At the Press Ganey HX (Human Experience) Conference, Compass Healthcare celebrated several patient experience leaders who were recognized with honors. These awards highlight professionals who are making a meaningful impact on how patients and families experience care. Through collaboration, innovation, and a deep commitment to service, these leaders are helping drive better outcomes for patients and healthcare teams alike.
Jenna Derechailo, CPXP, Patient Experience Manager at Ocean University Medical Center, received the National Patient Experience Manager (PEM) of the Year Award. For Jenna, the recognition reflects the collective work of many dedicated colleagues.
“Professionally, this recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects the collaborative work of so many dedicated team members and managers within our hospital who are committed to improving the patient experience,” she shared. “Personally, it’s a proud moment knowing that our collective work has positively shaped the experiences of patients and families during some of their most vulnerable moments.”
Jenna credits much of her team’s 2025 success to a strong focus on rounding, service recovery, and real-time feedback. A new patient experience audit strategy, Visitation Round-Up, helped create space for open dialogue about trends, opportunities, and successes. She also emphasized that the team’s willingness to embrace change and lean into one another’s strengths played a key role in driving results.
Eric King, CPXP, Senior Regional Experience Director for Compass Healthcare’s West-Central Region, was honored with the National Regional Patient Experience Director of the Year Award. Eric says the recognition reflects the strength of the Compass Healthcare patient experience team and the partnerships built across client organizations.
“I am truly honored to be recognized, especially with such an exceptional patient experience team at Compass Healthcare,” Eric said. “The relationships we build and nurture each day are integral to my success in this role.”
For Eric, success in 2025 came down to being present for teams and partners whether that meant helping solve challenges, supporting operators, or stepping in wherever needed to ensure patients and staff feel heard and supported. Looking ahead, he plans to continue serving as a resource for teams working to strengthen their patient experience strategies and drive meaningful results.
Ejay Roy, System Patient Experience Manager with Sentara Healthcare and Morrison Healthcare, received the National System Patient Experience Manager of the Year Award. Ejay said the recognition affirmed the impact of the work he and his team have done across the system.
“At first, I questioned how I was selected for this award, but reflecting on the hard work, dedication, and impact I’ve had across the system, I realize that this recognition is well deserved,” he said.
Ejay points to strong communication and being consistently present for his teams as key factors in 2025. During the year, he supported multiple hospitals through the rollout of new programs, including myDining, MyDelivery, and myMeal, as well as a new menu initiative. Ensuring leaders had the support they needed during implementation helped build trust and momentum across the system.
Looking ahead, Ejay plans to deepen partnerships with hospital patient experience teams and continue sharing training insights and best practices with onsite leaders. He also found inspiration at the Press Ganey conference itself, where he connected with peers and gained ideas around strengthening nursing partnerships, using simulation training, and reinforcing empathy in the patient experience journey.
Looking Ahead
The achievements of these leaders reflect Compass Healthcare’s broader commitment to advancing patient experience through partnership, innovation, and service excellence. As these professionals continue building on their success in 2026 and beyond, their work will help ensure that compassionate, patient-centered care remains at the heart of every healthcare interaction.