One of our marketing campaigns highlights actual Park Nicollet patients joyously stating:  “I have Park Nicollet.”  In addition to serving as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Park Nicollet, I am also a patient and I’m a family member of Park Nicollet patients. I am extremely proud and grateful that “I have Park Nicollet.”

Monday December 5^th proved a difficult day in the Abelson household. For the past few months, I noticed a smudge in my right eye, the only eye in which I have useful vision.  Over the weekend, the smudge became denser and I started to worry.  Dr Marnie Feldman, a retina specialist, saw me Monday morning and reassured me that the smudge represented a partial vitreal detachment, a common problem with improvement over time. The patient-physician interaction represented an example of “Head + Heart. Together.” I received the necessary high tech testing—the equivalent of a retinal CT scan along with Dr. Feldman’s professional knowledge. Most importantly, the entire department intuitively understood my anxiety and vulnerability about having visual symptoms in my sole good eye.

I continued my day reassured by my morning visit. At 4:30 P.M, my wife Susan wandered into my office upset. That morning, Susan had an ultrasound examination to follow up on an abnormality detected by Dr. Heather Gantzer as part of a routine physical exam. Both Drs. Gantzers and Jan Strathy called her within one hour of the ultrasound test results  and arranged for her to  she see a surgeon that afternoon. At 5:00 PM we saw Dr. Peter Argenta and his wonderful nurse Joan. Three days later, Dr. Argenta performed surgery and Susan spent 2 days inpatient at Methodist Hospital. This unexpected health crisis was unsettling, but the compassion and professionalism of the scores of Park Nicollet team members helped us immensely during a raw and vulnerable period. Fortunately, Susan has an excellent prognosis.

As patient/family members, we directly experienced the passion and professionalism of Methodist Hospital’s staff, the same level of excellent care available to all Park Nicollet patients. On 4 East, our team was lead by Nancy Schroeder and Victoria Norton. Registered Nurses included Maxwell Berscheit, Jody Greffin, Jenny Schroeder (FP), Amanda Johnson and Katka Grajcarova. The Nurses’ Aides included Meisso Foge, Lina Ahmed and Alieu Songa. The environmental service aides included Robin Anderson and Zewdi Gebreselassie. The staff of the pre- and post- operative areas were also wonderfully supportive, but being overwhelmed, we fail to remember the names of all the kind and caring individuals.

As CEO, I know what patients/families don’t necessarily understand - behind the directly experienced interactions stand numerous teams working together to create outstanding experiences. In our case, these less visible teams included admitting, the operating room, radiology, pharmacy, laboratory services, pathology, food services, information technology, facilities and patient financial services. I am awed by how the work of so many teams and individuals must be synchronized to create outstanding clinical results and attentive patient/family experiences.

“I have Park Nicollet” for which I  am grateful and proud. I have confidence in the vast professional capabilities of Park Nicollet clinicians and take comfort in the attentive, compassionate interactions with all team members.

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