When designers of the SJH Regional Medical Center drew up their plans, they didn't do it alone. They asked all the doctors, nurses and staff members their opinions--and then they asked the patients to make the decisions.

That's because patient satisfaction is of utmost importance at SJH. The following are just some of the ways the Regional Medical Center is designed to improve each patient's experience:

• Welcoming lobby. When patients enter the facility, they are greeted by a knowledgeable staff member or volunteer who can help them find the services they are looking for.
  
• Separate entrances for separate services. Inpatients and outpatients can use separate entrances for the hospital, making ins and outs quicker. Even the emergency room has separate entrances for trauma and urgent care patients.
  
• Bedside registration. Instead of walking down a long corridor in a maze-like hospital to find the registration desk, only to fill out piles of paperwork, patients simply register right at their bedside. Information is immediately entered into the computer to avoid errors.
  
• Private rooms. Patients prefer private rooms--and every patient room is a private room at SJH Regional Medical Center. Patients also enjoy a private, attached bathroom plus a pull-out couch for loved ones who want to stay overnight.
  
• Better food. Gone is the reputation for tasteless food at the hospital. State-of-the-art food preparation techniques supply patients with nutritious, delicious food.