Humanizing Healthcare

In this episode of Humanizing Healthcare, we sit down with Michelle Brady, Director of Patient Experience and Relationship-Based Care at MyMichigan Health, to explore why strong relationships are at the heart of great healthcare experiences.A registered nurse with more than three decades of healthcare experience, Michelle brings a clinician’s perspective to patient experience leadership. She explains MyMichigan Health’s relationship-based care model, which starts with caring for yourself, extends to relationships with colleagues, and ultimately strengthens relationships with patients, families, and the communities healthcare organizations serve. In this conversation, Michelle shares practical ways caregivers can create meaningful human connections without adding more work or requiring more time. She explains why “words matter,” how eye contact and simply sitting beside a patient can build trust in seconds, and why healthcare should reconsider language such as “frontline workers” and “boots on the ground.” She also discusses how patient stories and Patient and Family Advisory Councils can uncover insights that survey scores alone may miss. Michelle also offers a thoughtful perspective on artificial intelligence and healthcare technology. Rather than allowing technology to further separate caregivers from patients, she believes organizations should use it to reduce administrative burdens and give caregivers more time for human connection. At MyMichigan Health, ambient listening technology is already helping clinicians spend less time documenting and more time looking at and talking with their patients. If you lead patient experience, care for patients directly, or are working to build a more human-centered healthcare culture, this conversation offers practical ideas for making relationships part of how care is delivered every day.Key Takeaways02:21 How Michelle Brady Found Her Calling in Nursing 04:16 How 37 Years in Healthcare Shaped Her Approach to Patient Experience 05:23 The Four Relationships at the Heart of Relationship-Based Care 08:58 Why Better Patient Experience Doesn't Always Require More Time 12:47 Why Words Matter—and Language Healthcare Should Reconsider 15:23 Listening Beyond Patient Experience Survey Scores 18:50 What Patient and Family Advisory Councils Can Teach Healthcare Leaders 20:28 Why Patient Experience Shouldn't Feel Like “One More Thing” 22:10 Connecting Caregivers With Their Purpose—and Recognizing What They Do Right 23:57 Using AI to Create More Time for Human Connection 26:29 Why Human Connection Can't Be Treated as an Extra 28:20 Making Human Connection Part of Daily Healthcare Operations 29:54 Connecting Employee Engagement With Patient Experience 31:54 Where AI Helps—and Where Patients Still Need a Human Being 32:47 Why Healthcare Is Never Routine for the Patient and FamilyAdditional ResourcesMichelle Brady on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-brady-mshal-bsn-rn-cpxp-2aaa32a9/ Learn more about Fidelum Health: https://fidelumhealth.com/ PRC on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/prcexcellence/

What does it take to rebuild trust in healthcare, especially after it took a hit during the pandemic?In this episode, we talk with Jennifer Baron, Chief Experience Officer at NRC Health, about the evolution & importance of trust in healthcare.She breaks down the key drivers of trust and their role in shaping patient and provider experiences.Jennifer has over 30 years of leadership experience in healthcare. At NRC Health, she focuses on improving human-centered care. Her work revolves around 3 core elements of reliability, competence, and respect.She takes us through NRC Health’s research on trust and what they found. She also explains how trust has evolved and what healthcare systems can do to rebuild it.🎧 Tune in to hear how NRC Health is making healthcare more human-centered and trust-driven. Key TakeawaysIntroduction (00:00)Jennifer’s healthcare journey to her current role (01:23)Role and creation of the Chief Experience Officer at NRC Health (05:46)Trust in healthcare: Key drivers and actions (08:27)Importance of competence and warmth in patient relationships (16:06)Generational shifts and their impact on healthcare (17:23)The rise of digital-first healthcare experiences (20:18)Advice for future healthcare executives (25:47)The growing need for healthcare professionals to be adaptable (28:17)Role of technology in improving patient care (31:43)Additional Resources NRC Health 2025 Experience Perspectives Report: https://nrchealth.com/xp25/Jennifer Baron’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-baron-cpxp-2802565/—-Fidelum Health LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fidelum-health/Planetree LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetree/---- Unlock the power of our HUMAN Brand™ insights model for enhanced patient, team member, and care provider experiences: https://fidelumhealth.com/ Learn how Planetree can help your organization deliver person-centered care at: https://www.planetree.org/

