Reaching Out to Young Patients in Need of Comfort Benefits Them, the Community—and You

Providing care for children sometimes means doing more than assessing health concerns. Something as simple as a stuffed animal can lessen the pain of a traumatic experience, such as a house fire or a natural disaster, and remind a child that even strangers care and are eager to provide comfort when it’s needed most. It also speaks volumes to their parents, who are likely to be extremely grateful—and to remember who took an extra step to support their family at a time of crisis. The operators of a MedExpress Urgent Care center in Pittsburgh, PA know this—and donated more than a hundred stuffed animals to the Claysville (PA) Volunteer Fire Department recently so firefighters could hand them out to children whose families are going through an emergency. Besides the obvious, and essential, benefit to children and their families, acts of community generosity like this are great public relations initiatives that simultaneously engage your team and raise awareness of your operation. There are regional and national organizations that undertake such initiatives (such as Project Smile and Stuffed Animals For Emergencies (SAFE); consider partnering with one to support your community and introduce multiple generations of prospective patients to the benefits of urgent care.