Small Idea, Big Impact: Does M equal 2?

Innovation at Providence Health Care (PHC) isn’t always about high-tech solutions or groundbreaking discoveries. Sometimes, it's about noticing the small things that can make a big difference in the daily experiences of patients, visitors, and staff.  

One such idea came from Julia Santucci, a clinical nurse specialist for St. Paul’s Hospital (SPH) and Mount St. Joseph’s Acute Medicine, who spotted an issue in an unexpected place: the elevators. Julia noticed the letter "M" represented the second floor in the Providence Building at SPH, which understandably, caused a lot of confusion. Does M equal 2?  

Julia’s idea, brought forth through Ideas:Forward, is simple but effective: replace the "M" on the elevator buttons with something easier to understand to quell any uncertainty.  

As Julia explains: 
“A visit to the hospital can be anxiety-inducing, no matter the reason. I’ve arrived—now where to go? I’ll follow the instructions provided: head to the second floor of the Providence Building. But there’s a catch—there isn’t a second floor, only a main floor. So, does "M" stand for 2? 
The addition of the number 2 in the elevators is intended to ease some of that anxiety as you navigate your way.” 

This idea wouldn’t have been made possible without the support of our Facilities, Maintenance & Operations team. 

“With the elevator control panels having both “1” and “M” it was confusing to many people as under the North America convention for naming floors the 1st floor is typically the main floor. The decision was made to bring our elevators in line with North American convention with the elimination of the “Main” floor designation.” - Bobbie Garnet Bees, Chief Engineer 

This idea is a great example of how small changes can have a significant impact. It highlights the importance of listening to the experiences of those around us and how they can lead to improvements in the patient and visitor experience. 

Ideas:Forward connects staff with the resources and right people to turn ideas—no matter how simple—into actions that make PHC a better place for everyone. Innovation can happen in unexpected ways, and sometimes, it’s the smallest ideas that make the biggest difference.