Parkview caregivers are dedicated to meeting the needs of our patients, and often go a step beyond to deliver the unexpected. Parkview is committed to providing excellent care to every person, every day, and, treating our patients the way we would want our loved ones treated.
Laura Hughes, RN, BSN, CMSRN, OCN, house supervisor, Parkview Wabash Hospital (PWB), shared a story of extraordinary compassion shown by Justin Ritonya, MD, to a patient and his daughter. Dr. Ritonya is with Professional Emergency Physicians (PEP), our physician partners in all of Parkview’s ERs.
When Cindy Solloway’s elderly father began experiencing sudden confusion, in addition to other concerning symptoms, she decided to bring him to PWB. Until then, the 91-year-old had been in great health, but his vitals had become unstable and he was extremely dehydrated, so his care team continued monitoring him that night.
By 4:30 a.m., Cindy received an unexpected call at home from Laura advising her to return to the hospital, as her father had taken a turn for the worse. She shared that he required intubation and that they were preparing to transport him to Parkview Regional Medical Center (PRMC). Because it was a foggy morning, Samaritan was unable to transport him by air, so an ambulance was required.
When Cindy, who lived close by, arrived, Dr. Ritonya met her and went out of his way to explain in detail what had happened. “He was absolutely amazing,” Cindy stated.
Her father, who was now stable, was placed in the ambulance, and Cindy was surprised when Dr. Ritonya stated that he would be riding along. He explained that he didn’t feel comfortable leaving the patient and, if he were to code again, he needed to be there for him. So, at the end of a very long shift, Dr. Ritonya climbed in the back of the ambulance for the hour-long commute to PRMC.
Cindy shared how kind Dr. Ritonya was to her family throughout the entire process and that she was beyond stunned by the care he demonstrated. “I’ve never seen care like that before in my life,” Cindy declared. “The care we received couldn’t have been any better.”
He took the extra step to accompany the patient on his personal time, leaving his own vehicle behind. This selfless decision made the family feel confident that their loved one was in good hands. “Dr. Ritonya impressed the family in such a positive way that they were speechless and just looked at me in amazement,” Laura added. “He is such a gift to the PEP team and to Parkview.”
