Community Creates Patient Experience Role
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndianapolis-based Community Health Network has named Tom Malasto chief patient experience officer. In the newly-created position, he will oversee network-wide registration and patient access services as well as marketing and communications efforts. December 19, 2013
News Release
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Community Health Network has named Tom Malasto chief patient experience officer for the network. This newly-created role focuses solely on providing an exceptional experience for all of Community’s patients in Central Indiana. Malasto has been with the network since 2006 and officially began this new role on December 16.
“Community's mission is to put patients first through exceptional care, simply delivered,” said Bryan Mills, president and CEO of the network. “The patient experience is so central to our mission and success that we decided to create an entirely new role with a laser-focus on the patient experience – at all of our facilities and throughout every point of care. I believe Tom is the person who can lead this network priority and help Community improve processes and the entire delivery of patient care.”
The chief patient experience officer will work to ensure that patients have access to the network's services, seamless navigation through the health system, and excellent customer service. In this role, Malasto is responsible for the leadership, design and implementation of initiatives that promote a culture of patient-centered care, emphasizing outstanding service, compassion and empathy. He oversees the areas of registration and patient access across the network, as well as Community's marketing/communications teams, to ensure that the voice of the customer is heard and acted upon. In addition, he oversees the integration of the patient experience in patient safety, quality, patient care, performance improvement, finance and human resources.
“Community continues to make the patient experience a strategic focus,” said Malasto.
“Delivering an exceptional, holistic patient experience is key to our mission and we strive to fulfill the aspirations of every provider, nurse, professional and support person on our team. Effective communication is key. We will orient and coach our 12,000 caregivers and provide them the tools to improve the experience for our patients and our patients' families and friends.”
Malasto first served as CEO of The Indiana Heart Hospital (now Community Heart and Vascular Hospital) when he joined the network. Most recently, he has been serving as executive champion of The Community Way, an internal effort to become a high-performing organization and improve Community's employee, physician and patient experiences.
Malasto received a bachelor of science degree in accounting from the University of Kentucky and received his CPA designation in 1989. He serves on the American Heart Association’s Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Directors.
About Community Health Network
Ranked among the nation's most integrated healthcare systems, Community Health Network is Central Indiana's leader in providing convenient access to exceptional healthcare services, where and when patients need them – in hospitals, health pavilions and doctor's offices, as well as workplaces, schools and homes. As a non-profit health system with over 200 sites of care and affiliates throughout Central Indiana, Community's full continuum of care integrates hundreds of physicians, specialty and acute care hospitals, surgery centers, home care services, MedChecks, behavioral health and employer health services. To learn more, visit eCommunity.com or call 800-777-7775.
Source: Community Health Network