Most of us are familiar with therapy animals, but have you ever wondered what the research says about how these animals can positively impact the patient experience? In this episode of the Key In to Quality podcast, co-hosts Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler and Sheri Nemec sit down with Whitney Romine, Animal-Assisted Services Manager at Mayo Clinic, to explore how animal-assisted services are transforming healthcare.

Research has shown that animal-assisted services, when implemented correctly, can reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, and enhance the overall patient experience. In Whitney’s role, she has been integral to building Mayo Clinic's unique program, which is fully integrated into patient care and supported by dedicated staff.

Tune in to hear real examples of how animals at Mayo Clinic have contributed to positive patient outcomes and learn about various resources available for healthcare and volunteer organizations interested in leading animal assistance initiatives.

Whether you are a healthcare practitioner, administrator, volunteer or patient, this discussion will help you better understand the benefits of animal-assisted services and learn best practices for establishing or expanding animal-assisted interventions in a healthcare setting.

(34) Whitney Romine, MPH, C-AAIS, KPA-CTP | LinkedIn

Mayo Clinic Department Instagram: @mayoclinicanimalassistedsrvs

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

#mayokeyintoquality

Every day, patient safety events and near misses happen in health care. But are we truly learning from them? In this episode of Key In To Quality, Mayo Clinic’s Jennifer Cowart, M.D. Chair, Patient Safety in Florida and Joe Nienow, manager of Mayo Clinic Patient Safety Systems, share how a team of experts turned a clunky, outdated incident reporting system into a transparent, user-friendly engine for patient safety improvement.

You’ll learn how the Safety Electronic System Oversight Team (SESOT) led a multi-phase, enterprise-wide transformation that involved over 80,000 staff members. From simplifying workflows and integrating with the electronic health record to visualizing trends and using AI to surface insights, this episode explores what it takes to evolve from passive reporting to proactive learning.

Key takeaways include how to build a culture of safety, balance simplicity with insight, and make safety data accessible and actionable for all staff. Whether you're working in quality improvement, patient safety, or leadership, this episode offers practical lessons on using data, design, and collaboration to make care safer for everyone.

#Mayokeyintoquality #patientsafety #safetyculture #digitalhealth #EHRintegration

Guest: Jennifer Cowart, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-cowart-b0860494/

Guest: Joe Nienow

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

#mayokeyintoquality

Needlesticks and bloodborne pathogen exposures are more than just workplace injuries. They’re personal, emotional, and preventable. With thousands of cases reported annually in U.S. hospitals, addressing this issue is critical to staff safety and organizational culture.

On this episode of Key In To Quality, Melanie Swift, M.D., Associate Medical Director for Occupational Health, and Seth Clarenbach from Mayo Clinic’s staff safety team, discuss how Mayo is tackling this challenge head-on through policy, engineering, and culture change.

Learn how the multidisciplinary "BEEPERS" committee uses frontline insights and injury data to identify patterns, improve sharps container design, and champion best practices like hands-free passing in surgical settings. The conversation also highlights persistent barriers, like underreporting and risk normalization, and what organizations can do to shift that mindset.

This episode offers key takeaways for healthcare leaders, occupational safety teams, nurses, and quality improvement professionals committed to creating a safer healthcare environment.

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

#mayokeyintoquality

Workplace culture, data insights, and emotional connection all play a critical role in how patients and staff experience care. At Mayo Clinic, understanding and improving these elements is essential to advancing quality.

On this episode of the Key In To Quality podcast, Sunanda Kane, M.D. Chief Patient Experience Officer at Mayo Clinic, returns to share how her team is tackling the complex interplay between patient satisfaction, staff well-being, and data-informed decision-making.

Learn how Mayo Clinic has trained over 21,000 staff members in experience-centered care, established a conduct work unit to address rising incidents of workplace violence, and partnered with Qualtrics to analyze patient feedback through advanced AI and real-time dashboards. Dr. Kane also highlights how gathering emotional, story-driven insights from patients can lead to actionable improvements across the system.

