DERBY, CT (May 12, 2011) – Kim Hall, senior applications coordinator, Information Services, and Wes Valentine, RN, Evening Supervisor, Emergency Department, will share honors as the 2011-12 “Employees of the Year.” The staff of the Center for Cancer Care/Radiation Oncology, was named “Department of the Year” at Griffin Hospital’s annual Employee Recognition ceremony, held May 11 at the Crowne Plaza in Southbury.
Griffin Hospital CEO and President Patrick Charmel and Medical Staff President Paul Nussbaum, M.D. made the award announcements at the event, held each year during National Hospital Week, which recognizes employees and physicians for years of service and for outstanding performance.
In announcing the awards, Charmel cited the Employee of the Year recipients for their “dedication to Griffin Hospital, its mission, and the Planetree philosophy of care.” The Center for Cancer Care/Radiation Oncology Department, Charmel said, “have distinguished themselves as a truly talented, dedicated team who are totally committed to providing patient-centered care. The overall satisfaction scores for patients utilizing the Center for Cancer Care/Radiation Oncology Department have been 100% for each of the last three quarters,” Charmel said.
In addition to the employee and department of the year winners, 169 employees and physicians were recognized for five-year milestones at the event. Topping the list of service award recipients were: Sharon Staffieri, Laboratory, 45 years; Barbara Fiore, RN, Nursing, 40 years; and William Kelleher, Food Services, and Janice Misiewicz, Nursing, both with 40 years. Physicians Kenneth J. Dobuler, MD, Stephen Schmidt, MD, and Carlos Schweitzer, MD – each with 30 years of service to the hospital’s medical staff – led the list of physician recipients.
The hospital’s Employee of the Year selections come from its monthly ITIP (I Take It Personally) program, in which employees are nominated by fellow employees for the honor. Each month, four employees are selected on the basis of attitude, behavior, accountability and personal appearance, one in each of four categories: Ancillary, Nursing, Service and Support. Of these employees, four are selected as finalists for the honor of “Employee of the Year.” In addition to Hall and Valentine, finalists were Liz Alshuk, from Nursing, and William Freiheit, from the Engineering Department.
Four hospital departments also are honored annually as “Department of the Quarter”, with one selected as “Department of the Year”. In addition to the Center for Cancer Care/Radiation Oncology, Department of the Quarter winners were PSCI (Patient Safety and Care Improvement), the One North Nursing Unit, and the Revenue Cycle Team, which consists of employees that work together across numerous departments.
In addition to these awards, several people were honored previous day at the May 10 Griffin Hospital Nurses Day celebration, including: The Physician of the Year, given to Kenneth Schwartz., MD; The Marie Santini Perioperatice Nursing Excellence Award, given to Nancy Payne, RN; The Richard Stivala, MD, Obstetric Nursing Excellence Award, given to Claire Sauve, RN; The Mary Schumacher Leadership Award, given to Kim Viadero, RN; The Mary Nelligan Award for Continuing Education, given to Daniel Hendrickson, RN; The Donald Torok Memorial Scholarship, given to Stephanie Magill, RN; The Outstanding Nurse of the Year, given to Wesley Valentine, RN; and seven Shirley Yale Scholarships, given to Tiffany Chrostowski, RN; Ann Marie Saranich, RN, Kelly Egan, RN, Bonnie Halligan, RN, Daniel Hendrickson, RN, Mary Gentle, RN, and Pamela Manor, RN.