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(352) 733-0111

Patient experience

For assistance Call us at (352) 265-0123

We strive to provide an exceptional patient experience and ensure safe outcomes. Your patient experience includes all interactions with your care team during your stay at UF Health. Your care team includes physicians, nurses, and all other hospital team members.

Your experience can be best described as the story you would share about your time at UF Health. Your experience includes your physical comfort, clinical care, education, emotional and spiritual needs. An excellent experience requires a respectful partnership between our patients and their caregivers.

Our Patient Experience team is part of the UF Health Sebastian Ferrero Office of Clinical Quality and Patient Safety. The team coordinates and directs efforts to improve patient and family-centered care. Our teams include:

  • Patient Advocates
  • Patient Ambassadors
  • Medical Interpreters
  • Patient Experience Specialists
  • Guest Services
  • Valet Services

Patient advocates

We strive to deliver top-notch care and service to our patients. If you have a concern while you are in our care, our goal is to resolve it while you are still here. The following team members can assist in resolution:

  • Speak with a nurse, nurse manager, or department leader
  • If your concern involves a member of the medical team, please ask to speak with your attending physician.
  • If your concern is not resolved, please contact the Patient Experience Office at (352) 265-0123 and ask to speak with a Patient Advocate.

Our in-house Patient Advocates act as liaisons between our patients, their loved ones, and their care team. Our goal is to resolve the concern by facilitating conversations with the care team. Patient Advocates can provide guidance about patient rights and responsibilities and explain our hospital's policies and procedures.

Patient Advocates are available to meet you at bedside, in a consultation room, or over the phone from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. Outside of these hours, please ask your caregiver to contact the nursing coordinator. The coordinator can address your immediate concerns.

We also have a team of Patient Ambassadors who are dedicated to our Adult Emergency Room and a select group of inpatient units. They help facilitate communication between teams, provide resources, and offer comfort items that meet our patient's needs.

Patient-centered care

Information sharing and involvement

We communicate and share complete and unbiased information with patients and families. We ensure you receive timely and accurate details so you can take part in care and decision making.

Dignity and respect

We listen to and honor patient and family ideas and choices. The planning of care is informed by patient and family knowledge, values, beliefs and cultural backgrounds.

Collaboration

We invite patients and family members to work together with our health care team members to develop and evaluate policies and programs.

We are dedicated to:

  • Delivering an exceptional care experience for each and every patient
  • Improving the quality of care
  • Ensuring safe patient outcomes
  • Improving organizational efficiencies

Language access services

Interpreters help ensure patient safety and our ability to provide compassionate care. We provide free interpreters for our patients and their caregivers. We offer over 200 languages, including American Sign Language. We want to communicate in your language so you can get the best care possible. To ask for an interpreter or to understand our language access services, please call the Language Access team at (352) 594-5004.

  • Spanish medical interpreters are available 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.
  • Over the Phone interpretation services and video remote interpretation services are available 24 hours a day/7 days a week in nearly 200 languages.
  • Assistive devices, including hearing-aid compatible telephones and handset amplifiers, are available.
  • Documents, such as discharge paperwork, can be translated.

Recognizing exceptional care

We believe our employees are our greatest asset. They are highly skilled and offer a welcoming environment for our patients, families, visitors and customers.

The next time you spot someone making an extra effort, help us ensure they are recognized! Please let a care provider know you would like to nominate an employee for a Customer Service is the Key award.

All nominated employees receive a gold key and a pin to wear with their ID badge. Extraordinary nominations may receive gift cards and other recognition. Every four months, one nominated employee is selected as a CEO Award Winner. CEO Award Winners receive a gift card, personal recognition from our UF Health Shands CEO and a “Day off with Pay.”

Our team also shares compliment letters. Thank you for taking the time to recognize our employees for their dedication to providing an exceptional experience.

Patient Family Advisory Councils

Please consider joining us as a Patient or Family Advisor. Advisors have the opportunity to share their experiences with our health system. Patient and Family Advisors:

  • Provide feedback to departmental leaders on initiatives
  • Make recommendations on projects
  • Share their story across public speaking forums

Your feedback matters

If you receive care at a UF Health location, you may receive a survey via mail, email, or text message. We encourage you to share your feedback. Your input will help us know what we are doing right and what we may improve upon for our patients and their loved ones. Our team of Patient Experience Specialists review the survey feedback and coordinate improvement projects with the goal to increase the Patient Experience.