Evanston Hospital (ENH) - Evanston, Illinois

Their Story
Evanston Hospital is an academic medical center and part of the larger Evanston Northwestern Healthcare (ENH) System. It operates 18 ICU beds in the areas of medical, surgical, pediatric, and cardiac care. Evanston was one of the first sites to implement The CHEST Foundation's Critical Care Family Assistance Program (CCFAP) in 2002. The team branded the CCFAP approach in its own institution, making it "A Promise To Care" philosophy, which it believes is an integral part of the family experience in the ENH critical care units.

While implementing the CCFAP, the team uncovered a broader need for assistance in end-of-life issues. In response to this need, a group of staff members created a Critical Care Communication Consultation Team to help staff and families of patients clarify goals of care and, hopefully, reach a unified approach that embraces the best interest of the patient.

2nd Annual International Summit on Redesigning Hospital Care
Atlanta, Georgia, June 12 - 14, 2006

Meet the Team

Back Row: Soo Shim, MSW, Social Worker; Thomas Kehoe, MD, Director ICU; Sue Guilanelli, RN, Asst. VP Patient Care Services; Jeffery Vender, MD, FCCP, CCFAP Project Director
 
Front Row: Rosemary Kelly, RN, Clinical Nurse Manager ICU; Gilly Ryan, RN, ICU; Jean Skelskey, RN, Project Coordinator; Colleen Oskerka, Director of Service Excellence

Implementing the Program