“I try to make an impact on every patient.” Cindy Allen, patient satisfaction liaison for Hendricks Regional Health’s Patient Experience team, shares this goal with many of her clinical colleagues. But the way Cindy sets out to accomplish this goal caught the attention of several of her coworkers, who felt her efforts went above and beyond and deserved recognition.
Lisa Imlay, Chief Quality Officer, Hazel Crews, Director of Quality Resource Management, Patient Experience & Innovation, and Meghan O’Donnell, nursing director, teamed up to nominate Cindy for the Indiana Hospital Association’s (IHA) Douglas J. Leonard Indiana Caregiver of the Year Award. The award recognizes individual service in healthcare that is considered exemplary by patients and peers. In their submission, they noted Cindy does whatever is needed to meet patients and caregivers in their moment of need, and her amazing ability to create a connection with any patient and their loved ones.
One example they shared is Cindy’s “Cart with Heart.” A conference last summer inspired Cindy to create an activity cart filled with comforting items such as stuffed animals, blankets, coloring books and more.
She takes it on rounds, offering patients a moment of relief and a reminder that someone cares. “It helps take their minds off what they’re going through,” said Cindy. “Sometimes, they just need someone to listen. These small gestures mean so much to them.”
Cindy’s cart also contains treats for the nurses caring for patients. “They work so hard, I want to make sure they know how much they are appreciated,” she said. Initially, Cindy used her own money to stock the cart but now uses a grant from the Hendricks Regional Health Foundation.
Her colleagues’ heartfelt nomination moved the IHA committee, which agreed Cindy should be recognized. To celebrate, the team planned a surprise to announce the news to both Cindy and all of Hendricks.
A few days later, as Cindy attended Safety Huddle, Imlay announced Cindy’s award. As the room erupted in applause, Cindy stood stunned. “I had no idea; I’d never even heard of the award,” she said.
Now that the recognition has sunk in, Cindy says she feels humbled. “There are so many people who I work with every single day who deserve to be recognized for excellence,” she said. “We have a wonderful Patient Experience team, who helped me grow and evolve my role. We have outstanding nurses caring for our patients. I love what I do and who I do it with.”
Cindy’s dedication extends outside hospital walls. She recently earned her certification as a Medicolegal Death Investigator (MDI) for Hendricks County. In moments of sudden or unexpected loss, MDIs help bridge the gap between medical and legal processes. Cindy said she pursued this to be a source of comfort for families during vulnerable times.
