Fostoria Community Hospital welcomes back volunteers

Volunteers are considered important to the functions of ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital, so administrators were pleased to welcome them back to their duties this week. About 60% of the hospital's 40 volunteers have returned, administrators said in a conference call Friday, and hopes are more will return and the number will then grow from there.As with other businesses, the coronavirus pandemic has forced the hospital's methods of operating to change. And while volunteers are valued, they have been told to stay away through a couple of stretches of time in the past year so as to limit the number of people in the building."Our volunteers were initially out of the hospital back in March (2020), when the pandemic first started, " said Janet Dickman, executive assistant at the hospital. "From March until July they were out. Then they were here August, September, October, November, and then in December they were out again, when we started having a surge (of COVID-19 cases). Then they started back this week. We felt that the numbers had declined to a point, and with the (anti-virus) vaccinations, which we did offer to our volunteers through the hospital, we felt that it was safer to bring them back at this time."Hospital Vice President of Operations Tom Borer said having been vaccinated at least two weeks ago is a prerequisite for volunteers to return."I wouldn't be surprised if the whole pandemic thing has scared a few people away permanently," he said. "But, you know, as things continue to open up and the restrictions relax and people get vaccinated, I would expect (most) to return. We're hopeful for that, anyway."Twenty-eight of the hospital's volunteers work in the gift shop, which had limited hours without volunteer assistance, Borer said."They actually run the shop," Lynn Hipsher, the hospital's gift shop coordinator, said of the volunteers. "They come in and open up at 10 (a.m.). They have two shifts and then they close at 5 (p.m.). They're there doing the sales and helping out the customers Monday through Friday."Dickman said volunteers also help in such areas as front-desk work, other clerical assistance and directing visitors to various points in the building."We don't use volunteers to replace employees, per se," Borer said. "We use volunteers as an adjunct, to supplement. When they didn't work here, it did put more of a strain on our employees to assist in various areas."Ferol Partin, the hospital's patient access and registration supervisor, is among those who values the work of the volunteers."Volunteers are very helpful when it comes to various daily or weekly tasks that it may be hard to find time for," she said. "With their help, we are able to focus more of our time on making sure all of our patients' needs are met in a timely and efficient manner. Volunteers are also vital for maintaining our ability to provide good customer and community service."While volunteerism as a whole has dropped in society, Borer said, he and other administrators said FCH's volunteers have provided positive feedback in regard to their hospital duties."A lot of my volunteers tell me that they just really like getting out of the house and interacting with people," Hipsher said."In general, we have volunteers who it gives a sense of purpose and gives them a sense of giving back to a community that they've been in, probably, for the majority of their lives," Borer said. "It's that social interaction ... and it's that paying back. I think that's what encourages some to volunteer."Persons interested in volunteering at the hospital in any capacity may contact Hipsher at (419) 435-7734, ex. 6253.