Patient Advisor: Mark Hines
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Mark Hines |
Mark Hines found his calling, as a result of events that started in April of 2000. That's when Mark was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease that can affect the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. During that first year, Mark was able to walk but not able to work or drive. One day in the second year of his diagnosis, Mark woke up and couldn't move or even roll over in bed. Mark was hospitalized, spent some time in a rehabilitation facility, and receives treatment from Dr. Mary Hughes at MCG Health System's Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Clinic. The progression of Mark's MS has slowed. Currently, Mark takes several medications to help control muscular spasms and regulate his immune systems.
Mark strives to be independent and uses an electric wheelchair for mobility. Still, he requires support from his wife, Barbara, who settles him in his wheelchair and attends to his personal hygiene before she goes to work. His mother-in-law helps prepare his breakfast and lunch. Although he can lift his arms, his left hand does not function as well as his right.
Mark, a great communicator, has the ability to speak and use the telephone independently. He enjoys reading and watching television.
Serving as a Patient Advisor
Since his diagnosis, Mark found his calling as a volunteer Patient Advisor for MCG. Mark participates in numerous activities as a patient advisor and promotes patient- and family-centered care throughout the hospital.
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Mark Hines and Bev Johnson, President and CEO of the Institute for Family-Centered Care, met with leaders from military hospitals. |
MCG Health Partners Advisory Council
In 2002, MCG initiated a hospital-wide Patient and Family Advisory Council - MCG Health Partners - for its diverse adult population. The Council provides a mechanism for adult patients and families to share their health care experiences with key hospital leaders as a way to improve services. MCG selected Mark as an advisor because of his gift for working with people and ability to communicate with other patients, physicians, and staff. MCG Health Partners Advisory Council meets regularly to discuss and offer recommendations on hospital programs, policies, and practices and its input is vital to fulfilling MCG's ongoing commitment to quality improvement. Advisors include patients and family representatives from outpatient services, numerous inpatient services including neuroscience, cardiology, and oncology, and representatives from MCG's management, including the Senior Vice President of Patient- and Family-Centered Care and the Vice President of Patient Care Services. Some of the issues addressed by the Council include:
- Accessibility Within the Hospital. The Council works to improve user-friendliness for people with disabilities. Advisors identified barriers throughout the facility, including accessibility issues in the cafeteria, and recommended accommodating options. As a result of the information provided by patient and family advisors, the hospital established a committee to review other accessibility concerns.
- Medication Safety. Patient and family advisors made specific recommendations for the dispensing of medication to minimize errors. The Council also suggested that patients be informed when medication errors occur. As a quality improvement initiative, medication safety continues to be a priority throughout the MCG system.
- Specialized Projects. The Council participates in numerous projects to enhance the hospital's patient- and family-centered environment. Some examples include:
- Patient-Centered Medical Records
- In-room Bedside Rounding
- Patient Satisfaction Efforts
- Patient Billing Initiatives
- National Patient Safety Goals
- Staff Identification Badges
- Food and Nutrition Initiatives
Mark is a leader in identifying areas for improvement and continues to work towards creating a better environment for all patients. In 2005, Mark received the Gold Star Award from MCG, for his volunteer service "above and beyond the call of duty" as a member of the MCG Health Partners Advisory Council.
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Mark and other patients and families |
Neuroscience Advisory Council
Over three years ago, Mark joined a group that included two other patient and family advisors, as well as staff, to collaborate on the redesign of the Neuroscience Unit. Advisory Council members contributed to the design process, assisted in the development of the philosophy of care for the unit, and participated in interviewing center staff and physicians prior to opening the unit. The center is a model for patient- and family-centered care.
Although the redesign is now complete, Mark's commitment to excellence continues. He goes to the unit, unannounced, and spends time with the staff, the nurse manager, and the social worker, observing and gathering information on changes that would improve the unit. Occasionally, Mark talks with family members and patients to get feedback on the functioning of the unit. Participation by patients and families on the design team resulted in improvement in patient satisfaction.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Advisory Council
Mark is also a member of the Multiple Sclerosis Advisory Committee. In 2001, the hospital joined forces with Walton Rehabilitation Hospital to form the Augusta Multiple Sclerosis Center, replacing the MS Clinic that formerly was a part of the Neurology Clinic. The MS Advisory Committee provided input on the design of this new outpatient Center. For example, counters are positioned to be accessible to people in wheelchairs. Lower counters present a welcoming touch and make it easier to communicate and to complete paperwork. Also, bathrooms were designed to be user-friendly for those with disabilities. Future projects include exploring the possibility of having a lift in at least one of the treatment rooms for people who are unable to shift from their wheelchair to the treatment table.
