtual the patient could be alerted 15 minutes prior with a prompt via their TV to let them know they have a virtual visit scheduled and to be ready to take the call. Upon discharge, the medications are delivered to the patient’s room.

Throughout the patient's stay as medications are ordered by their physician in the EMR JourneyPX can auto assign corresponding medication education content to be sent to the patients in room MY Stay and My Day Today solution on their TV. A red badge alert will display in the My Education section alerting the patient that they have the education to view. In addition, when the medication is ordered the patient will also receive prompts to engage and encourage them to watch the education with the choices of “now” or” remind me later”. If they choose remind me later the prompt will reappear again at predetermined intervals until the education is completed. The completion and understanding response can then be documented back into the EMR.

Listen to the full podcast interview with Angela Brunemann, PharmD below.

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Chicks and Chucks, Inc

Written with contributing author Linda Robinson, MSN, CPXP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, MDM Healthcare

The Journey PX team is proud to support patients. Patients have powerful stories, some so powerful that they impact an entire community.

We recently sat down with Cathy “CHICK” Halloran, who made a promise to God during her battle with breast cancer that if her health were restored she would give back to other patients struggling with the same diagnosis. After surviving her battle with cancer she devoted herself to ensuring the promise she made would be kept, eventually creating the non-profit organization, Chicks & Chucks Inc in July of 2021. According to their website, Chicks & Chucks is a resource for breast cancer patients who require products and services in their battle and have little or no financial means to acquire what they need.

Cathy also discussed the powerful impact that patient experience can make. She returned to the Kentucky hospital where she received treatment, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, as a volunteer and eventually an employee. Cathy now runs the Women’s Health Boutique at St. Elizabeth in Edgewood, KY. The boutique offers an array of items for cancer patients, including wigs, bras, cream to help with radiation, and also fun gift items such as jewelry. The boutique is a unique example of how the patient experience can be enhanced inside the hospital to elevate the human experience, which is a core part of our mission at Journey PX.

There are several ways to donate to Chicks and Chucks, Inc. Donations are used for purchasing resource books, bras, prosthetics, and wigs for breast cancer patients. Donations can be made directly on their website here, or for those with an Amazon account, donations can be made by selecting Chicks and Chucks as the charity of choice in their Amazon Smile section.

You can hear more from Cathy in our PX Space podcast interview.

Cathy Halloran

We’re so inspired by this powerful story of patient-turned-activist Cathy Halloran. Journey PX is committed to patients, and bringing peace of mind to the patient experience. MDM Healthcare’s innovative Journey PX patient experience solution uses cloud technology configurations to deliver patient education and engagement tools.