Within the health industry there are many professionals making it their mission to improve the patient experience. Yet, it is still often times hard to make a health visit as personal as possible.
That’s why two physicians from Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center began incorporating simple, short, “sacred moments” where health professionals and patients bond before diving into the often complicated care process.

As discussed by Medical Director, Steven Pu in HealthLeaders Media Magazine, “We asked why the initial conversation with the patient is so complicated. You have to fill out all this paperwork. ‘Do you have a living will? What is your insurance? And my OB/GYN said, ‘why can’t we have a moment or a time at the beginning with the patient in that first 10 or 15 minutes where we really try to connect with the patient on a more personal basis and try to address their immediate concerns and fears?’
That’s a sacred moment – an uninterrupted opportunity for professional and patient to share with one another.
To learn more about Sacred Moment and how it improves patient experience, our Editorial Director, Geri Lynn Baumblatt, reached out to Steven and had the following Q&A.
Q: What is the Sacred Moment and how did it come about?
A. The physicians at our facility wanted to focus on the spiritual and personal needs of the patients in their care. Their desire was for the nurse and patient to have an uninterrupted moment once the patient arrives to the floor. This establishes a bond between the patient and nurse and trust in the staff that will be caring for that patient.
Q: Why is it sacred and does it really just take a moment? It seems like asking these questions would often lead to a much bigger conversation.
A. Sacred – because it should be that powerful in the eyes of the patient as well as the caregiver. So meaningful at the time that it leaves an impression that is deemed “sacred” to the patient. It only takes a “moment” in the overall scheme of things. It could actually be 2 minutes or may extend to 15 – 20 minutes, every patient is individual and every patient’s needs are different. But in the patient’s overall perception of a hospital stay, that sacred time is just a “moment” in the patient’s overall stay. Continue Reading »





