A founding belief of Pathways is that healthcare services are most effective when provided as a team. Our Information Systems and processes are designed to allow team members to communicate quickly and efficiently. Here are key behaviors critical to excellent teamwork:

• Appreciate that patients and families are key members of the team and that the goal is to get them to independence.
• Respect the different perspectives of team members and disciplines and be open to both receiving and giving constructive feedback. Never gossip. 
• Create an environment in which team members feel welcomed, valued, comfortable, and safe asking questions or for help.  Actively participate in team meetings
• Recognize team members for jobs well done. Value and acknowledge the contributions of each team member.
• Follow through on commitments. Always ask, “How can I be the best possible team member?”

A founding belief of Pathways is that healthcare services are most effective when provided as a team. Our Information Systems and processes are designed to allow team members to communicate quickly and efficiently. Here are key behaviors critical to excellent teamwork:

• Appreciate that patients and families are key members of the team and that the goal is to get them to independence.
• Respect the different perspectives of team members and disciplines and be open to both receiving and giving constructive feedback. Never gossip. 
• Create an environment in which team members feel welcomed, valued, comfortable, and safe asking questions or for help.  Actively participate in team meetings
• Recognize team members for jobs well done. Value and acknowledge the contributions of each team member.
• Follow through on commitments. Always ask, “How can I be the best possible team member?”

Respect is at the foundation of every relationship and we must always be respectful to each other and to our patients, even when co-workers or patients are presenting a challenge.  Respect is particularly critical in a home care environment where we are invited into patient’s homes as a guest.  Here are the key behaviors critical to respect: 

• Always have a professional appearance and for those entering patient’s homes an ID badge. Introduce yourself, explain what you are going to do and why, before doing it, and when applicable, teach the patient or team member how to do it so he/she can learn to be independent.
• Respect people’s time. Arrive on time for patient visits and/or meetings. Give patients advance notice of scheduled visits and adhere to your visit schedule. Keep patients and team members informed of any delays or any change in schedule. Be prepared for meetings.  
• Be willing to to keep an open mind regarding the intentions of others.  Try to assume the best of intentions.
• Include those who will be affected by a decision in the decision-making process. Understand that you might not agree with every decision, but you will support it.
• Keep patient information confidential. Always ask, “How could I be a more respectful team member?

Empathy is a skill that helps us understand the emotions and needs of others. Empathy is critical to the development of meaningful patient and team relationships. Here are the key behaviors critical to understanding:

• Listen to what the patient or team member wants to tell you, not just what you need to know. Putting what is best for the patient and the organization ahead of what is best for you.
• Make patients and coworkers feel, by your own body language and tone of voice, that they are being heard and their point of view is important. Be warm and friendly.
• Be patient. Invite questions. Don’t rush interactions.
• Be non-judgmental. Be open to different perspectives.
• Recognize when patients, families, and team members need reassurance and provide it. Always ask, “What can I do to support you?”

Service and Safety

We are committed to excellence. When someone becomes a Pathways patient, they are entrusting us with a responsibility that is otherwise normally their own-the responsibility for their health and wellbeing. How well we respond to that sense of trust is vital to our success. Here are the key behaviors to achieve excellence:

• Recognize that our job responsibilities are not just to excel at the technical part of our job, but to also consider the emotional needs of the patient and/or team member.
• Maintain a positive attitude and open lines of communication. Remember that you only have one chance to make a first impression. Make it the best.
• Anticipate the needs of others and do not wait to be asked. Solve problems when they are small and have not had a chance to grow bigger.
• We never say “It’s not my job” Understand if you cannot meet a patient’s or team member’s needs you should find someone who can.
• Remember that your safety and that of your team members and patients is a first priority. Timely documentation is critical to ensure the safety of patients. Address safety risks. Always have a contingency plan in case of an emergency, inclement weather and such.
• Always ask, “How can I create the safest possible environment for myself, my team members, and my patients? “Have we done our very best?”

To be the leader in providing home care services, we must be constantly looking for ways to improve what we do and how we do it. We also need to embrace change. We need to be adaptable and flexible. Here are the key behaviors to exemplify continuous improvement:

• Appreciate that everything we do is part of a process and that our role in that process affects those upstream and downstream.  Be able to look at what is better for the process as a whole and not as an individual.
• Recognize that it is often the little things that make the most difference in the care of the patient and the work life of a team member. Make every effort to anticipate and follow through on those little things.
• View concerns raised by patients, caregivers, and team members as opportunities for improvement. React to concerns with an open mind.
• Understand that fundamentally our job is about solving problems and that we own and are accountable for solving problems. Embrace a culture of growth and learning.
• Embrace technology. Always ask, “How can we do this better?”