What motivates blood donors to give part of themselves for nothing in return, and what can they teach us about human connection and empathy? In this episode, Adrian David, EVP & COO of New York Blood Center, joins us to discuss how they deliver donor experiences that save lives every day.Adrian brings an impressive blend of pharmaceutical experience and strategic insight to one of the country’s largest blood operations. He shares how the center collects over a million blood products annually, operates in 17 states, and prioritizes donor engagement through emotional resonance, empathy, and cutting-edge innovation.You’ll hear how they're solving the post-pandemic donor shortage, especially among youth, and introducing portable donation pods that transform blood drives into sleek, comfortable, and tech-friendly experiences.Adrian also sheds light on what truly motivates donors, from altruism to peer influence, and how frontline staff are trained to make every donation personal and meaningful.🎧 Tune in to learn how human-first design can transform even the most clinical experiences into moments of connection and purpose.Key TakeawaysIntroduction (00:00)Adrian’s transition from pharma to blood center (03:13)Overview of NYBC’s structure and mission (06:01)Post-pandemic challenges in blood donation (10:21)Innovation: mobile donation pods (12:05)Differences between donor and patient motivations (14:37)Why people donate blood (16:19)Building donor experience from empathy (18:16)Engaging and incentivizing frontline staff (21:58)Leadership advice: strategic adaptability (25:43)Favorite quote and closing thoughts (31:22)Additional Resources New York Blood Center LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-york-blood-center/Adrian David’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-david-biopharma/—-Fidelum Health LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fidelum-health/Planetree LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetree/---- Unlock the power of our HUMAN Brand™ insights model for enhanced patient, team member, and care provider experiences: https://fidelumhealth.com/ Learn how Planetree can help your organization deliver person-centered care at: https://www.planetree.org/

For decades, the healthcare industry has increasingly been perceived as a profit-driven enterprise, often overshadowing the fundamental values of compassion and empathy that lie at the heart of patient care.But, some healthcare leaders are doing it differently.One of them is Mark Baiada, Chairman and Founder of BAYADA Home Health Care. He joins us to tell us more on how they deliver reliably compassionate and excellent patient care experiences, The BAYADA Way.He shares his 50-year journey from a young entrepreneur with $16,000 to a leader in global home healthcare. He explains how he built the company around the values of compassion, excellence, and reliability, codified in "The BAYADA Way," and how these principles continue to shape patient care today.Mark discusses why he gifted $20M to employees and transitioned BAYADA Home Health Care to a nonprofit to safeguard its mission for generations to come. He also shares hard-earned wisdom on balancing mission and efficiency in healthcare.We also talk about BAYADA’s latest endeavor, revolutionizing nursing education to prioritize real-world clinical training and patient relationships. In addition, we discuss the state of for-profit vs. nonprofit healthcare and how leadership, not tax status, determines the quality of care.If you’re interested in mission-driven leadership and healthcare innovation, tune in to this episode and hear from an entrepreneur who built an excellent healthcare business from scratch.Key TakeawaysIntroduction (00:00)Why Mark Baiada started a home healthcare company in 1975 (03:21)The early challenges of running a healthcare business (07:03)The "The BAYADA Way" and how it guides company culture (09:33)The importance of teaching caregivers interpersonal skills (13:42)Why Baiada transitioned his company to a nonprofit (18:49)For-profit vs. nonprofit healthcare: Which is better? (23:37)Advice for healthcare leaders on mission-driven management (25:20)Additional Resources The Bayada Way Website: https://www.bayada.com/the-bayada-wayManaging by Values Book: https://www.amazon.com/Managing-Values-Action-Extraordinary-Results/dp/1576752747.J. Mark Baiada’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-mark-baiada-650812—-Fidelum Health LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fidelum-health/Planetree LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetree/---- Unlock the power of our HUMAN Brand™ insights model for enhanced patient, team member, and care provider experiences: https://fidelumhealth.com/ Learn how Planetree can help your organization deliver person-centered care at: https://www.planetree.org/

