Rehearsing real life: Staff practice for patients at Folsom Medical Care Clinic

If you work at a clinical laboratory, you may have seen a patient faint. A drop in blood pressure and lowered heart rate is relatively common during a blood draw.

But the typical protocol—applying an ice pack to a patient’s neck, offering sips of water—becomes more complicated when you don’t know where they keep the ice.

That’s just one item the lab team leads checked off the list as they toured the brand new Folsom Medical Care Clinic (MCC) last Friday. Over multiple days, staff will practice everything from emergency protocol to locating ice packs before the building opens to patients in September.

The three-story, 114,000-square-foot Folsom MCC is one of the largest ambulatory care expansions in UC Davis Health’s history. When it opens, the clinic will serve the growing community of Folsom with specialties ranging from Cardiology to Pediatrics, Dermatology to Sports Medicine, plus an Infusion Care Clinic and Imaging Services.

Practice makes prepared

At Friday’s dress rehearsal, Lab team leads had a chance to put their knowledge to the test. First, they checked in a “patient,” played by Director of Ambulatory Operations Ann Tompkins. After a short wait, an employee led the patient to blood draw station number two.

Everything was going well until the imaginary needle prick. The patient muttered weakly, “I feel a little lightheaded,” and slumped into her seat unconscious.

Staff jumped to action, reclining her chair, administering first aid, and once she regained consciousness, reassuring her that everything would be okay.

“Don’t worry, it happens all the time,” they said as they checked the patient’s pulse.

It gave me so much confidence in their preparation and compassion. I know our patients will be in excellent hands.”—Ann Tompkins, Director, Ambulatory Operations

“Even though I was just pretending to faint, the staff’s response was immediate, calm and professional,” said Tompkins. “It gave me so much confidence in their preparation and compassion. I know our patients will be in excellent hands.”

Other departments, including Radiology, Infusion and Eye Care, held their own dress rehearsals.

The Radiology patient appreciated practical touches, such as a purse hook in the bathroom and the dressing room conveniently located next to the PET scan station.

Meanwhile, Radiology staff commented in delight that the color of their scrubs matched the plum-colored paint on the walls (yes, on purpose).

Fine-tuning for the best patient and staff experience

As they walked through the spaces in the MCC building, employees identified opportunities to improve patient care, like installing additional linen storage closer to ultrasound rooms. They added their needs and suggestions to a spreadsheet so adjustments can be made prior to September's grand opening.

Still, lab supervisor Cynthia Silva noted that the first few weeks after the MCC opens are bound to be an adjustment. Patients may not know their way around and feel frustrated with change. “The key is to listen and acknowledge patients’ frustrations—and keep improving,” she said.

While employees are trying to anticipate every patient need and building adjustment by summer's end, they’ll also rely on patient feedback to make sure the Folsom MCC is an intuitive, comfortable space.

Especially comfortable after a fainting spell.