The “Discharge with Dignity” program was inspired by a similar program at the system’s behavioral health facility at Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital and is funded by a Catalyst Grant. The program provides patients in need of proper clothing with clean, weather-appropriate outfits to get them home comfortably, according to a Jan. 27 system news release. It’s run by James Moore and Jeannie Parrish, both supervisors in patient support services.
“Having appropriate clothing when leaving the hospital can improve the patient’s overall hospital experience, allowing them to feel comfortable and empowered,” Ms. Parrish said in the release. “We remove the anxiety and stress that caregivers feel while caring for those whose basic needs are unmet, and we assist those who make up our community by preserving their dignity as they leave our care.”
Any employee or patient caregiver can call an express line or use an online form to request needed items through the clinical engineering department. Available items include t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, underwear, bras, socks, shoes, coats, hats, gloves, blankets and hygiene kits. The new clothing is acquired with help from the supply chain staff, who selected the approved vendor.
The program was launched in August and has served more than 150 patients to date.