Is AI the key to solving healthcare’s biggest challenges? Imagine a world where healthcare is more accessible, less expensive, and far more personalized. It sounds like a dream, right?With the recent explosion of AI tools and capabilities, we’re inching closer to making that dream a reality.In this episode, we talk with Gianluca Mauro, AI expert, Founder of AI Academy, and author of From Zero to AI: Practical Approaches to AI in Healthcare.He shared insights into how generative AI is shaking up the healthcare industry—and why we should all pay attention.AI’s potential in healthcare is vast. One area where it’s already proving invaluable is in reducing clinician workload. Enter AI-powered tools. They can handle administrative burdens and give healthcare providers back their most precious resource: time.But the benefits don’t stop at efficiency. AI is making strides in diagnosis as well. Gianluca mentioned studies showing that GPT-4, with proper prompting, is more accurate than some specialized medical AI tools—and even more accurate than the average physician in diagnosing certain conditions.Tune in and learn how AI can humanize healthcare and improve care quality.This episode is brought to you by Feedback Now, an innovative partner dedicated to enhancing patient experiences through real-time data analytics.Key TakeawaysIntroduction of Gianluca Mauro (00:00)Generative AI: What It Can and Can’t Do (05:13)Healthcare Costs and AI's Potential (11:51)Gianluca’s First AI Project in Healthcare (15:47)The Role of AI in Democratizing Healthcare (22:57)Balancing AI and Human Touch in Patient Care (28:28)Advice for Healthcare Leaders on AI Implementation (32:34)Final Thoughts and Favorite Quote (41:19)Additional Resources Gianluca's consulting and training platform AI Academy: https://www.ai-academy.comZero to AI – Gianluca's book on AI basicsGianluca Mauro LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianlucamauro/Fidelum Health LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fidelum-health/Planetree LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetree/---- Unlock the power of our HUMAN Brand™ insights model for enhanced patient, team member, and care provider experiences: https://fidelumhealth.com/ FeedbackNow - Easily collect and analyze real-time inputs from People, Processes, and Places to Optimize your Operations: https://www.feedbacknow.com/ Learn how Planetree can help your organization deliver person-centered care at: https://www.planetree.org/

Is healthcare ready to embrace rapid change?In this episode of Humanizing Healthcare, Rick Evans, the Chief Experience Officer at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (NYP), joins us to talk about his role in reshaping the patient experience.Rick discusses how healthcare institutions can evolve to meet patient needs through technology and cultural shifts. He also reveals how NYP is leveraging technology, like virtual nursing, to improve patient access and interaction while also reducing the workload on in-person nurses.Rick’s background in theology and philosophy uniquely informs his compassionate approach to patient care. He highlights the distinction between patients and customers in healthcare and stresses the importance of making services more accessible while maintaining trust and human connection.Rick also shares key learnings from the pandemic that could guide future healthcare transformations.Tune in to learn about NYP’s efforts to improve access to care, enhance patient-provider relationships, and integrate technology without losing the human touch.This episode is brought to you by Feedback Now, an innovative partner dedicated to enhancing patient experiences through real-time data analytics. Key TakeawaysIntroduction (00:00)Introduction of Rick Evans and his role at NYP (03:29)Responsibilities of a Chief Experience Officer (06:35)The importance of improving access to care (08:36)Role of telemedicine in modern healthcare (11:59)Virtual nursing initiative at NYP (17:41)Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic (22:38)Challenges of culture change in healthcare (30:22)Approaches to managing high-pressure work environments (36:04)Additional Resources Rick Evans LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-evans-nypNewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nyphospitalNew England Journal of Medicine Article on Virtual Nursing: https://catalyst.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/CAT.23.0313Fidelum Health LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fidelum-health/Planetree LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetree/---- Unlock the power of our HUMAN Brand™ insights model for enhanced patient, team member, and care provider experiences: https://fidelumhealth.com/FeedbackNow - Easily collect and analyze real-time inputs from People, Processes, and Places to Optimize your Operations: https://www.feedbacknow.com/Learn how Planetree can help your organization deliver person-centered care at: https://www.planetree.org/