Due to visitor restrictions in place at the hospital in order to protect the health of our patients and workforce during the COVID-19 outbreak, our Care Coordination team is helping to maintain a connection between family members at home and their loved ones in the hospital.

The Care Coordination team, which formed about two years ago, includes Case Management, Social Work, Utilization Review, and a liaison for nursing homes and other sites of care.

As many roles throughout the hospital have adapted in response to COVID-19, some of the responsibilities this team has include helping to ensure that discussions about goals of care are happening early with patients who have COVID-19 as their conditions can change rapidly. 

They are also working more closely with families at home to help alleviate their stress and calm emotions by calling them frequently to provide updates, offer support, and see if they have any needs or concerns.

The team’s efforts to maintain those connections are focused on families of individuals who cannot communicate information about their care due to their medical condition.

Ami Lawhead, case manager in our Critical Care Unit (CCU), calls family members every morning, Monday to Friday, to update them on how the patient is doing and the plan for the day, in addition to physicians calling these families.

Ami Lawhead, CCU Case Manager.

Social work staff also calls family members of CCU patients a few times a week to check on them and offer support.

These frequent calls help family members to feel more at ease knowing that they don’t have to wait long for an update.

“We want their thoughts and concerns to be known and expressed to the team, as if they could tell the team directly,” said Social Work Therapist Katy Huck.

“They may not be able to physically be here, but we aren’t going to let them feel like they’re in the dark.”

Katy Huck, Social Work Therapist, makes a call in her office.

These frequent calls also help staff to learn more about the patient, what the patient’s wishes are, and to gather other important information to aid in the treatment process.

Additionally, social work staff contacts family members if their loved one has passed away to check in on them, offer condolences and support, and inquire about any remaining needs or questions.

“We want to remind them that we are still here for them and are also grieving their loss,” shared Katy.

Family members appreciate the frequent connections with staff.

“Almost every single person has told me how wonderful the staff has been and how much they appreciate all the extra time we take to keep them informed and feel supported,” said Katy.

“The calls and conversations are coming at a time where people are most vulnerable and stressed. 

Simply getting a call to ask how they’re doing or making sure they don’t need something means a lot,” she said.