Volunteers are the heart of healthcare organizations, bringing energy, compassion, and time to help drive critical outcomes. Yet, the impact of volunteer services often varies depending on where it sits in the organizational chart. These differences shape not only the scope of responsibilities but also the value that volunteers can deliver to key mission metrics. For healthcare leaders, understanding and addressing these inconsistencies is critical to unlocking the full potential of volunteer programs.
A couple of years back, in 2023, the Beryl Institute published a white paper entitled ”The Human Experience Imperative: Practical insights for executives on organizational strategy, structure and impact" which underscored the importance of aligning structure with strategy in healthcare organizations. Just as experience leaders must be integrated into the organizational framework to influence outcomes, the placement of volunteer services must also be intentional.
This article explores how the location of volunteer services—whether under Philanthropy, Patient Experience, or Human Resources—affects priorities, performance, and potential. It also calls on the sector to embrace consistency in organizational placement to amplify the impact of healthcare volunteer programs.
The Program Placement Puzzle
Across hospitals, volunteer services typically fall under one of three primary areas: Foundation/Philanthropy, Patient Experience/Strategy, or Human Resources. While each placement reflects an institution’s priorities, it also shapes how volunteers contribute—and how their success is measured.
Foundation/Philanthropy: When housed within a hospital foundation, volunteer services are often aligned with fundraising, donor engagement, and retail operations such as gift shops. In this structure, volunteers become valuable ambassadors, enhancing visibility and supporting financial goals that sustain hospital initiatives.
Patient Experience/Strategy: In organizations where volunteer services report to patient experience or strategy teams, the focus shifts to direct engagement with patients and families. Volunteers play a key role in service delivery, impacting measures like HCAHPS scores and overall patient satisfaction. Their work is integrated into care models, reinforcing the hospital’s commitment to human-centered outcomes.
Human Resources: Some hospitals position volunteer services within HR, emphasizing workforce-related functions. In this model, volunteers may assist with employee wellness, recognition programs, or internal support roles. Here, their impact is often measured through operational efficiencies rather than direct patient or donor engagement.
This variability in placement can make it challenging to answer the million-dollar question: "What IS the core purpose of hospital volunteer services?"
What is the core purpose of hospital volunteer services? The reality is, it depends entirely on where they fall within the organizational chart.
What is the Core Purpose of Hospital Volunteer Services?
The answer often depends on where volunteer services sit within the organizational chart. A program under philanthropy will inevitably prioritize financial contributions, while one within patient experience is shaped by clinical and service-oriented outcomes. Yet, the broad value of volunteers extends beyond any single department’s scope.
This is why volunteer role alignment matters. Just as The Beryl Institute emphasizes the need for integrating experience structures into an organization’s strategy, volunteer services must also be positioned to maximize their impact. When placed strategically, volunteers contribute not only to department-specific goals but also to the hospital’s overarching mission—enhancing care, supporting staff, and strengthening community connections.
My Journey Through Healthcare Volunteer Program Strategy
Over my 16-year career in healthcare volunteer administration, I saw firsthand how the placement of volunteer services within the organizational structure shaped both strategy and outcomes. Each transition brought new priorities, influencing not just the volunteers’ roles but also how I, as a leader, aligned my efforts with hospital goals.
When I first stepped into the role, volunteer services were housed within the Foundation. Volunteers played a significant role in fundraising efforts, event support, and auxiliary operations. Their contributions were measured in financial impact—assisting with donor engagement and revenue-generating activities that sustained hospital programs.
A few years later, a leadership restructuring moved volunteer services under Strategy and Patient Experience. This shift fundamentally transformed the way volunteers contributed to the hospital. The focus expanded beyond fundraising to direct patient engagement—enhancing bedside interactions. During this time, we launched new programs that helped drive a significant turnaround in one California hospital's remarkable patient experience turnaround.
Later, another reorganization relocated volunteer services to Human Resources. The priorities shifted again, this time emphasizing compliance with annual requirements and supporting employee wellness initiatives. Volunteers still played an important role, but their contributions were framed within HR’s operational objectives rather than patient-centered outcomes.
