To Care is Human

When his son, Brayden, passed away due to complications from a congenital heart defect, John Otten harnessed the power of his grief into action to found Brave Like Me. Listen in as he and Amy Cielak, board member, discuss the profound impact an interaction with a pet can have on a patient, and how they hope to bring that experience to more and more children across the country.

Join Dr. Alexi Puran and Dr. Sherry Kroll as they introduce the Humanity in Healthcare project — a groundbreaking initiative harnessing the power of story-sharing to rebuild trust, foster connection, and restore compassion between patients and physicians. Hear their personal journeys, insights, and the simple yet transformative steps helping bring human connection back to the heart of healthcare. 

This episode explores the evolution of a pediatric Patient Experience. Dive into core values, shared ownership, and practical strategies for building trust, driving change, and creating meaningful experiences for children, families, and staff.

Recorded live at ELEVATE PX 2025, this episode of To Care is Human features Jason Wolf and Dr. Owais Durrani. Listen in as they discuss his journey in healthcare, the role of AI, and the importance of equitable care. Key takeaways included the need for ethical AI use, the critical role of communication in hospitals, and AI's potential to enhance patient care.

Israel Khrush, CEO and co-founder of Hyro, sits down to discuss the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in healthcare and how it impacts the patient experience. Listen in as he shares how Hyro's focus on the patient journey is helping provide AI solutions for patients and healthcare workers alike. 

Join us as Katelyn Moser, Senior Director of Patient Experience at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, shares insights from Career and Communication Day—an innovative initiative that brings elementary school students to her campus. This program not only reinforces essential communication skills among staff but also introduces children to the diverse career opportunities within healthcare. Don't miss this engaging discussion on how a fresh perspective from young learners can enhance workplace communication.

Achieving work-life balance is essential for overall well-being, especially in healthcare. Join us as Robert Cote, a patient advocate for the VA, shares his personal journey through imbalance and the steps he took to restore stability. Discover the warning signs, practical strategies for self-care, and the importance of setting boundaries. Cote's powerful message reminds us: caring for yourself is the first step in being there for others.

Listen in as Gabriel Bolivar of Maui Memorial Medical Center shares how his passion for finding healthcare improvement strategies drove him to find solutions to better manage patient belongings. From policies to procedures, Bolivar emphasizes effective practices to manage this recurring and often elusive challenge.

Stacy Palmer, Senior Vice President and COO of The Beryl Institute, joins Steven Peltzman, CEO of FeedbackNow, to explore how their innovative feedback devices are transforming the healthcare experience. Tune in as Peltzman discusses the profound impact of empowering patients with a sense of control in situations that often feel beyond their grasp.

As Denver Health strives to become Colorado's most trusted healthcare provider, its mission is grounded in core values of respect, belonging, and responsibility. In this conversation, Amy Friedman and Sharif Abdelhamid, leaders in Denver Health's experience department, share insights on how a committed workforce and robust community partnerships enable the essential hospital to deliver high-quality, safe care. Together, they discuss how these guiding values help Denver Health foster trust, bring hope, and promote healing among marginalized populations.

Join us as Garrett South, Director of Patient Experience at California Hospital Medical Center, shares his inspiring journey from fifth-grade class representative to healthcare executive. In this episode, Garrett discusses the power of connection and belonging in a world reshaped by post-pandemic social isolation.

In this PX Marketplace Webinar, Jennifer Baron, CXO of NRC Health, joins us to explore how generational differences are influencing the current state of healthcare. From varying attitudes and beliefs to shifts in patient behaviors, Baron provides a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities these changes present for healthcare organizations.

Dr. Donald Wickline of Cone Health, drawing from his experience as a nighttime emergency room physician, explores the art and science of communication from a staff/provider engagement perspective. He highlights Cone Health's C.U.R.O. communication model as a crucial framework for navigating sensitive and critical conversations with patients. This model provides physicians, including Dr. Wickline, with essential support in the high-pressure environment of healthcare.

Alex Seblatnigg, Director of Volunteer Services and Internal Engagement at Shepherd Center—a leading rehabilitation facility specializing in spinal cord and acquired brain injuries—shares the inspiring stories of former patients who return as volunteers after discharge. Tune in as she highlights the unique value these volunteers bring to the patient experience and how they seamlessly integrate and collaborate with the existing volunteer team to enhance care and support.

Stacy Palmer, Senior Vice President & COO of The Beryl Institute, sits down with Pattie Cuen, Senior Vice President of Jarrard Inc., to discuss a recent consumer survey about public values in healthcare experience. Listen in as Cuen shares key insights and emphasizes the importance of seeing the bigger picture of experience by focusing on multiple factors simultaneously.

Marcelo Alvarenga, CEO of ConectaEXP Brazil, joins Jason Wolf, CEO & President of The Beryl Institute to discuss his passion for education in the healthcare experience space in Brazil. Listen in as Alvarenga describes the innovative efforts he has helped lead that have inspired Brazilian healthcare institutions to commit to a focus on human-centered care.

