The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health) is reimagining patient care experience by making compassion and connection the cornerstone of its mission. Through this renewed commitment, the health system’s new Patient Experience team is cultivating a culture where respect, empathy, and excellence define every interaction and inspire trust at life’s most vulnerable moments.
Leading the initiative is Stephanie Guzik, MBA, BSN, RN, vice president of Patient Experience and Patient Services, the first executive position of its kind at UTMB and one that signifies a deep dedication to elevating care across the health system.
Before joining UTMB, Guzik spent much of her 30-year health care career at an academic medical center in Chicago where she held senior leadership roles, working closely with executive, clinical, and operational leaders on complex hospital and health system–wide issues.
She served as the University Compliance Officer and Associate Vice President for Research Compliance and Conflict of Interest for Rush System for Health and previously held the role of Research Integrity Officer. She was also adjunct faculty in Rush’s College of Nursing. Her clinical background includes practice as a critical care and interventional cardiology nurse, with specialized expertise in sepsis.
“Patient experience has long been part of the conversation, but there is now a renewed, elevated focus on it at the highest levels of leadership. It is just as essential as quality and safety—and it encompasses employee engagement, workforce well-being, and signals how we show up for and serve our communities.” —Stephanie Guzik
Building a team for connection and care
Guzik’s vision is supported by a multidisciplinary team designed to make health care easier and more empathetic.
Martha McLeod, director of Patient Services, oversees advocacy, volunteer programs, spiritual care, and language access—critical components of a holistic approach.
With over three decades of experience in academic health care and professional services from Bennett Thrasher to PricewaterhouseCoopers, McLeod brings a wealth of expertise in leadership development, customer service excellence, and organizational effectiveness.
As a Certified Patient Experience Professional (CPXP), she has been recognized for her commitment to improving patient satisfaction and service outcomes. In addition to this, McLeod was honored by the UTMB Development Board for her contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic and received the Rotary Club of Galveston Healthcare Employee Award in 2025. She will also celebrate her 20-year anniversary with UTMB this year.
“We’re here as an all-encompassing service to support our patients and improve their experience.” —Martha McLeod
Jennifer Higgs, director of nursing Patient Navigation and Support, focuses on ensuring round-the-clock assistance to patients and families during clinic visits and hospital stays.
Dedicating most of her career to UTMB, Higgs began as an Emergency Department nurse in 2004 after earning her BSN from UTMB School of Nursing. Over the years, she completed her MSN at UTMB and advanced through numerous roles, including Trauma Burns DSRIP educator, clinical educator, and ED nurse manager. Most recently, she served as the director of nursing for inpatient care areas at League City Campus before stepping into her leadership role.
“Health care is really complicated, so we’re trying to make it easier for our patients so that it’s not so complex. They shouldn’t have that burden.” —Jennifer Higgs
Amy Madsen, administrative manager for Patient Services, plays a vital role in ensuring smooth, behind-the-scenes operations that directly support patient-centered care.
With an extensive background in legal and operations management, Madsen excels at partnering closely with executive teams to lead company-wide initiatives, manage complex contracts, and build efficient and people-centered operations.
She believes that every metric and process improvement ultimately represents a human experience—one that can shape lasting impressions. She champions the idea that behind each benchmark is someone with a unique story, and someone deserving of care that is grounded in empathy, respect, and understanding.
“At its heart, the Patient Experience team’s work is about people—ensuring patients and families feel seen, heard, and genuinely cared for—at every step of their journey.” —Amy Madsen
Together, the team is working to ensure that every patient feels supported, understood, and cared for—not just clinically, but emotionally.
Driven by personal stories and a shared mission
For these leaders, this work is far more than just strategy—it’s deeply personal. Each member brings a story that fuels their passion and shapes their purpose in the medical field.
“When I was 12, my dad had a massive heart attack,” McLeod shared emotionally. “He was in the hospital for a full month, and then after that, both my parents had open-heart surgery on the same day.”
Her remembrance of the staff who took care of her and her family during this time left an impression of how much empathy matters. McLeod views her work as a calling—connecting the dots behind the scenes and being available to patients to ensure they’re getting what they need. “Yes, we deliver great quality care, but it’s the compassion and caring that make the difference,” she said. “That, to me, is the great part of our job here.”
The motivation for Higgs stems from a heartbreaking experience advocating for a loved one in another hospital and feeling dismissed by staff. Despite her nursing background, Higgs recalls being treated as if she were a nuisance rather than a partner in care. “Every time I spoke up, it felt like I was in the way,” she said. “The ICU staff made us [her and her family] feel like we were the problem because we were trying so hard to advocate.”
Ultimately, Higgs’ loved one passed away, leaving her with a lasting conviction: “I went into nursing to care for people, and that situation reinforced why I’m here: to make sure patients and families are treated with dignity and empathy.”
She later took her concerns to the hospital’s board, sharing her story in hopes of sparking change. Today, she channels that determination into her work at UTMB, where she sees firsthand the work staff does to ensure they’re doing what’s right for their patients.
Guzik echoes her team’s sentiments, emphasizing that patient experience is not just about processes, it’s about human connection. “When we see a patient and they’re lost, we ask them, ‘Are you lost?’ If someone is struggling to walk, we help them get where they need to go,” she said. “These moments may seem small, but they define who we are and inspire the best care and compassion.”
For her, it all comes back to trust and loyalty. “We want to always be a place where people will come back to us because they trust us in their most vulnerable times, and know we are there to support their recovery and guide them and their family through the complexities of health care,” Guzik said.
What’s next: Elevating excellence and compassion in practice
As UTMB continues to expand across Southeast Texas, the Patient Experience team is looking ahead with bold initiatives designed to transform care delivery and strengthen human connection. The focus is on blending innovation with empathy—ensuring that technology enhances, rather than replaces, a human touch.
Among the team’s priorities is utilizing the health system’s new patient experience platform, Wambi, which will integrate quality and safety metrics with real-time feedback on complaints and challenges. This upgrade will allow staff to identify trends faster and respond proactively to patient needs. Additionally, a new rounding tool powered by artificial intelligence will be implemented internally to help anticipate patient needs based on demographics and clinical factors, ensuring timely interventions and personalized experiences.
The team is also preparing for UTMB Health to pursue its Magnet journey, a multi-year path to achieve and maintain the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program designation. They will also—for the first time since 2017—provide a comprehensive engagement survey to better understand workforce satisfaction and its direct correlation to patient experience.
Guzik further emphasized the exploration of the human experience connection, and the importance of studying how workforce engagement impacts patient perceptions and outcomes. “If you don't have engaged employees, you're not going to have a great experience,” she said. "I believe that every employee contributes to supporting these overall efforts."
With this in mind, the team is also introducing the “Compassion in Practice” Award, replacing the “Always Award.” Each quarter, one inpatient and one ambulatory unit will be recognized for consistently delivering care that reflects UTMB Health’s commitment to listening, responding, and building trust with patients and families. To celebrate their achievement, the Patient Experience team will visit the winning units with a plaque, a banner, and some celebratory cake to honor their outstanding work.
By aligning these insights with Best Care strategies, the team aims to create a ripple effect—where every interaction reflects compassion, respect, and excellence.
“Our goal is simple but powerful,” Guzik concluded. “To deliver care that patients trust and remember, and to make UTMB the standard for excellence in patient experience.”