The Meaning of Care is a Badge of Honor

To some, the badge all Methodist employees wear is just a badge.

But for those of us who wear it, it is so much more.

The badge represents our passion and commitment to our patients and their families. It’s a commitment we take seriously, because just like us, they’re parents, sons and daughters and friends. And like the loved ones in our lives, we want what’s best for them.

At Methodist, we call that commitment The Meaning of Care.

In honor of Hospital and Healthcare Week (May 7-11), our employees share their passion and the reason why they live this commitment day after day.

Tim Black, RN, NICU Team Leader, Methodist Women’s Hospital

“Our motto is The Meaning of Care and we do the best of care here. Our babies and their families truly become part of our Methodist family. We are the first ones to see them at seconds old, and to see them grow well, go home, and then see them a year later at the NICU reunion, it just touches my heart. The Meaning of Care is to give the best, loving care to all of our families, all of our patients and co-workers, to be the best we can be always and to keep in mind that the safety for our patients and families is top-notch. I’m so very proud to be a part of it.”

Jolene Scalzo, RN, Pre-Op Nurse, Methodist Hospital

“In providing The Meaning of Care, we focus on compassion. You have to meet people where they’re at and help them understand what is happening with their care. When nurses are calm, they help to keep the patient calm. The Meaning of Care means I care about my patients as a whole. No matter where they are coming from in their walk of life, they deserve our attention and compassion.”

Charles Fyfe, Environmental Services Technician, Methodist Women’s Hospital

“I love it here at Methodist. Every person is an individual. The Meaning of Care is looking after and taking care of each person who comes through that door.”

Trish Morrow, Patient Ambassador, Methodist Physicians Clinic Women’s Center

“I like helping people, and I see hundreds of them every day. Patients feel so comfortable coming to Methodist. They feel like they are receiving the best possible care. Our patients are always amazed by the high level of care they receive, whether it’s from the doctor, the receptionist or the nurse, everyone cares the same, and our patients feel that. It gives me such a good feeling working here.”

Gayland Drake, Food Service Team Leader, Methodist Hospital

“The Meaning of Care means caring about your employees, the organization you work for, about what you do – the people, patients and community that we serve. I brag about Methodist and I’m very proud to be an employee at Methodist.”

Rev. Melissa Strong, Pastoral Services Chaplain, Methodist Hospital and Methodist Women’s Hospital

“The Meaning of Care is the little things that people do. It’s the little ways that we can show each other we care. It’s taking time to go the extra moment, to be observant of our patients and our fellow coworkers. It means being the best person that I can be and taking care of somebody the way I would want to be taken care of. It’s taking the time to be present with people that we are entrusted with as health care workers. It’s reaching out both in humor and in seriousness, to be connected to know that they are not alone, that we are in this together – a whole team of body, emotion, spirit and mind, and that we will be there for them no matter what.”

Maricela Cortes, CNA, NICU, Methodist Women’s Hospital

“I love working for Methodist and I think it’s a really good company, and I plan to continue working here as long as I can. Methodist cares about people, not just patients. I feel so proud to be a part of Methodist.”

Donna Hubbell, VP of Patient Safety and Quality, Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital

“We are really focused on high quality care. I’m really proud to be a part of Methodist Health System. I think we do such good things. We have a drive to have a culture that is welcoming, committed and compassionate. It’s so important to our ability to engage our patients and families and make them partners in the care we provide.”

Barb Johnson, RN, Oncology, Methodist Hospital

“Our patients teach us so much, especially about the power of the human spirit to shine through a difficult diagnosis. It's about being truly present and knowing that squeezing a hand can mean more than a thousand words of consolation.”

In conjunction with Hospital and Healthcare Week you can view some rare artifacts from Methodist history. 

Items from a time capsule discovered in the destruction of the Methodist Midtown Hospital on 36th and Cuming streets are now on display inside Methodist Hospital Café 8303. The old hospital building was torn down last summer to make way for the Salvation Army's new Renaissance Village Campus.

Read about the time capsule discovery.

Items now on display include:

• A historic photograph of Methodist Hospital
• News clippings from the era
• An Annual Report
• Assorted surgical instruments
• 1892 Methodist Episcopal Hospital and Deaconess Home Journal
• Assorted photographs
• Holy Bible