I wake up at 2am with my two children beside me in bed and searing pain in my chest.
I grab my phone, head to the bathroom, start Googling "how to know if you're having a heart attack." Mid-search, I stop myself: if I'm Googling this at 2am, I should probably just go to the hospital.
I wake my wife. Call a neighbor to watch the kids. Head to the ER.
Heart infection. Heart failure. Double valve replacement.
Nine hours of open-heart surgery.
Mount Sinai Hospital saved my life. Dr. El-Hamamsy — one of the world's top cardiac surgeons — performed the operation. The ICU and step-down staff were beyond amazing.
Mount Sinai has all the latest technology. The myMountSinai app showed me my entire care team on shift, let me order meals, track medications, and see test results in real time. The care was extraordinary. The technology was extraordinary.
Two days after a 9-hour open-heart surgery.
But I couldn't thank them.
With Dr. El-Hamamsy at a follow-up visit.
During her rounds, I asked the nurse administrator: "How do I send appreciation to my care team? I can see their names and photos in the app — can I message them?"
"Keep a list of names on your phone. Three days after discharge, you'll get a survey email. There's a question asking if you want to thank anyone. Type in the names from your list. We'll relay the message to them as soon as possible."
Complicated. Delayed. Appreciation goes stale fast.
Then I asked: "What if I had a complaint about a staff member? How do I report that?"
"We take complaints very seriously." She immediately pulled out her tablet. "I'm happy to file that right now. It'll be handled immediately."
I didn't have a complaint. But I had a mission.
Pull out a tablet. File immediately. Handled the same day. No delay, no friction, no waiting.
Immediate · Direct · On recordKeep a list. Wait for the discharge survey. Find the email. Hope the message reaches them someday.
Complicated · Delayed · Lost