No one likes getting poked by strangers for routine tests, but a long-time Southbridge resident knows if she comes to Harrington for health care, she will find kindness and reassurance.
Cindy*, who was born at Harrington Hospital, has continued to come to Harrington for labs work, mammograms, and other routine, preventive appointments. In fact, she requires her long-time primary care physician in Worcester to order her ancillary tests at Harrington.
“It’s convenient; I have no reason not to go to Harrington,” Cindy says. “I mean, what would be the alternative if we didn’t? Driving 20 or 30 minutes for a routine test? We are so fortunate to have care close to home—and great care at that.”
In July, Cindy came to Harrington’s Southbridge campus for what she thought was regular lab work, but found out upon arrival that her physician had ordered an extensive four-hour test. She rescheduled the draw for that upcoming weekend.
Lab Receptionist and Phlebotomist Jillian MacDonnald, who has been with Harrington for five years, was the first person Cindy talked to during this visit and rescheduled and preregistered the nervous patient for the weekend to minimize her wait time.
“I strongly believe patients should be involved in the decision making of their health care; they should be comfortable when receiving services, and each patient deserves the best service possible every time,” says MacDonnald. “I try to make every patient comfortable, no matter if I am checking them in at the front desk or drawing their blood.”
The patient also worked with Ken Simpson and Miritza Colon, among a few other lab staff employees.
“They are very prompt,” says Cindy. “They don’t keep you sitting there. No matter how many patients they have, they make you feel like you are the most important one at that moment in time.”
Ken Simpson, who has worked at Harrington’s Lab for 35 years, sat with the patient for over an hour to go over the significance of her test results.
“Everyone seems to enjoy their job, and I think that is a key point of why the care is so great. If their employees are happy, they must be doing something right,” says Cindy. “For that job, you can have all the credentials in the world, but if you don’t have the personality, forget it.”
Simpson’s philosophy is simple: “I try to treat them like they are my family and go the extra mile if I can.”
And Simpson definitely did that for Cindy.
“I can’t say enough about Ken Simpson,” says the patient. “He has to be one of the best people I know, any place, any time. You can’t meet a nicer, better human being than Ken Simpson without question.”
*Name has been changed to ensure anonymity at the patient’s request.
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