Doug Strong, interim CEO of Holy Cross Hospital; Elyce Bishop, MSN, RN, Holy Cross MilVet Champion and clinical education coordinator, education; Danny Burgess, Florida Department of Veteran Affairs executive director and U.S. Army Reserve, Captain; Joanne Hartfield, Trinity Health MilVet Program marketing director; Dr. James Jolissaint, Trinity Health MilVet program director and Retired U.S. Army Colonel
Holy Cross Hospital, in collaboration with Trinity Health, has announced the launch of the Military and Veterans Health Program (MilVet), a new pilot program to provide military service members, veterans and their families convenient access to high-quality, people-centered health care service designed for their specific needs.
An estimated 22 million veterans and military service members are currently living in the United States, plus the addition of their family members, totaling nearly 70 million people in need of competent, accessible and culturally sensitive primary and specialty care services. In order to properly provide for this unique population, Holy Cross providers, clinicians and staff have undergone training to understand and correctly respond to the health concerns and challenges specific to this military community.
“Thanks to Holy Cross and Trinity Health for this collaboration,” said Danny Burgess, US Army Reserve, Captain, and Florida Department of Veteran Affairs executive director, who spoke during the ceremony. “There are gaps in need and as a community we need to step up to fill those gaps. That’s why programs like MilVet are so critical.”
Paul McGourty, RN, BSN, director of patient experience at Holy Cross Hospital; Steven Mountjoy, critical care RN and representing USMC; Donardo (Doc) Darby, critical care nurse, representing U.S. Army; Carlos Miranda, RN, representing U.S. Army; Elyce Bishop, MSN, RN, Holy Cross MilVet Champion and clinical education coordinator, education
The on-site training at Holy Cross includes helping staff better comprehend the physical, emotional, spiritual and mental impact of operational deployments on service members and their families, as well as how to provide competent and compassionate care for current and former female service members.
“We must take care of the 85 percent of veterans and their families that do not get their care at the VA,” said Dr. James (Greg) Jolissaint, US Army, Retired, Colonel and Trinity Health MilVet program director. “As veterans, we want to be understood and communicated to. It’s more than just ‘thank you for your service,’ it’s also delivering to them patient-centered care. That’s what this program accomplishes.”
Making sure the heath care team is aware of the presence of a service member, veteran and/or family members, the program has created and supplied patient bracelets, patient room magnets, special badge clips and military branch flags/posters.
“As a society, we owe this service to our veterans and their families who have selflessly sacrificed their time and well-being for our country,” said Elyce Bishop, Navy Spouse and Clinical Education Coordinator at Holy Cross Hospital. “I am very proud to be a part of this magnificent team that is launching this project in Fort Lauderdale.”
As a member of Trinity Health, Holy Cross Hospital joins 9 other Trinity Health hospital participating in the launch of the Military Veterans Program.
More information is available at www.MilVetHealth.org or www.trinity-health.org/military-and-veterans-health-program.
About Holy Cross Hospital
A member of Trinity Health, Fort Lauderdale-based Holy Cross Hospital is a full-service, non-profit, Catholic, teaching hospital operating in the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy. Holy Cross Hospital has been named one of the top five hospitals in the Miami metro area and among the top 20 in the state in U.S. News and World Report's 2019-2020 Best Hospital rankings. Through strategic collaborations and a commitment to being a person-centered, transforming, healing presence, the 557-bed hospital offers progressive inpatient, outpatient and community outreach services and clinical research trials to serve as our community’s trusted health partner for life. To learn more about Holy Cross Hospital, visit holy-cross.com. Connect @holycrossfl.