This episode offers practical strategies for anyone working to create a more human, safe, and responsive healthcare environment. It’s especially valuable for patient experience leaders, quality improvement professionals, hospital administrators, and anyone passionate about building trust through care.

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

#mayokeyintoquality

What truly defines a great patient experience? From appointment scheduling and facility navigation to virtual visits and provider communication, every step plays a role in how patients feel, trust, and heal.

In this episode of Key In To Quality, Mayo Clinic’s Chief Patient Experience Officer, Sunanda Kane, M.D. joins co-hosts Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. and Sheri Nemec to discuss how Mayo Clinic is transforming patient experience across physical and digital spaces.

With decades of experience in clinical care, quality improvement, and leadership, Dr. Kane breaks down the difference between satisfaction and experience, the role of warmth and competence in building trust, and how AI and telehealth are changing care delivery.

Listeners will walk away with practical ideas to elevate patient care and experience—starting with a simple smile or a well-placed sign. This episode is valuable for patient experience leaders, clinicians, hospital administrators, digital health innovators, quality improvement professionals, and anyone invested in creating human-centered healthcare.

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

#mayokeyintoquality

Design thinking involves asking big questions and thoroughly examining problems. It's a different approach compared to traditional medical training, where doctors are trained to quickly assess situations and come up with solutions.

On this episode of the Key In To Quality podcast, our guest Allison Matthews walks us through how human-centered design principles can be applied to the patient experience in a hospital setting, which is her primary focus as the lead of Experience Design and Hospital Operations for Mayo Clinic.

Learn how the Car-T cell therapy service line at Mayo Clinic used design thinking to help patients and caregivers communicate better throughout the treatment process, and how Allison and her team overcame challenges associated with implementing design thinking, with key takeaways you can apply directly to your practice.

This podcast provides valuable insights for anyone interested in enhancing patient care and quality. It is ideal for quality improvement leaders and staff, and hospital leaders and staff.

Guest: Allison Matthews | https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-matthews-5058b437/

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

#mayokeyintoquality

Industrial hygiene in healthcare is essential due to the unique and often surprising varieties of hazards present—from chemical exposures and airborne pathogens to ergonomic challenges and noise levels.

In this episode of Key into Quality podcast, entitled “Hazards in Healthcare: Exploring Industrial Hygiene with an Expert” our guest Jeff Nesbitt, supervisor, Industrial Hygiene, Mayo Clinic, discusses the role of industrial hygiene in maintaining safe healthcare environments. He shares Mayo Clinic’s approach to managing workplace hazards, regulatory frameworks, and innovative safety practices in clinical, laboratory, and industrial settings.

This podcast provides valuable insights for anyone interested in enhancing safety and quality in healthcare. It is ideal for healthcare and hospital leaders, staff safety leaders, environment of care leaders/staff, and facilities leaders and staff.

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

#mayokeyintoquality

Dizziness is a common reason for physician visits, especially in people over 70, and can lead to falls and hospitalizations. In response, Mayo Clinic established a dedicated vestibular therapy team to provide specialized physical and occupational therapy for hospitalized patients.

In this episode of Key In To Quality podcast, our guests Allison Grunst, P.T., D.P.T., Leanne Pataky, P.T., D.P.T., and Anna Whitham, M.S., O.T. from Mayo Clinic in Rochester discuss how they completed a structured quality improvement project within Mayo Clinic's Quality Academy to achieve their goals of improving care, reducing falls, and ensuring safer discharges for patients experiencing dizziness.

As a result, they received a gold certification from Mayo Clinic's Quality Academy and their department made significant improvements in patient care, staff awareness, and collaboration.

This podcast provides valuable insights for anyone interested in enhancing patient care and quality. It is ideal for quality improvement leaders/staff, physical therapists, occupational therapists, patient safety staff or leaders, and hospital leaders and staff.

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

#mayokeyintoquality