Julian Manriquez, Supervisor for Hospitality Services at City of Hope, discusses how his 110-acre campus strives to provide visitors with a five-star transportation and wayfinding experience through a unique Ambassador program. Listen in as he describes the critical roles of innovation and evolution throughout the program's beginnings, survival during the COVID-19 pandemic, current operations, and plans for the future.

After a devastating diagnosis in her 20s changed the trajectory of her life, Marcia Donzinger, CEO of Vital Biz Consulting, embraced her new direction and bravely marched forward. Listen in as she discusses how culture is chemistry and the importance of helping organizations develop and nurture a culture of wellness to support employee well-being.

After her younger brother - born with congenital defects and developmental delays - had a traumatic hospital admission experience that impacted her entire family, Stacy Sedlak knew she had to do something to improve the human experience for pediatric patients. Listen in as she discusses her brother's influence on her "why" and the difficulties that come with transitioning pediatric patients into adult care.

Amy Kwiatkowski, Director of Community Experience, sits down to speak with Cheryl Call, Director of Volunteers and Language Services at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, whose career in volunteer services in healthcare has spanned over two decades. Listen in as Call emphasizes the importance of volunteer engagement in enhancing the patient experience, discusses effective strategies for keeping volunteers engaged, and shares personal anecdotes from patients her volunteers have served throughout the years.

On the heels of the tenth anniversary release of PX Journal, Jason Wolf sits down with Brian Carlson, Vice President of Patient Experience at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Jennifer Carron, Patient Experience Officer at BJC Healthcare to discuss their new co-authored article, “Investing in the Bottom Line: The Value Case for Improving Human Experience in Healthcare.” Listen in as the trio discusses the impact of experience – at all levels - and how leadership at the top plays a critical role.

Listen to The Beryl Institute's inaugural live podcast recorded at ELEVATE PX. Sven Gierlinger, Chief Experience Officer at Northwell Health and the 2024 recipient of the Wendy Leebov Championing Experience Award, sat down with Jason Wolf to reflect on his experience journey from hospitality to healthcare. Gierlinger shares how his health system is navigating the healthcare landscape post-pandemic.

Transgender activist Emily Newberry joins Director of Community Experience, Amy Kwiatkowski to share her multi-decade journey of acceptance and understanding and how it led her to the field of patient experience and advocacy. Listen as Emily describes how her own experience navigating the health care system as a transgender woman inspired her to be persistent and to advocate for patients across the spectrum of care.

Linda Fisher, Regional Director for Guest Services at UCHealth North, discusses the Get to Know Me Program, an initiative that connects volunteers with patients. Listen in to learn how, through a series of lighthearted questions designed to spur conversation, volunteers were able to make lasting and impactful connections with patients and their families.

Ben Larsen, Experience Advisor at Baylor Scott & White Health, discusses the significance of human connection and the relationships we build with patients. Listen as he talks about communicating in service of a relationship, origin stories and the importance of practicing compassion and empathy.

Bill Mills, CEO of Best Upon Request, shares how offering concierge services impacts both the patient and employee experience. From running errands to providing a listening ear, his team members are instrumental in helping organizations improve satisfaction scores by providing an enhanced level of comfort and care.

From retail and hospitality to healthcare, Nicole Cable shares her professional journey that ignited a passion for the human experience. Listen as she details how a poor personal experience as a patient initially left her “wanting to stay as far away from healthcare as possible,” but eventually became the driving factor behind a career focused on helping and serving others.

When Monica Jones became a mother of children requiring complex care, she realized her calling in healthcare. Listen as she shares her family's experience in navigating the healthcare system on her children's behalf and how it inspired her to join the patient and family experience team at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. 

Dave Bennett, CEO of pCare, discusses the importance of embracing technology and how a digital transformation can enhance all aspects of the human experience.

Amy Veneciano shares how she re-evaluated and reset Volunteer Services at UCSF as the waves of COVID-19 subsided. During the long pause in using volunteer services, she describes the pandemic's silver lining as an opportunity to reflect on what to do differently to make a difference to patients, staff, and the volunteers themselves. Learn how streamlining processes, educating staff and recognizing the achievements of volunteers play into recruiting - and keeping - a dedicated and happy volunteer workforce.

Toya Golrley and Greg Makoul from NRC Health reflect on the power of three fundamentals of experience to drive innovation and improvement in healthcare. Listen as they share these insights and explain how getting back to the basics is more about moving forward than back.

Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa (Dr. Q.) was an impoverished teenager living in a rural Mexican village before he hopped an 18-foot fence into California and found his way into the loftiest heights of the American Dream through hope, hard work and perseverance. Listen as he reflects on his life, his work and the importance of healing in the absence of a cure.

Dr.  Airica Steed, President & CEO of The MetroHealth System, discusses the importance of representation in healthcare and how bias can negatively influence outcomes by sharing personal and professional experiences.

