Renowned for the quality of its care, the Wilmer Eye Institute is also known for the compassion shown by every member of its patient care team. That commitment to great service is evident in the way each patient is personally shepherded through even the most basic visit. There’s a name for this process: It’s called the “Wilmer Way.”
The Wilmer Way lives at all of Wilmer’s locations, from Green Spring Station to Bethesda. A visit to the clinic at The Johns Hopkins Hospital is a microcosm of this all-encompassing approach.
It begins with a phone call. On that call, the patient might talk to a patient access specialist like Megan Suehle, who is prepared to offer appointments the very same day if the patient can make it. Most people are unaware—and surprised—that Wilmer can do same-day appointments. For patients experiencing problems with their eyesight, it is a profound comfort, Suehle says. “Their eyesight is important. We see them as soon as possible,” she adds.
On the day of the appointment, every patient is met by a greeter, who is committed to getting patients to the right place at the right time. But a greeter’s most important job is to make the patient feel at ease, says Rita Dziecichowicz. She began as a volunteer some 11 years ago but soon made it her career. “I walk them down the hall. I calm them,” Dziecichowicz says. “They come with such problems. It makes me feel good to help.”
The next stop along the Wilmer Way is registration, where the patient might be fortunate to meet someone like Elaine Dorsey. Her function is check-in and paperwork, but her place is as a confidante. Dorsey exudes an air of discretion that says: Trust me. “I give them a soft tone. I’ll embrace them. Sometimes, they cry. It’s an important job. Some patients even have a favorite registration person,” Dorsey says.
The Wilmer Way carries through to the exam room, where a patient care specialist like Mike Dent will attend to the patient’s needs. Dent is a supervisor in the Retina Division, Wilmer’s largest division. Dent preps a history, dilates the eyes of the patient and photographs the patient's retinas, if need be. He also assists as the Wilmer physician completes his or her consultation. Dent sees himself as a teacher. “I explain things. Build a relationship. There are patients I now have dinner with,” Dent says. “I try to run [the exam room] like a family. That’s the Wilmer Way.”