A Surprising Reason a Person Becomes a Hospital Volunteer

It was shortly after my conversation with Ann that we were visiting again about escorting people when Carol shared that she, like Ann, had a similar experience at SMMC and that became a contributing incentive for her becoming a volunteer. I couldn't believe it that two volunteers, both motivated by the experience of being personally escorted, pursued the path of being a volunteer at SMMC. Carol, like Ann, has continued to be a volunteer for years.

There is a very clear and important message in the shared experience of Ann and Carol. When we look at patient satisfaction, when we look at making a positive impression about SMMC, when we look at how to be "Much More Than Medicine," the compassionate helping hand of personally escorting people coming through our doors is vitally important to being the best we can in providing health care to our community.

John Haynes, MS, MBA, is a retired school psychologist and a current volunteer at Shawnee Mission Medical Center (SMMC). He served as a Hospital Corpsman at the US Naval Academy and served on the USS Sanctuary Hospital ship in Vietnam. In addition to his volunteer work at SMMC, he's actively involved in the community through the Shawnee Kiwanis Club and the Kansas Trails Council. His interests vary from backpacking and mountain biking to investment analysis and business management. He and his wife have two sons.