With over two decades of experience in healthcare, Dr. Karana Pierre has had the opportunity to care for patients from a variety of cultures. Listen as she shares the importance of cultural humility, and how acknowledging and understanding a patient's cultural background is key to a successful treatment plan and patient relationship.

Trisha Choi, MA, CPXP, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 19 and, as a result, endured many hospital stays. After a negative experience with a nurse during one particular stay, she decided to pivot her career to healthcare. Listen as she discusses her healthcare experience with a mental health diagnosis and the importance of being able to ask for - and accept - help.

Dr. Jennifer Kemp changed the way she practiced medicine as a radiologist after her husband's cancer diagnosis. Listen as she talks about the lived experience of a family member going through treatment and the anxiety of waiting on radiology reports. This perspective inspired a journey to redefine the relationship between patients and their radiologists; both through direct communication and technology.

Bob Pollard was a healthy 62-year-old when he was diagnosed with COVID-19, in the hospital and unable to breathe with a high likelihood of not making it through the night. Ultimately, he spent 17 days on a ventilator and a combined three months in the hospital and a rehab facility. Bob's tough journey back to health propelled a complete change of career. Listen as he shares how he went from COVID-19 patient to Patient Experience Professional.

While healthcare executives and patients want more digital options, many healthcare app developers struggle to provide a platform that attracts users and increases engagement. Joshua Titus, CEO at Gozio Health, discusses why this challenge exists and provides insight into how to ensure mobile platforms can succeed.

Jennifer Purdy, Executive Director of Patient Experience at the Veteran's Experience Office shares the importance of remaining aligned with and staying true to the mission of serving those who have served. She emphasizes the importance of understanding who the human being is behind the veteran and ensuring that staff feel empowered to find ways to meaningfully connect to improve the overall collective experience for veterans.

Dennis W. Pullin, president and CEO of Virtua Health, shares how his organization orients to the consumer while continuing to tackle the waves of the pandemic. He shares the importance of listening, observing and gathering facts to make sound decisions as a leader that creates the opportunity to provide an elevated experience for his staff, the patients and the community they serve.

Risa Hanau, LCSW, is an expert in caring for those at end-of-life. She also is a natural "giver" who is quick to support a loved one in need. Facing her own rare disease diagnosis and the physical challenges that come with Ehlers-Danlos, however, required she take a new journey of asking for help. Join us for this compelling and raw story of Risa's journey to accepting support while coping with a rare disease.

Alina Moran shares her story of growing up in a family that had little access to healthcare resources and how that propelled her path to leadership in a career focused on advoating for healthcare equity and the healing power of human kindness. She also shares her experience running a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic and addressing the needs of her staff and the patients they serve.

Mary Smith was diagnosed with COVID-19 early on in the pandemic. Since then, she has grappled with Long-COVID. In this podcast you will learn more about how Long-COVID impacts a person's day to day life.

Jeff Cousins and his wife were excited to find out they were pregnant with their first child. 23 weeks and five days into the pregnancy, they learned there were issues with their son's development and this began a whole new chapter in their lives. Learn more as Jeff unpacks his Tiny Story": Special Needs Child Changed My Life."

In this Special Edition of the To Care is Human podcast series, podcast hosts, Jason Wolf and Tiffany Christensen have a conversation looking back on 2021, another challenging year for healthcare. Listen as they share their reflections of hurting, healing, hope and the human experience in healthcare. 

Brett Brende, Vice President of Customer Engagement for Healthcare at SMG, shares how having employees who are engaged, excited and happy in their work roles has a direct impact on overall patient experience.

Glenda Sirota lives in Chicago, is 80 years old and says she is "living her best life" after a series of extreme medical events that placed her in a coma for 28 days. When she woke up, her body needed a lot of care but her mind and spirit were strong. She also woke up with a very unusual gift. Learn more about Glenda's story in this podcast where she unpacks her Tiny Story, "Born unhealthy, died, revived by medicine and music, now alive."

Jeff Fallon, chairman and CEO at eVideon Healthcare, reflects on the role technology can play in meeting patient expectations for engagement and information while giving healthcare teams greater efficiency and enabling hospitals to improve satisfaction and reduce readmissions.

Dr. Grace Cordovano is a board certified patient advocate with a wealth of experience navigating the US healthcare system on behalf of herself, family and clients. In this podcast, Dr. Cordovano helps us understand what she means by "hacking healthcare" in order to move from "patient-centered care" to "life-focused care."   

Microsoft is impacting the world  by empowering people and organizations through software and  the power of data. Antoinette Thomas, US Chief Executive Officer and Industry Executive for US Health and Life Sciences at Microsoft, shares why a focus on equity is so important to their organization and what they are doing to make meaningful contributions during the pandemic and beyond. 

As healthcare continues to focus on dismantling systemic racism, the move from ideas to action must be intentional and strategic. Thought leaders like Dr. Julia Iyasere provide a model and support for change agents across the globe. Join this compelling conversation and learn more about how the landscape of healthcare is changing and what can be done next to create health equity.