February 16 2005
Ruth Hillebrand learned that she was dying of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, during a late night phone call from a physician who told her the disease had no treatment and no cure, and then simply hung up.
That, and other experiences with physicians with poor interpersonal skills, left Ms. Hillebrand with a strong desire to see health-care providers better trained to show compassion with their patients.
Sadly, Ms. Hillebrand passed away on June 17, 1994, at the age of 67. However, her name and her mission will live on through the Ruth Hillebrand Clinical Skills Center at the Medical College of Ohio, which was named the beneficiary of a trust from Ms. Hillebrand’s estate.
The center will be officially dedicated during a ceremony on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Center for Creative Education Building on the MCO campus.
The Ruth Hillebrand Clinical Skills Center will ensure future doctors, nurses and other health professionals at MCO will continue to be trained as excellent diagnosticians who deliver empathetic, compassionate care.
A portrait honoring and recognizing Ms. Hillebrand will hang in the center.
At the Ruth Hillebrand Clinical Skills Center, students and health-care professionals are taught to interact with patients with care and compassion, and to provide an accurate diagnosis.
A key component of the center is the Standardized Patient Program. The Standardized Patient Program utilizes approximately 330 individuals ranging in age from 12 to 85, representing diverse educational backgrounds, socioeconomic status, racial and ethnic backgrounds and sexual orientation. Standardized Patients are trained to simulate symptoms of a variety of medical conditions. They are specifically prepared to present the medical history, physical symptoms and emotions of patients.
Housed in the newest building on the MCO campus – the hi-tech Center for Creative Education – the Ruth Hillebrand Clinical Skills Center will allow evaluators to observe students interacting with standardized patients via television monitors, as opposed to being in a room with them.
“Qualities such as listening carefully, noticing body language and showing empathy to patients has proven to be a very effective method of developing rapport with patients,” said Judy Riggle, director of the Ruth Hillebrand Clinical Skills Center “It’s exciting that Ms. Hillebrand had a passion for the development of interpersonal skills. We fit the bill perfectly.”
The center puts MCO ahead of many schools because beginning this year medical students are required to demonstrate mastery in interacting with standardized patients as part of their licensing requirements.
“This generous gift will allow MCO to remain in the forefront of educating students in communication and humanistic skills,” said Lawrence Burns, president of the MCO Foundation. “The program is one of the finest in the country and the Hillebrands have ensured that it will continue for decades to come.”
Originally from Toledo’s Old West End, Ms. Hillebrand attended St. Ursula Academy. She then earned an undergraduate degree in English from the University of Michigan and master’s degrees in library science and social work from Columbia University.
Ms. Hillebrand was also aware of the importance of interpersonal skills when dealing with patients because of her work as a clinical psychologist in Manhattan, where she specialized in treating anorexia and bulimia.
