As part of our commitment to providing compassionate care, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center (JHMC) is proud to introduce Schwartz Rounds®. This forum gives caregivers a supportive environment to discuss the human side of healthcare and the challenging emotional and psychosocial issue they face in caring for patients and families.
The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare was created more than 20 years ago by Ken Schwartz, a healthcare attorney who died of lung cancer at age 40. Writing about his experience, he explained that what made “the unbearable bearable” was the compassion shown by his doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. The Center’s vision is that “all patients receive compassionate care and all health professionals are supported in providing it”.
Schwartz Rounds is part of this vision which is now being realized in more than 500 health care organizations in the US, UK and Canada—helping more than 200,000 health professionals provide compassionate care to millions of patients. Jamaica Hospital Medical Center has joined this initiative through a generous grant from the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA) which has provided funding for our participation in the program.
At JHMC, Schwartz Rounds are coordinated by Planning Committee members: Gina Basello MD, Susan Iovino, RN, DNP, Sharon Narducci RN, DNP, Janis Sharkey RN, Vivekanand Sing RN, Frances Perez, SW. Rounds are offered quarterly where participants from multiple clinical and administrative disciplines attend a one-hour, case-based, interactive discussion. Each session begins with a brief introductory presentation of a case by a panel of health care team members who cared for the patient. This presentation focuses on the psychosocial themes in caring for this patient and family. Audience members and the panel participate in a facilitated group discussion. Those who have had interactions with the patient or have had similar experiences contribute to the discussion.
Those who participate in the Schwartz rounds often have their perceptions transformed. They come to see how blurred the line between patient and provider is when we notice how profoundly human we are. Not perfect, not complete, but complex and multifaceted even as we strive for perfection.
The first Schwartz Rounds at JHMC took place in March and the second one was held in June. At each session, an audience of over 200 individuals attended from all areas of the hospital. The results were overwhelmingly positive with the majority of participants stating that after the Rounds they had a better sense of belonging to a team, a new appreciation for their colleagues of other disciplines, more compassion for patients and families, as well as, new ideas and strategies for dealing with challenging situations.