Jonah Shainberg interviewed expert Bobbie Costigan, a professional nurse and former surveyor from St. Joseph PACE, on her knowledge about “aging in place” in South Bend, IN.
- Date: March 3, 2017
- Type: In-person expert interview
- Location: St. Joseph PACE, South Bend, IN
- Team participants: Therese, Rob, Sophie, and Mary
- User Characteristics
- Gender: Female
- Age: mid/late 30s
- Occupation: Director of Quality Assurance and Infection Control at Trinity Health’s Saint Joseph PACE
- Former:
- Director of Quality Management and Chief Nursing Officer at Select Specialty Hospital
- Public Health Nurse Surveyor at the Indiana State Department of Health
- Education: IUSB ‘08, B.A. and Nursing
- Former:
- Memorable Quotes:
- “I’ve been through this process with my parents recently… and there are nursing homes in the surrounding community I wouldn’t dare send them to”
- “PACE centers are the future of elder healthcare”
- “I’ve shut down some of the worst [retirement homes] in the area”
- “Innovation in the healthcare industry spreads inwards quite slowly”
- “Our goal is to serve the elder underserved”
- “All departments work together to create a one-stop shop”
- “Our environment is conducive to the elderly… and with our access to medical records, we can create an individualized plan for everyone”
- Key insights: Holistic and proactive approach to healthcare is best
- Patterns: Importance of collaboration between healthcare figures
While Kathleen Murphy and Ashley Stump [the other experts we met on the visit to St. Joseph PACE] shared powerful insights about the business and emotional implications behind PACE, Mrs. Costigan backed everything up with hard medical knowledge. While touring the facility, Mrs. Costigan took time to explain the nature of each room’s carefully thought out design – from wider doorways to accommodate wheelchairs, the importance of sanitary garment protectors to shield COPD patients from the transmission of fumes, to the dual-purpose of meal therapy to ensure proper nutrition and foster a renewed sense of independence, and more. It was extremely valuable to hear her take on the future of healthcare and what is needed right now. She explained that she would love a product that informs her when meds were taken, alerts her when someone is out of bed, allows for the secure transformation of medical information between identified parties, generates a daily report documenting vital signs with room for comments and pictures, and is easily accessible on a desktop and simple to use for the elderly.
