Patient Experience Week: 🎯 Mission Monday—Reflect on the Why Behind What We Do
Welcome to Patient Experience Week—a time to reflect, reconnect, and re-energize around our shared purpose: delivering compassionate, personalized care that truly makes a difference in the lives of our patients and their families.
✨ Today’s Focus: The "Why" Behind Our Work
At Carilion Clinic, our mission is both simple and powerful: to improve the health of the communities we serve. This mission comes to life through every moment, every interaction, every decision, and every act of care delivered by our dedicated caregivers.
Guided by our core values—Collaboration, Commitment, Compassion, Courage, and Curiosity—we work each day to create meaningful experiences grounded in respect, dignity, and trust. These values aren’t just words on a wall; they are lived through every hand held, every kind word spoken, and every story shared.
đź’¬ The Voice of Our Patients
Our patients’ words remind us why we do what we do—and why it matters:
“I received excellent care at this facility. I was well prepared. Everyone treated me with respect, and it seemed as if everyone person with whom I dealt genuinely cared about my comfort and well being. All personnel acted in a professional manner and were personable. I would rate this hospital number one in the care provided in comparison with every other facility I have visited in Virginia. I've never felt so comfortable in a hospital setting. I believe this contributes to the healing process. Also, patients will more likely seek treatment when they feel valued and respected. I am appreciative of the care I was given. I would highly recommend this facility to others seeking health care.”
“This was one of the most pleasant experiences I have ever had at a medical facility. Everything ran like clockwork and the entire care team went above and beyond to make sure my family and I were taken care of.”
“From beginning to end, the whole experience was a positive one for me (the patient) and my son (relative who brought me to the hospital). If all patients receive the same level of attention that I received, then I may be confident to believe the Carilion Clinic is rated among the highest in the community and beyond.”
“My experience was absolutely amazing! Your facility and staff were excellent. You restored my faith in healthcare!”
“My experience was absolutely the best it could be. I received excellent care and compassion. I also received a card after being home for a few days with the staff's signatures that helped me. That was the final touch to show just how awesome the team is.”
Leading with Purpose
On this Mission Monday, we hear from two inspiring leaders who share why patient-centered care is at the heart of everything we do.
🎥 Watch the video below as Brandon Jones, Director of Patient Experience, explains the impact of world-class patient experience and why it matters more than ever.
We also sat down with Karyn Reese, Nursing Director and recipient of the 2024 President’s Award, to learn more about her journey and the purpose that drives her commitment to delivering world-class care every single day.
Their stories are a powerful reminder of the mission we all share—and the difference we make together.
A Conversation with Karyn Reese
Nursing Director and 2024 President’s Award Recipient
In healthcare, purpose is what sustains us. For Karyn Reese, that purpose is deeply rooted in compassion, innovation, and a relentless drive to improve. Though her title reflects her leadership, Karyn proudly identifies first and foremost as a nurse—a role that has shaped her career and continues to guide her daily work.
Personal Motivation & Purpose
What inspired you to choose this profession?
“While I’m a nurse leader, I’m always a nurse first,” Karyn shares. Her early fascination with the intricacies of the human body and mind sparked a passion for nursing. “I’ve always enjoyed diving into charts, analyzing scans, and asking questions to better serve my patients. I knew this career would challenge me and put demands on me that would force me to better myself.”
What keeps you coming back every day?
“Working in a leadership role, I value the opportunity to pass knowledge onto my employees. The constant challenges are stimulating for me and keep me engaged. I like to find solutions to problems and think about things in new ways...dynamic ways. Nursing is a difficult landscape today and while I get to lead, I also get to see my employees grow and get excited as they navigate their own careers. Helping others and sharing the wins or successes I have is very rewarding for me.”
Can you share a moment when you truly felt, "This is why I do what I do"?
“Leading struggling nursing units, flipping the culture, and having them become the place people want to work is when I take a look around and realize I’ve had a hand in growing something positive. On one of my units, we have a large core staff now with very few openings. On the other, we’re re-building, but every employee is proud of the unit and is engaged in what we promote for patient care. We treat travel nurses, our float pool, and any help sent to us as part of our team whether it’s for a day, a shift, or just for a few hours. We try to be welcoming and round on these employees as if they’re our own staff for the day! We want everyone to feel part of the team.”
Patient-Centered Focus
How do you define a great patient experience?
