Commit to Sit: Sentara clinicians foster meaningful connections with patients

“Hi John, my name is Dr. Belk. Do you mind if I sit down and talk with you for a couple of minutes?” asked Justin Belk, M.D., chief hospitalist at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center in Williamsburg, Virginia.

“Sure, that’d be fine,” replied John Arthur, who was getting ready to go home after spending a few days in the hospital for heart-related issues.

As they discussed his discharge plan, Arthur shared that he and his wife had just moved from Chesterfield to West Point, Virginia.   

“Oh really?” said Dr. Belk. “My wife and I just moved to a town right outside of Richmond, she got a job there as a veterinarian.” 

Arthur smiled and said, “We loved the Richmond area but just needed more space. Now we have a farm with chickens and everything.”

Within a few minutes, Arthur not only understood his plan of care, but he had also connected on a personal level with Dr. Belk. 

Sit down, slow down

The hustle and bustle of a busy hospital can make it easy for clinicians to quickly pop in and out of a patient’s room, focusing only on the medical aspect of care. 

But what happens when they slow down, sit down and have a face-to-face conversation with their patient?

“It makes your job more humanistic,” said Dr. Belk.

In 2022, Dr. Belk and the team at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center helped roll out a now systemwide initiative at Sentara called Commit to Sit, a nationally recognized, evidence-based approach to care in which hospital clinicians take the time to sit with their patients and have face-to-face conversations.

“It really is about how we take care of patients from a communication and emotional perspective, just as much as the medications we're giving them,” said Pamela Anderson, chief nursing officer at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center. 

Kris Krause, a registered nurse at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center, enjoys a conversation with Arthur.

The initiative has led to improvements in patient experience. In 2022, the Commit to Sit program was one of several initiatives put in place to enhance the patient experience. At that time, 75% of Sentara patients said their nurse listened carefully to them and 77% of patients said their doctor listened carefully to them. 

Within two years of implementing Commit to Sit, those numbers jumped to 81% for both nurses and physicians, surpassing national averages of 77% for nurses and 79% for physicians. 

A study from the Journal of the American College of Radiology showed that when a clinician sits down when talking with patients, patients perceive that the clinician spent 40% more time with them.

“By sitting down, we are telling the patient, ‘Hey, I'm not in a rush. I'm taking my time, I'm here for you, and I’m listening to you,’” said Denise Alcantara, M.D., vice president of medical staff at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital in Virginia Beach, Virginia. 

“When the patient knows they have your full attention they’re going to be engaged in asking questions about their care. If they understand the ‘why,’ they’ll be more compliant with medications and discharge plans and less likely to be readmitted to the hospital,” Dr. Alcantara added. 

To make it easier for clinicians, Sentara hospitals are putting designated Commit to Sit chairs in every patient room.

Whether it’s a nurse, physician, or physical therapist, Sentara is asking every member of the clinical care team to sit down when having a significant conversation with their patient and family.

“Patients don’t say, ‘I really loved that X-ray or that was the best MRI I’ve ever had.’ No, they say, ‘Wow, I really loved when they brought me a warm blanket or held my hand,’” said Krause. 

“They remember the little things that made them feel human, and sitting with them makes them feel seen. It’s huge.”