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Focus On: Collaboration
Families Matter
Why Mott families are never treated like “visitors”

FRIENDS Turns 50Josh Smith reviews the Mott security program with Jaime Brown. The changes to the program were a team effort of Security and Entrance Services and Patient Family Centered Care with input from Mott families.When Catrina Lanum brought her child to C.S. Mott Children's Hospital last year for a kidney biopsy, she was impressed with the tight security leading up to her son's floor. Security stopped her sister, photocopied her ID and screened her thoroughly before allowing her upstairs. Friends visiting from her church relayed similar stories.

"Talk about being on top of their game," says Lanum, who lives in Canton.

What Lanum experienced is not a coincidence. Mott's security program is the outcome of a partnership between Security and Entrance Services and Patient Family Centered Care that began in 2004 and resulted in changes to the way security approaches its charge at Mott. PFCC and security spent several years focusing on, discuss-ing and educating staff about the unique needs of pediatric patients, families and visitors, which included soliciting input from parents themselves.

"Families told us that while its nice that security is here, they wanted to know what security is specifically doing to keep their children safe," says captain Perry Spencer, manager of Uniform Operations.

Their input has led to reforms in visitation and conflict resolution and a permanent presence of officers on Mott floors.

Innovations Include:

  • Identifying and screening Mott visitors
  • Creating a handout informing Mott families about security services
  • Training officers in conflict resolution with a focus on families in crisis
  • Changing the visitation policy to allow around-the-clock family presence

The new policy recognizes that families are a constant in their child's life and should not be labeled and treated as visitors. This has resulted in feelings of safety and security among Mott families. "When your child is ill, there are things you don't want to be concerned about. I felt like at Mott, they anticipated my every need," Lanum says. -MB

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