They take patients to and from appointments, and help them get to their waiting transportation when going home. The Escort Team also delivers medical charts, reading materials and audio tapes, and does in-house patient errands like purchasing newspapers and cards. Helping the patients with their meals, offering light conversation, and helping the nursing staff with a wide variety of tasks makes for a satisfying and busy assignment.
Patients receive their game packet and instructions on their breakfast tray.
After the program, volunteers deliver prizes to the winners. Those who wish can learn to run the cash register and credit card machine and prepare items for sale. There is always merchandise straightening and restocking to do as well as a chance for lots of activity and conversation. A RT C ARE is a combined effort of the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and the C. Everett Koop Institute. The program brings a variety of talented artists, musicians, and other performers to work with and perform for patients.