Patient experience spotlight: Dr. Michael Moritz

Dr. Michael Moritz

Every month, Akron Children’s recognizes an employee for providing an exceptional patient experience. June’s honoree is Dr. Michael Moritz, division chief of Akron Children’s Pediatric Nephrology and vice chair of research for the Department of Pediatrics. He recently received this feedback from a grateful family:   

“Dr Michael Moritz is an incredible doctor. My son has a rare kidney disease that less than 1000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with. I transferred my son’s care from (outside hospital) so that we could continue to have him as our doctor. I fully trust Dr. Moritz and his decisions on treatment for my son. He explains things to me in depth; I don’t feel that he rushes through the appointments. He takes time to answer all questions, and I feel that he often goes out of his way to ease my concerns and to make sure that I know that my son is doing well on his current treatment. My son has a pretty significant fear of any medical procedures or even doctors’ appointments. And he really like Dr. Moritz. He’s a little bit too young to fully understand his disease, but he knows that it’s serious and he worries about it a lot. When he sees Dr. Moritz, he always feels better about his disease, and he is very happy that we’ve decided to go to Akron to continue to see him. We’re extremely grateful that we were able to transfer our care to continue to follow Dr. Moritz.” 

You’re relatively new to Akron Children’s. What do you like best about working here?

What I like best about working at Akron Children’s Hospital is the institution’s focus on providing the exceptional patient care and patient experience – and the appreciation that the institution shows for the providers and staff.

How did you feel upon reading the feedback from the patient family who followed you to Akron Children’s for care?

I appreciated that they took the time share their positive comments. We all try hard to provide the best care and patient experience. It is nice to get the affirmation that our efforts are successful.

The comments mention that the patient can be fearful of medical procedures and doctors. How do you build a good rapport with patients, especially young ones?  

What I find helpful to build good rapport is to get to know the parents and the child on a personal level – and for them to get to know me. Also to acknowledge that I don’t always have all the answers and to include them in the decision-making process.

What does family-centered care mean to you?

Family-centered care is partnering with the family to develop the best care plan that takes into consideration the child and family’s unique circumstances and needs.