Volunteers Serve Important Need

The Volunteer Services department is an important part of many health care organizations. From the minute patients and visitors walk in the door, they may see someone from volunteer services. Most of these individuals are donating their time and talents to meet the hospital’s needs. Volunteering provides a win-win relationship for the hospital, the individual, and the community.

Volunteers can be found throughout a hospital beginning at the information desk. The person guiding patients to their rooms, answering, and serving as the first point of contact to patients generally are not employees. They are volunteers. Hospitals may not be able to afford a transporter, so the volunteer takes patients to their rooms in wheelchairs or provides wayfinding assistance. Once in the room, a patient may encounter volunteers when they receive mail, flowers, or other amenities. 

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When waiting for an appointment, the person at the desk may or may not be an employee, depending on the organization’s budget. For example, when waiting for surgery, the person sitting at the desk may be a volunteer. That means they may not have access to all of the organization’s data, including surgery times. The person could have been handed a surgery schedule in the morning, and he/she simply reads off the list to determine the next patient in line. The same may hold true for a clinic office. The individual at the desk may not be an employee of the clinic. Rather, he/she may be volunteering as a receptionist, doing small projects such as stuffing envelopes, making binders, or filing. 

Volunteering is not only about serving the hospital. It can provide a great social and work experience for the person. Individuals wanting to “get out of the house” may volunteer to get a personal connection and social interaction. Others may volunteer in order to learn more about an organization, gain experience in a healthcare environment, or enhance or gain new skills. An important thing for administrators to remember is that a volunteer is donating time and services because he/she wants to be there. The volunteer also may feel more connected to their greater community, which the healthcare organization serves.