Osler ED patient concierge is ‘grateful to be there’ for patients and families

Once found only in upscale hotels, the role of the concierge has made its way into the health care setting, including Osler’s two Emergency Departments (EDs). While there are clearly significant differences between the responsibilities of a hotel concierge and an ED patient concierge their purpose is the same – to help ensure those using the service have a positive experience. In speaking with Kitty Balachandran, Patient Concierge at Osler, we learn about her role, what she’s learned in the last year, and what inspires her to keep going.

What does a patient concierge do?

The patient concierge role is a dual role reporting to Finance and Patient Experience. On the finance side, my job is to help inform uninsured patients (those without OHIP) about the fees and costs of visiting the ED and to be the liaison between all patients and registration/admitting staff and finance to ensure a smooth transition and help everyone get the information they need to register a patient. On the patient experience side, my job is to connect and interact with patients in the ED to help make their visit is as positive as possible. This might mean checking in on them to see if they’re okay, getting them a warm blanket or a glass of water, and updating them on wait times.

What does a typical day look like for you?

There really is no typical day. I round in the ED, assist patients with wayfinding and provide non-clinical patient updates for family members unable to come into the hospital due to visitor restrictions. I deliver patients’ belongings, and support virtual visits between patients and their family members.

I assist staff with interpretation requests and support the Access and Flow team with patient transfers. I explain to patients and family members why they’re being transferred – so they will have access to the care they need – and try to help alleviate their concerns.

I also hope that I am making it easier for the nurses and physicians in the ED by being that bridge between the patients and families, which can be difficult for them to do given high patient volumes and need to attend to the most critical situations.

How do you cope or find ways to decompress after a difficult shift?

Being in the ED and seeing waves of people coming in so sick with COVID-19 has been really emotional. How do I cope? I lean on my team. We’ve all been going through this together. We try to support each other. I have my family at home who are there for me, who know when to talk to me and when to give me some space. We also got a puppy last year and having her has been the best therapy of my life.

What inspires you to get out of bed in the morning?

I know it’s been a long and challenging year for everyone, but I feel grateful that I am working on the frontlines helping to make a difference in the ED, whether it be with a patient, family member or staff. I can’t count the number of times patients and family members have said thank you for being there. I’m so grateful I can be there to help them and keep them connected.

I am inspired by the resilience and compassion shown by my patient concierge colleagues and our wonderful managers. I am also inspired by all the different people that I have worked with over the last year in different disciplines who have come together to truly embody what Osler Strong is all about.

What does 'living Osler's Values' mean to you?

I strive to make sure that every time I am talking to a patient, I am treating them with Respect and Compassion because it’s a difficult time for them to be here alone, without any support. I want to make sure that patients have the best possible experience and that means being available to assist them in any way.

What are three words you would use to describe your role?

Collaborative – I have the privilege of working with lots of different staff and physicians to ensure the best patient experience possible.
Empathetic – It’s important to always be kind and patient and to remember it’s a hard time for them.
Adaptive – Being flexible and quick to react to different challenges and situations is definitely needed in this role.

Interested in a career at Osler? Learn more about how you can make an impact and check out our current opportunities.