These structural changes not only influenced volunteers’ responsibilities but also shaped my role as a leader. Each transition meant adapting to the priorities of the vice president to whom I reported. Under Patient Experience, volunteers were positioned as key contributors to care quality. Within Philanthropy, they were champions of revenue streams. And in HR, the metrics shifted toward those relating to key internal workforce initiatives.
This experience reinforced a fundamental truth echoed in The Beryl Institute’s publication, The Human Experience Imperative: “Experience leaders must be fully engaged in strategy development to ensure alignment with organizational priorities.” The same principle applies to volunteer services. Where these programs reside within an organization’s structure determines their ability to drive meaningful impact. Strategic placement isn’t just an operational decision—it’s a statement about the role of volunteers in advancing a hospital’s mission.
The Need for Consistency
For volunteers to contribute meaningfully to healthcare transformation, there must be greater consistency in how volunteer services are structured within hospital organizations. The way an institution integrates its experience-related initiatives is a strategic decision with broad-reaching implications—and volunteer services should be no exception.
Where volunteer programs reside in the organizational chart is more than a matter of operational efficiency—it fundamentally defines their purpose. Are volunteers positioned to enhance patient experience at the bedside? Are they primarily supporting philanthropy and fundraising efforts? Or are they focused on workforce-related initiatives? While volunteers may contribute across all these areas, one priority inevitably takes precedence.
Certainly, they may be engaged in all three, but only one can be the priority. This prioritization shapes everything—from the programs developed to the key metrics used to measure success. It also influences how the value of volunteer services is communicated across the organization.
Without a unified approach, hospitals risk underutilizing one of their most flexible and impactful resources. By strategically aligning volunteer services with the hospital’s broader mission, organizations can ensure volunteers are not just filling roles, but actively driving meaningful outcomes.
A Call to Action
It’s time for the healthcare sector to prioritize consistency in the placement of volunteer services. Standardizing where they fall within the organizational chart is a precursor to standardizing measurement and driving meaningful outcomes. A strategic approach ensures that volunteers are not just present in an organization but positioned to maximize their impact.
This isn’t to say volunteers can’t contribute across different areas—they absolutely can. But their ability to drive real change depends on clear alignment with organizational priorities. Volunteers reporting to a leader who prioritizes patient experience will naturally focus on bedside care, while those reporting to philanthropy leaders will focus on fundraising efforts.
By strategically aligning volunteer services with the hospital’s broader mission, organizations can ensure volunteers are not just filling roles, but actively driving meaningful outcomes. Standardizing placement isn’t about restricting flexibility—it’s about elevating volunteer services as a strategic asset, fully integrated into the organization’s mission.
Summary
Volunteer services are a critical touchpoint in healthcare’s human experience, influencing patient outcomes, workforce engagement, and even financial viability. Yet their impact is shaped by how they are viewed within the organization. Placing them under the wrong department—or shifting their focus too frequently—limits their potential to drive meaningful change.
As we look to the future, healthcare leaders must apply a strategy lens to volunteer services programs, ensuring they are positioned where they can create the most impact. Just as “The Human Experience Imperative” calls for experience leaders to be integrated into strategy and culture, we must do the same for those who lead volunteer services.
Volunteers are more than just contributors—they are catalysts for transformation. Let’s align their roles with organizational priorities, standardize their placement, and empower them to make a lasting difference.
Roseanna Galindo is Principal at Periscope Business Process Analysis, specializing in organizational learning and development. She is dedicated to advancing data literacy, enhancing healthcare experiences, and empowering volunteer leaders.
Explore Roseanna’s expertise and insights on her blog, The Periscope Insighter, starting with the opening post, "Venn the Time is Right."
Roseanna offers a range of professional development services, including training workshops, keynote speaking, and executive coaching.
Visit PeriscopeBPA.com for more information or click on the button below to schedule a time to talk
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