News Photo by Julie Riddle Registered nurses Carly Kilbourn, left, and Zach Karsten provide patient care in the surgery department at MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena earlier this month.

ALPENA ― As the nation recognizes the work of physicians during National Doctors’ Day on Wednesday, local residents have a new way to say thanks to the medical staff, food service workers, gift shop cashiers, laundry workers, and others who provide care during a hospital visit.

Joining with other hospitals in its health system, MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena has signed up to take part in the Grateful Patients program, coordinated by the MyMichigan Health Foundation.

Patients and other visitors to the hospital can add to an online wall of thank-you notes, thanking a hospital worker by name or expressing general appreciation for their care.

Website administrators make sure those thanked get a copy of those words of appreciation, said Denise O’Keefe, executive director of the foundation.

High-stakes, high-stress environments for medical care workers during the past two years — as the COVID-19 pandemic increased patient loads and staff vulnerability to life-threatening illness — highlighted the need to bolster those providing medical care with positive feedback, O’Keefe said.

“Everybody is like, ‘We just need to see something good,'” she said.

With spring on its way and coronavirus infection numbers decreasing, the Grateful Patients program will add to what O’Keefe hopes will be an uplifting season for those who have worked hard to keep their community healthy.

And, she said, workers who feel supported and valued are strengthened to give even better care to those they serve.

Buttons on the Grateful Patient portal allow commenters to post a thank-you note on the virtual wall, share a longer story about their hospital experience, or donate to a specific department or hospital service.

Patients grateful for their medical care don’t always know how to say thanks, O’Keefe said.

Some offer to buy workers lunch or give gifts.

“I’m not saying our staff doesn’t like doughnuts and pizza,” she said, “But those can be easily forgotten. This is something they’ll be able to look at every day. It’ll be there.”

To say thanks

To thank one of the 1,000 employees, volunteers, physicians, and other staff at MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena or to read notes left on MyMichgian’s virtual appreciation wall visit mymichigan.org/gratefulpatient.

Julie Riddle can be reached at 989-358-5693 or jriddle@thealpenanews.com. Follow her on Twitter @jriddleX.