Redesign Committee for Cardiac Unit
Mark is also involved in the redesign of the Cardiac Unit. His participation in the redesign of both the Neuroscience Unit and the MS Center is valuable to the Cardiac Redesign Committee.
Teaching and Speaking
As an MCG Family Faculty member, Mark teams with Dr. Hughes and her physician's assistant to teach medical students at the Medical College of Georgia. Last year, Mark and his wife - as a caregiver - participated in teaching a course about Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, and other conditions involving spasticity, attended by approximately 30 health care professionals, mostly physical and occupational therapists.
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Mark and Barbara Hines, surrounded by other representatives from MCG along with additional participants at the 2nd International Conference of the Institute for Family-Centered Care. |
Mark presented at the 1st and 2nd International Conferences of the Institute for Family-Centered Care in Boston and San Francisco. At the most recent conference, Mark, along with Nurse Manager Roslyn Marshall, Assistant Nurse Manager Gary Collins, Anthony Roberson, Social Worker/Case Manager, and Nurse Jill Williams, presented Tearing Down the Walls: Creating a Patient/Family-Centered Adult Inpatient Neuroscience Unit.
Mark frequently shares his personal hospital experiences with various audiences when asked by MCG. He routinely is invited to participate in MCG's Learning Labs, when hospitals across the country travel to MCG for site visits to learn about patient- and family-centered care and how to partner with patient and family advisors. Mark has limited his out-of-state travel because of the challenges in arranging appropriate transportation. He hopes someday to have a specially equipped van to facilitate expanding the geographical reach of his work.
Accreditation Process
In 2004, as part of the hospital's accreditation process, Mark, along with several other patient advisors, met with representatives from The Joint Commission and hospital administration. The participation of patient advisors in these crucial meetings sends a powerful message of MCG's commitment to true partnership with patients and families.
Other Committees
Mark is a member of the Accessibility for Patients with Challenges Committee that identifies issues and solutions to improve accessibility throughout the facility. He also works with Dr. Hughes on the Spasticity Committee.
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Pat Sodomka, MCG Senior Vice President of |
Reflections
Certainly, Mark's life is totally changed since his Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis. Mark says he sees so much more than before; he views his world entirely differently, with a greater appreciation for what he is able to do. Mark now notices what can be changed to make the world more accessible to people with physical challenges. Opening a door, sitting at a table, using an elevator, getting into a car or bus - these activities all take on new meaning. With insight gained from his own challenges, Mark wants to give back to the community, not only by changing how the world is for others with physical disabilities, but also by changing how others see the world. Despite the great improvements in accessibility brought by the Americans with Disability Act, Mark believes there is still more to do!
As a volunteer Patient Advisor, Mark welcomes the opportunity to reach out to so many people that he otherwise would not know. Mark's volunteer work keeps him so busy he doesn't have time to think about the challenges of living with Multiple Sclerosis. Instead, Mark focuses on his blessings, and how he can give back to others.
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Mark and Barbara Hines |
Mark and his wife, Barbara, live in Hephzibah, Georgia. They have three children and three grandchildren. Mark spent 22 years with the Air Force and Air National Guard, and enjoyed traveling in the United States, Canada, England and Germany. In his spare time, Mark enjoys watching baseball, football, and basketball. He is also President of the Georgia-South Carolina chapter of his family organization. Every year the Hines family, which has over 300 members, has a family reunion, which usually draws about 200 attendees. Mark enjoys hosting the reunion, which he's done twice.
In 2006, Mark was featured in the PBS series, Remaking American Medicine... Healthcare for the 21st Century. Program 4, Hand in Hand, shows how Mark and others joined in a unique partnership between patients, families, and providers to transform MCG.
Click to learn more about MCG's partnership with patients and families.
Click for information about Strategies for Leadership: Advancing the Practice of Patient- and Family-Centered Care, a free resource guide.