Purpose

Place in the Health Care System

Click image to enlarge

Ryan House is proud to join a constellation of important caregivers and supporters of children with life-threatening conditions and their families. Each of us has mission-critical work to do in surrounding these special families with the support that keeps families intact, love flowing and holistic resources at hand.

Mission

The mission of Ryan House is to provide essential care in a home-like setting where children with life-threatening conditions and their families may come for respite and, as needed, end of life care.

All services at Ryan House will be guided by the principles of pediatric palliative care. This philosophy of comfort care addresses not only physical pain but also the emotional, spiritual and social needs of the child and family. This enlightened approach to care is of critical importance, beginning at diagnosis and continuing throughout the entire course of a child’s life and beyond.

Vision

The vision of Ryan House is to set the standard of excellence in pediatric palliative care by creating a sustainable model that can be replicated in other communities across the United States.

Values/Guiding Principles

The following Guiding Principles serve as a beacon of light, both guiding and focusing the development of the Care Model for Ryan House and reflecting best practice in pediatric palliative care.

• When entering Ryan House and throughout their stay, children and families we serve will feel as if they have come home and been embraced by family.
• Our environment will feel calm, respectful, warm, welcoming and fun.
• The competence and professional, caring demeanor of our staff will allow parents and children to feel safe and secure.
• Families will be our focus and will be a welcomed, respected and integral member of the care team to whom we actively listen and attend to what they communicate.
• We will organize ourselves in a team-based framework, ensuring collaboration and demonstrating mutual respect and trust.

We Value

1. Children and their families. We will demonstrate respect for the uniqueness, integrity and dignity of all children and their families and will be fair, honest and open in our work with each other and with those whom we welcome at Ryan House.
2. Family Satisfaction. We will strive to identify and exceed the needs of all those we serve both inside and out of the organization.  We recognize that our continued success depends on providing exceptional care and on exceeding the expectations of children and their families.
3. All Roles. We acknowledge that while scopes of responsibility differ at Ryan House, there is no role which is of greater importance than another.  Each role contributes to the totality of care provided at Ryan House.
4. Empowerment through Education. We will create and nourish a “learning organization” for ourselves, our teams, children and their families, and our communities through which we can pursue the very best practices in pediatric palliative care.
5. Continuing Improvement. We recognize that the only constant is change and that we must prepare to act with intelligence and flexibility.  Through teamwork and training in leadership and principles of quality improvement, we will empower Ryan House staff to identify and pursue opportunities for continuing improvement.
6. Innovation/Creativity. The very essence of pediatric palliative care and best practices in the field is based on innovation and creativity.  We recognize the need for and value innovation.
7. Stewardship. We recognize and accept the responsibility we bear to our supporters, our community and ourselves for the most effective and efficient use of resources, human as well as material.  We will continually seek the most cost effective delivery of quality care remembering always that should we err, it will be on the side of the children and families of Ryan House.
8. Ethical Standards. Our relationship with each other and with the children and families we serve will always be conducted within a framework of integrity and high ethical standards.