A DAY IN THE LIFE: CHRISTOPHER PORTER

Author(s):

Christopher Porter

Publish Date:

21st July 2023 | 5 minutes

Abstract:

Welcome to the latest post in our ‘Day in the Life' blog, where each quarter we introduce a member of the Abbott team. In this article, we meet Christopher Porter, Abbott’s Hospital2Home Senior Coordinator. Christopher discusses what a typical day looks like for him, as well as what he is most passionate about both inside and outside of work.

 

 

Chris, tell us about your journey at Abbott.

My journey with Abbott began over 20 years ago, and I really do find the job rewarding and enjoyable, which is why I have been here for so long! The work I do is driven by a sense of purpose – helping patients in their healthcare journey and that is a passion which is shared by the team I work with as well.

As a team, we are united by the same goals and values. We always work collaboratively and help each other out, which makes the work we do every day even more enjoyable.

 
Tell us a bit more about the role of Hospital2Home Senior Coordinator at Abbott.

In my role I help support our patients during their transition from hospital to home by coordinating the deliveries of their feed and equipment, as well as troubleshooting any issues and dealing with queries they have so their transition is as seamless and stress-free as possible.

But there is much more to the job than that, and we often face a lot of unknowns and challenges as we help patients make this transition. We are are responsible for coordinating patient deliveries and collaborating with healthcare professionals (HCPs) to ensure the patient has the right feed and equipment to continue their healthcare journey at home.

We also serve as the point of contact for the patient and their HCPs to ensure they have hands-on support and information where needed. We are here to address any issues or concerns that may arise with their prescriptions, working collaboratively to do so with their HCPs where required.

 
What does a typical day in your work life look like?

My role is actually really diverse and no two days are ever the same. We work as a team, with assigned tasks from the management team, which are distributed between myself and my colleagues. Having said that, we do also help each other out a lot as and when unforeseen challenges arise. Our plans for the day may change, to ensure we are flexible to meet the changing needs of our service and our patients.

Typically, though, my tasks will generally centre around registering new patients and talking them through our processes, discussing any changes in a patient’s requirements with their HCP, monitoring patient stock levels and ensuring they have the feeds they need to sustain them until their next delivery, troubleshooting any delivery issues and facilitating communications with our out-of-hours nurses.

Patient communication is a consistent part of my role, whether that be dealing with online orders, taking calls or dealing with general enquiries. The dynamic nature of patient support means that each and every day is unique, and I really enjoy this aspect of my job.

 
What are you most passionate about in your role at Abbott?

The main thing I am passionate about is being able to assist our patients during their transition from hospital to home, making it as easy as possible for them, and removing any worries or stress.

Patients may sometimes reach out when they feel anxious or uncertain about their deliveries. In these situations, I know I can make a real difference to them by supporting their queries, reassuring them, and keeping them updated on the status of their orders.

Whether the matter is straightforward, or a little more complex and unique to the patient, I find helping them really rewarding, especially when I can tell how relieved they are that their problem has been solved and how grateful they are to have us on hand to support. It makes all our efforts worthwhile.

I also really enjoy working with the rest of the team. We all get along really well and support each other with whatever is needed and that makes it a really fantastic team to be a part of.

 
How does the work you do have an impact on patients?

We form the essential link between the HCPs and their patients, with our primary goal of making our patients’ lives easier. For me, that’s the big impact we have. We constantly reassure patients that no matter what situation they are in, they can always depend on us to get their deliveries.

Amid all of the challenges that patients may face, particularly as they might be unwell or recovering, the knowledge that they don’t have to worry about anything going wrong because we are here to help can really bring them peace of mind and take one more stress away from them during their healthcare journey.

It is the overall experience patients receive from us that is a really important part of my job, ultimately leaving them with a positive and reassuring impression of our services.

 
What do you do outside of work?

Family time is what is most important to me. I have my wonderful wife and sixteen-year-old daughter. Our family also extends to our beloved dogs and collection of fish! My daughter and I share a fondness for watching classic films together, whether it be a quirky 80s horror film or the 1922 Dracula film! I cherish these experiences with my family.

Abbott’s Hospital2Home service 

Hospital2Home supports patients to manage their own health, and ensures the provision of ongoing support to patients during the transition from hospital back into their own homes. Our highly trained team have extensive training and ensure that patients are supplied with everything they need to continue their treatment at home including ensuring their feeds are delivered accurately and on time and ensuring that regular stock takes with patients are conducted, to help relieve the burden to primary and secondary care services.

UK-N/A-2300332 | September 2023

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