Walk the halls of any Kettering Health hospital, and you’ll see doctors in their white coats and nurses with stethoscopes. You may not know their names, but you know who they are. They’re providing patient care—performing life-saving surgery, holding the hands of women in labor. Their work is vital—and visible. 

But look closer. Behind the scenes and at the bedside, you’ll see other faces and busy hands. Others keeping patient rooms and clinical spaces clean, preparing meals for patients, and keeping those on campus safe. Every person you see—and those you don’t—is a vital piece of the puzzle that is patient healing. 

Each role has the same goal: care for those who come through the door. 

Keeping the “house” clean 

Brandy Burney strips the bed, replacing the used sheets with fresh ones. Next, she empties the trash and makes sure there are no other messes in the patient room she’s prepping. 

She takes pride in her work as an environmental housekeeper working in the emergency department at Kettering Health Main Campus. 

“This is the first part they see,” she says. “So, making sure their room is clean and smells nice means they don’t have to worry about going to other departments.” 

It’s a philosophy she shares with Dale Hamilton, another environmental housekeeper at Kettering Health Main Campus. Dale also serves the role of patient representative, talking to patients daily and collecting surveys on their opinion of the cleanliness of the hospital. He is also on the safety committee, completing weekly rounds to ensure all procedures meet safety standards. 

Dale says he takes pride in keeping the campus safe and clean, in the same way everybody wants to keep their own house clean. 

“This place is a big house,” he laughs. “With a lot of company every day.” 

It’s a big task, but an essential one. One that sets the foundation for the patient experience. 

Unexpected human connection 

Becky McIntosh, a PBX (public branch exchange) operator, takes 400 to 500 calls most days. This doesn’t include calls for codes when an emergency happens in the hospital, which become Becky’s main priority when they happen. 

As a PBX operator, Becky works the telephone system that receives calls from inside and outside of the hospital. She answers calls from people asking what floor their family member is staying on, to insurance companies clarifying something on a patient’s bill. 

It’s a lot, but she sees each call as a reset, an opportunity to help one more person. 

She says her favorite part of her job is “when you know that you helped somebody. When you can feel the distress in the family member or the friend on the other side of the call, and you can reassure them that you are going to do the best you can to get them what they need.” 

Most people assume they’re going to get a machine on the other end when they call, but Becky and her coworkers provide human connection. They make people feel heard. 

Healing through food 

Ma Salve Mata also understands the power of a phone call. As the culinary nutrition supervisor in the Central Call Center, she leads her team in taking room service calls from patients. For Ma Salve, food is more than just nourishment—it plays a part in the healing process, and her role is more than taking food orders. 

“It means to me that I can help them elevate their quality of life through food.” 

Although she doesn’t often see patients face-to-face, Ma Salve’s work comes from the heart. She knows you don’t have to see someone to make a meaningful connection. 

“When taking their meal orders, I know they can’t see me. But because of my tone, they can feel my empathy, compassion, understanding, care, respect, and most especially the love for them.” 

No task too small 

Michelle Thourot, a Kettering Health police officer, carries stickers around Kettering Health Springfield for the children she sees at work. Knowing that she typically meets people on their worst days, Michelle wants to make the hospital experience as positive as possible.

“Our number one thing is taking care of those who come through the door, in whatever way possible,” she says. “There’s no task too small.” 

As a police officer, Michelle focuses on the safety and security of everyone on the campus. The same goes for James Short, a police officer at Kettering Health Dayton. Anything they can do to help someone with a problem or to feel safe makes a big difference. 

“It all comes together to support the common goal of helping people get better,” says James. 

A one-stop shop and escape

A staple of every hospital is the gift shop. Stocked with cards, balloons, stuffed animals, and other gifts, it’s full of ways to show love and condolences for those close to you. Stepping inside, you feel like you’re somewhere else. You feel calm, even if for just a second. 

This is what Cassy Green, gift shop coordinator for Kettering Health Main Campus and Kettering Health Miamisburg, loves most about her job. She knows the people who come into the shop are looking for a moment of peace. 

“A lot of them are coming in to escape,” she says. “A lot of them want to get away from thinking about their illness or their family member’s.” 

Cassy spends the majority of her days ordering merchandise, cashing deposits, and setting up the shop displays. But she always takes the time to talk to those who come in.

“We are healing hearts and uplifting spirits in the gift shop.” 

Even just a 30-second interaction can turn someone’s day around, and Cassy and other gift shop employees will be there for those 30 seconds. 

A huge privilege and responsibility 

Garth Adams, chaplain at Kettering Health Dayton, knows the clinical staff he works with are proficient in providing medical care. But he also knows they may not be completely comfortable answering the deep, existential questions patients often have. When thinking about whole-person care, he knows both are essential. 

That’s where he comes in. 

“The chaplain is one of the main providers for spiritual care,” he says. 

Helping people when faced with more questions than answers feels like a blessing to him.

Much like Chaplain Garth, Kevin Gill Walter, chaplain at Kettering Health Troy, does everything he can to care for patients and their families when they need guidance. But the work of a chaplain doesn’t end there. 

“There is a group of people who always come back,” Chaplain Kevin says, “which is our staff. One thing that chaplains do is pour into the staff members because I know that eventually will result in them pouring out to the patients.” 

By ensuring the clinical staff are in a good mental space, he can help patients get the best care possible. He sees what happens within the walls of his hospital as sacred work, and it’s work that relies on everyone working together, everyone doing their part to care for patients. 

“It is a huge privilege and a huge responsibility,” he says. “And none of us is capable of doing it by ourselves. That’s why we need to work together. And that’s one of the things I love about this space.”

It takes all of these teams and more working together with the clinical staff to make sure everyone at the hospital—patients, visitors, employees—feels looked after. It takes everyone to make exceptional care possible.