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Northwestern Memorial Hospital Apparel Program
Senior hospital management identified five major groups of staff positions to be included in the program:
Professional Image Consulting contacted the five major uniform companies in the country, and in conjunction with the hospital project leadership, conducted screening interviews to determine their compatibility and organizational fit with Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Three of the five were then invited to make formal presentations to the Northwestern Memorial senior management team and one vendor was selected to develop the Northwestern Memorial line. Criteria included but was not limited to quality of garment construction, embroidery capabilities, pricing - both initial and long-term, availability of garment colors and prints, and responsiveness to the project requirements. Northwestern Memorial custom line characteristics included:
The project utilizes a variety of custom garment styles, colors and prints made to Northwestern Memorial Hospital specifications which allows employees to choose individualized combinations of apparel and emphasizes functionality. The new line reflects staff preferences, including easily washable and comfortable fabrics, multiple pockets, long- and short-sleeved tops and ID badge holders. Each garment has the Northwestern Memorial logo on the sleeve and the employee job title embroidered on the front for ease of patient identification. "We wanted to meet patient needs while also catering to our employees and preserving their individuality," stated a hospital senior manager. The wardrobe for men and women accommodates all sizes. Caregiver garment groups allow for combinations of tops and bottoms in both prints and solids. The line will be reviewed and updated periodically. Colors chosen for the apparel program are healing colors, those which, based on research, are calming and representative of elements of nature. As universal colors, they complement all employees. Initial disbursement of the new look apparel was done in conjunction with the education sessions conducted by the NM Academy, Public Relations, and Professional Image Consulting. All employees attended training sessions and viewed a video introducing the new concept and presenting the patient's perspective. This video will also be used by Human Resources as a recruitment tool for prospective employees. The uniform line was introduced with background on how it was developed and included information on ordering and transition of the dress code to the new standard. Over 2,500 Northwestern Memorial employees participated in 83 training sessions as the new program was implemented. Professional Image Consulting and hospital management regard the NMH Store as critical to the success of the apparel program. This facility displays the Northwestern Memorial Hospital line and maintains a basic inventory of all garments in all sizes available for all employees. It offers a user friendly atmosphere and is located on hospital premises. A card titled Identifying Your Caregiver is placed in each patient room outlining staff roles and their corresponding apparel colors. "We know we have out ID badges, we know we introduce ourselves to our patients when we walk into the room, but giving them the additional cue of a certain type of caregiver in a certain color will, we believe, be very helpful," said the hospital Vice President, Operations and Quality, and sponsor of the apparel initiative. See what some of our healthcare clients have to say
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