Compassion a Trademark for UH Geauga Medical Center Hospitalist

UH Clinical Update | February 2023

Like many physicians, James Cappello, DO, took his high school interest in science and built it into a career in medicine. That intellectual curiosity stays with him today. He chose to become a hospitalist at UH Cleveland Medical Center after completing his internal medicine residency at UH Richmond/Bedford in 2019, he says, in part because of the diverse and higher-acuity conditions he would treat in the hospital setting.

James Cappello, DO

However, along the way, Dr. Cappello says he’s realized what really motivates him as a doctor is taking the scientific and medical knowledge he’s acquired – and using it to forge connections with people. Now as a hospitalist at UH Geauga Medical Center, he provides essential emotional support and comfort to his patients, along with the high-quality medical care they need.

“You can have someone elderly come into the hospital for the first time,” he says. “They're anxious, they're crying. They don't know what's going on. So I see it as my job to provide a level of support for them during these times.”

A Caring Connection

Support and comfort from Dr. Cappello may mean a gift he purchases from the UH Geauga gift shop for a distraught patient or telling jokes with the patient and family to try to lighten the mood.

“I try to put a smile on their face every day,” he says. “Doing the simple things helps me out, too. It gives me a sense of accomplishment, and honestly, it just makes me feel good seeing people.”

Leaders and colleagues at UH Geauga have noticed Dr. Cappello’s patient- and family-friendly approach to care.

“Dr. Cappello is a physician who goes above and beyond not only with the care of his patients, but also their families,” says Marlea Miano, MD, UH Geauga’s Chief Medical Officer. “Every morning, he reviews his patients with care coordinators and social workers, in order to be able to sit at a patient's bedside and speak with them and their families in the same respectful and knowledgeable way he would show a staff member. He goes above and beyond for his patients every time, even on short notice to participate in family meetings or just to update a family on the status of the patient. He shows great empathy, compassion and great kindness to all around him. We are privileged and fortunate to have him on our team.”

Dr. Cappello was recently recognized for his outstanding work with a “Dinner with the Doc” honor from Cliff Megerian, MD, FACS, UH Chief Executive Officer and Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair.

Serving as a Mentor

Beyond the relationships he builds with patients and their families, Dr. Cappello also prioritizes the relationships he develops with the internal medicine residents at UH Geauga as a teacher.

“There's a joy I get in teaching,” he says. “You get to see people go from having some knowledge coming out of medical school, and then as you help them develop their skills and knowledge and see them grow year by year. Even after they graduate, if they need help with anything, they can always reach out to me. I always like to have that relationship in place with them.”

Communication is Key

Fundamental to Dr. Cappello’s approach to care is almost constant, very simple communication with the patient and family. He tries to avoid the term “heart failure,” for example – which patients often interpret to mean that their heart is about to stop -- and not the chronic condition it actually is.

“I just make it really simple, go over what probably causes these things and go over simple treatments,” he says. “The more information patients have, the more at ease you can make them feel, even when the news is not good. People don’t want to be blindsided. And then, throughout the hospitalization, I'll keep them updated and make sure they're aware of things going on and what to expect.”

He and his colleagues got into the habit of enhanced communications with families during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when family members were limited in how much they could visit their hospitalized loved ones. But he says it’s something that’s important to continue now that the pandemic is in a different phase.

“It was important back then, but we definitely can continue that now,” Dr. Cappello says. “Updating people, even with non-COVID-related issues, is important. You see how much they understand and how much they appreciate it. The patients and families appreciate the constant interactions.”

“Constant” is the key word here. Communicating is key also when the patient has left the hospital, Dr. Cappello says.

“I usually call the patient the day after I discharge them, just to follow up with them and see how they're doing and see if they have any questions that arose after they left,” he says.  “Hopefully from there they have everything that they need to get better going forward. If not, I’m only a phone call away.”

To nominate a physician for this honor, please visit the Digital Workplace. The next deadline is March 31.