In today’s healthcare arena, the relationship between doctor and client is evolving as patients are encouraged to jointly participate in their medical care decisions using information from a variety of sources – the physician, personal research, opinions from other practitioners, consideration of medical expenses and more. Patient satisfaction is a critical component to this partnership, a key factor in guest speaker S. Vincent Grasso’s, D.O., ’85 exploration of this subject at the College’s second Alumni in Healthcare Network event on May 2 at the Hyatt Regency in Jersey City.
Alumni in the healthcare industry, current students studying this profession, and medical specialists from throughout the area gathered for an evening of networking to discuss the latest trends and technology in the ever-changing healthcare field, and how to incorporate these changes to expand patient/doctor relationships.
“Healthcare is changing, and how we see things in healthcare is changing,” said Angelo A. Caprio M.D. ’74, chief medical officer/vice president of medical affairs at Hoboken University Medical Center, as well as adjunct professor and member of the Alumni in Healthcare Host Committee at Saint Peter’s. “Healthcare is becoming more patient oriented. [Experts] actually come to my hospital and they’re teaching how anyone who works there, from somebody in housekeeping to presidents of the staff, should treat patients.”
To explore this patient-centered movement, Dr. Grasso led his discussion on patient satisfaction, saying, “As healers, as physicians, our obligation is to do what’s right for the patient, so we want patients to be happy and satisfied with their care. A happy patient is generally one that received good care.”
This thought process goes hand-in-hand with the principle of cura personalis, or care for the whole person, a value Dr. Grasso learned at Saint Peter’s and continues to utilize in his career. “As healthcare providers in a Jesuit tradition and having been educated in a Jesuit school, [cura personalis] lends itself very well to healthcare and the concept of the patient as a whole,” Dr. Grasso said during his opening remarks. The physician with a private practice in Hudson County, CEO and CTO of Technology Integrations for Medical Applications Inc. and founder of not-for-profit company AYUDAMOS (where he is involved in performing and teaching surgery internationally), further credited much of his professional success to his experiences at Saint Peter’s – from the late John Benson, Ph.D. ’53, who Dr. Grasso called his professor, mentor and friend, to the Jesuits he stayed connected with that got him involved in international missionary medical work in places such as Peru for the cholera epidemic of 1991.
The alumnus went on to talk about the various factors that contribute to patient satisfaction, such as technical quality of care, interpersonal manner, communication, financial aspects and time spent with the physician. He also discussed various techniques medical professionals and institutions can utilize to advance the gratification of this demographic, including the implementation of innovative technology for medical software and continued feedback from patients through methods such as patient surveys.
“I’d like [those in attendance tonight] to realize that technology is an evolving and very important part of future healthcare, and that patients also need to understand that they’re part of the decision-making process for their own care,” Dr. Grasso said. “They can’t just depend on everyone else to take care of them. The more they take care of themselves, the better it is for them.”
Healthcare industry professionals make up the second largest group of alumni from Saint Peter’s. To accommodate this, the Alumni in Healthcare Network was founded by Dr. Caprio, along with Nikki Mederos ’07, ’10, director of external relations and patient relations at Palisades Medical Center; Gary S. Horan, FACHE ’70, president and chief executive officer of Trinitas Health and Trinitas Regional Medical Center; and Joseph P. Pieroni ’68, president and chief executive officer at Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. (retired). The Network was designed to unite Saint Peter’s College graduates from all eras to learn and exchange ideas, to expand and explore new professional relationships, and to connect and engage with the College.
Chris Ramirez ’06, staff physical therapist for outpatient services at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, is part of this group of alumni in the medical field. He attended the event to not only network with other healthcare professionals, but also in support of his alma mater. “I really appreciate Saint Peter’s for the simple fact that it gave me the opportunity to be in the healthcare field and be in a profession that actually makes a difference. I learned from the presentation that electronic medical records and information technology is definitely an asset to the field.”
Programs such as the Alumni in Healthcare Network have proven to be beneficial not only for alumni, but for the College’s students, as well. Erica Greene, a current graduate student of Saint Peter’s who works as a business analyst for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, came to the reception in search of more information about the healthcare industry. “I think [the Alumni in Healthcare Network event] is important just to bring the students together,” she said. “It’s a networking event, and people learn about different professions to see if they want to maybe try something new. It’s always good to meet new people and listen to the guest speakers the College brings in to hear their insight.”
Those interested in contacting fellow alumni in the healthcare industry can join the Saint Peter’s College Alumni in Healthcare group on LinkedIn.