“A great patient experience starts with the patient and their family/support system feeling safe in the care of the team assigned to them. Communication needs to be consistent and clear. I see each patient’s care and experience as unique and individualized. It’s up to us to determine what a positive patient experience means for them. There are a lot of moving parts and that experience can be on a sliding scale for patients. So, to make it great, we need to foster connections and relationship building while learning about what they value.”
How do you try to make a difference in a patient’s day?
“The smallest, most simplistic things matter and these things are what our patients tend to remember. Sitting down, giving my time, offering some conversation, maybe a smile, or sharing a joke can make the patient feel more comfortable. This enhances the patient’s stay on our unit.”
Can you share a time when you went above and beyond for a patient or family member?
“In my early years as a nurse, I worked in inpatient rehab. We had a patient who was a quad who was my age at the time. He fired a lot of staff and was a very challenging patient. I learned to adapt my communication style to what he needed and he and I started to work well together. I began picking up extra shifts so that I could be his primary nurse. I took extra time with him, would get him outside, and also arranged a picnic for him and his daughter, who was 5 years old at the time. I saw his demeanor change and his overall outlook on his future change. It made me want to do more for him.”
Challenges and Growth
What’s been one of the most challenging moments in your role, and how did it shape you?
“Some of the greatest challenges in this role are when you are faced with an issue that needs an immediate reaction or decision. You have everyone’s eyes on you, waiting for a response. You need to be the good example, be professional, and represent Carilion and your unit well. You have seconds to make that decision and act. Those are the real challenges for me.”
How do you stay motivated when the work gets tough?
“My teams motivate me! I put in the hard work for them because they all work so hard for me and our patients. We have built trust and mutual respect and they know I’m always advocating for them. They always hear me out and let me ask questions and I pivot and adjust plans based on their thoughts.”
Connection and Impact
Is there a particular patient interaction that has stayed with you?
“I’ve been a nurse for 25 years and there have been a lot of patient interactions that have stuck with me. I have a knack for finding common-ground with challenging patients and I do think about that a lot. When I can find a solution to a problem or get a patient to work better with the team I feel like that’s a way I impact that patient’s experience and also the workflow of my team. Those experiences have shaped me into the nurse and leader that I continue to be today.”
How do you think your role contributes to the overall patient experience?
“My role is very important for the patient experience. Sometimes we offer perspective that the patient hasn’t or wouldn’t think about or consider. We can also quickly intervene and offer service recovery. Follow up is extremely important and I make it a point to recap what we discuss, come back, and provide updates. They need to know that they’re not only being heard, but that concerns are being taken seriously.”
Team and Culture
What’s something you love about your team?
“My team is the absolute best. My Operation Managers each have their individual strengths that contribute to the cohesiveness of our leadership team. My employees are amazing. They look out for each other. They look out for me! They are very protective over the units we’ve grown together and continue to be eager for more opportunities to grow and learn. They are so engaged and will at least consider any idea that I throw at them. We’ve become known for piloting new things and trying new approaches to how we deliver care. They are great at seeing the bigger picture and realizing that we don’t have to continue doing things a certain way because it’s always been done that way.”
How do you support your colleagues in creating a positive environment for patients?
“We have to look out for each other and have each other’s backs. I feel that we need to pay it forward. If I’ve had success on my unit or tried something new that works well, I want to help others achieve that success.”
Reflection and Inspiration
If you could give advice to someone starting in this field, what would you say?
“Be ready for anything and everything! Healthcare offers so many opportunities to see and do new things and leadership allows you the opportunity to make sure that patients are getting access to the care that they need by the people best trained to provide specialized care.”
What’s one word or phrase that captures why you do what you do?
“I would say innovative or visionary. I want my work to convey that our units put the patients at the center of the care we deliver. I also want my staff to work as efficiently as possible, using their time well and feeling like they have good work flow and practice.”
Actions for Mission Monday:
- Reconnect with Your “Why”: Begin the week by reflecting on the purpose that drives your work and the difference you make in the lives of patients and their families.
- Huddle with Intention: Kick off your team huddle by inviting each member to share their personal “why” and how their role contributes to Carilion Clinic’s mission.
- Take Purposeful Action: Encourage each team member to commit to one meaningful action they will take this week to elevate the patient experience.
Learn More
Visit the Patient Experience Hub on Inside Carilion.
Check the Wow Wall each day this week for more Patient Experience content:
- Mission Monday—Reflect on the Why Behind What We Do
- Teamwork Tuesday—Celebrating Collaboration
- Wellness Wednesday—Creating a Culture of Safety and Compassion for Everyone
- Thankful Thursday—Gratitude in Action
- Forward Friday—Looking Ahead with Purpose
