Become a PSC volunteer
If you are interested in volunteering for this program, please email the PSC Coordinator at patient.support.corps@hitchcock.org or call 603-653-3517.
Medical visits can often feel overwhelming. Our Patient Support Corps (PSC) volunteers at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) can help you feel more prepared for your appointment so you can focus on what is most important.
Note: Currently, this service is available only at DHMC in Lebanon, New Hampshire.
PSC provides valuable experience for students interested in a healthcare career and our community volunteers looking for new and meaningful ways to help patients.
"I felt heard. The ability to express my questions helped me feel in control of my choices."
Patient
PSC volunteers are trained in and follow the same patient confidentiality and privacy policies as all Dartmouth Health employees.
"The Patient Support Corps has deepened my understanding of health care, introduced me to such a diverse group of individuals, and solidified my determination to dedicate my career to helping others."
Patient Support Corps volunteer
Services
We provide the following services free of charge:
- Question list preparation: To help you and your provider be more prepared for your visit, a PSC volunteer will work with you to come up with a list of your questions and concerns. The day before your appointment, the question list will be sent to your provider for them to review. You can also bring a copy to your visit to remember to ask all your questions.
- Appointment support and note-taking: To help you remember the details of your visit, a PSC volunteer will go with you, take notes and take an audio recording (with your provider’s permission). Your volunteer will provide you with the notes after your visit.
"I believe the Patient Support Corps is a very positive experience for the patients. It has never caused a delay in the flow of my clinic and in fact, has made the visits more productive and focused. More importantly, it helps bring to the forefront the patients’ concerns so that they are appropriately addressed at the visit."
DHMC provider
How to reach us
Would you like a Patient Support Corps volunteer to help you with an upcoming appointment? Please email patient.support.corps@hitchcock.org or call 603-653-3517.
Our numbers
- 2011 – The year Patient Support Corps was established at DHMC in Lebanon, NH.
- 3,400 – The number of patients assisted through the PSC program since its start.
- 35 – The number of DHMC departments utilizing PSC.
- 200 – The number of volunteers for PSC since its start.
"I have so much praise for this program - it was the best I have ever had at any hospital"
Patient