Louise and John Bryson

Supporting compassionate care.

Louise Bryson is a prior member of Huntington Hospital’s board of directors. She and her husband, John, are also generous community philanthropists who support our work. Most recently, the couple pledged a significant gift toward our Compassionate Community Care initiative, which is further improving patients’ experience at the hospital. Specifically, the initiative provides specialized training for our physicians, nurses and other staff in areas including compassionate communication, sensitivity to the needs of patients who have experienced emotional trauma, and more. Compassionate Community Care recognizes the key role that thoughtful communication plays in promoting healing, reducing anxiety, and fostering trust between care providers and their patients. A key component is the provision of training in a nationally recognized approach known as the Language of Caring. The training involves what is known as the Heart-Head-Heart communication model, helping to ensure that clinical services are delivered with a deep sense of empathy. By using the Heart-Head-Heart model, care providers can integrate their full humanity into their clinical practice, in support of clear and effective communication — and the very best of care.

“The Compassionate Community Care initiative underscores a commitment not only to first-rate medical attention at the hospital,” says Louise, “but also to effective and compassionate interaction with all patients and their loved ones, as well as with colleagues. The overall goal is for everyone who walks through the door to feel welcome. Everything the hospital does,” she adds, “from the words used to the items on the cafe’s menu, has to be founded on knowledge of what makes people feel comfortable and cared for.”

A culture of caring.

Caregivers and other team members in our Nan and Howard Schow Emergency & Trauma Center were the first to participate in the Compassionate Community Care program — including Language of Caring training. “The pilot phase was so successful,” notes John, “that this work was rapidly expanded to the rest of the organization.” In total, more than 3,300 employees from departments across the hospital have participated — and the training is now part of the orientation process for all new staff. The Brysons also look forward to the introduction of additional training programs as part of the initiative, in the future.

Career focused.

Louise enjoyed a 35-year career in media, and retired in 2008 after serving as president of distribution of Lifetime Entertainment Services and executive vice president of Lifetime Movie Network. She started her career as a documentary producer and writer for PBS and currently chairs the board of PBS SoCal/KCET. She is also a lifetime trustee of KPCC and chair emerita of the J. Paul Getty Trust board of trustees.

“This work is visionary. It’s about things that are at the real heart of what makes an institution work — and it touches every patient in every bed, and every person who works there.”

John focused on clean forms of energy and energy efficiency throughout his career. He is one of the co-founders of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and early in his career was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to lead the California State Water Resources Control Board and the California State Public Utilities Commission. John was chairman and chief executive officer of Edison International, the parent company to Southern California Edison, and retired in 2008 after 18 years with the company. In 2011-2012, he served as U.S. Secretary of Commerce in President Obama’s Cabinet.

The Brysons have four daughters and six grandchildren.

Visionary leadership.

Before she first joined the hospital’s board of directors, Louise served on our Quality Committee, which helps oversee continuous improvement efforts and evaluates results. “I felt it was a good way to get involved in the community,” she says, “and I was quickly impressed by the hospital’s commitment to transparency and its focus on providing the highest level of care to patients.”

While on the board, Louise continued to participate on our Quality Committee, and also served on both our Finance Committee and our Strategic Planning Committee. Through this work, she has developed deep respect for the leadership team, she notes, singling out Jaynie Studenmund, chair of the board, Lori J. Morgan, MD, MBA, president and chief executive officer, and Jane Haderlein, senior vice president of philanthropy and public affairs. “John and I feel good about providing philanthropic dollars in support of the hospital’s important work and their outstanding leadership,” she says.

In making their recent gift decision, John notes they were also deeply motivated by the way in which the Compassionate Community Care initiative reflects and supports the hospital’s overall culture — with compassion and empathy top of mind. “This work is visionary,” John says. “It’s about things that are at the real heart of what makes an institution work — and it touches every patient in every bed, and every person who works there.”

The Heart-Head-Heart communication model helps ensure care services are delivered with empathy. Training on this model was supported by a significant gift from Louise and John Bryson.