Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) honoured staff, physicians and volunteers of the organization recently with the presentation of the Alliance Awards of Excellence and the Compassionate Caregiver Award of Distinction.
The most prestigious honours that a healthcare professional can earn at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, the Alliance Awards of Excellence are now in their 14th year, while the Compassionate Caregiver Award is now in its 11th year.
The Alliance Awards of Excellence recognizes staff, physicians, volunteers and teams who exemplify performance excellence within and beyond the healthcare environment.
The Compassionate Caregiver Award of Distinction honours an individual or team who exemplifies Patient and Family Centred Care and works to advance quality of care while demonstrating unconditional compassion and respect.
This year’s Awards were presented by Lori Marshall, President & CEO; Dr. Pervez Faruqi, Chief of Staff; members of CKHA’s Senior Leadership Team; and members of the Board of Directors.
“On behalf of staff, physicians and volunteers at CKHA, I am pleased to congratulate the nominees and recipients of this year’s Alliance Awards of Excellence and Compassionate Caregiver Award of Distinction,” stated Lori Marshall, President & CEO, CKHA, in a media release.
“These long-standing awards represent the continued excellence and compassion that our people exhibit in the delivery of high quality, Patient and Family Centred Care.”
Winners of the Alliance Award of Excellence and Compassionate Caregiver Award of Distinction are:
Vision Award: Dr. Mahmud Rajabalee, Chief and Program Medical Director of Medicine – Dr. Rajabalee has demonstrated CKHA’s Vision of Together, Growing a Healthier Community, through his leadership and commitment to improving care. As a physician leader, Dr. Rajabalee exhibits his commitment to patients and staff by participating in Program Council meetings, Critical Care Council Meetings and other urgent meetings as the need arises. He has worked with dedication to expand specialist clinics at Wallaceburg Site to include Internal Medicine, Respiralogy and Neurology. In everything he does at CKHA, Dr. Rajabalee considers what is best for the patients and families of Chatham and Rural-Kent and works to grow a healthier community.
Mission Award: Nancy Kay, Director, Quality, Risk, Professional Practice and Medical Affairs – Nancy has shown dedication and creativity in her pursuit of CKHA’s Mission, “One Team – Two Sites, Serving Chatham and Rural Kent.” Her commitment to developing and sustaining a culture of safety and quality improvement has been instrumental in engaging staff, physicians and volunteers in safety and quality improvement for our patients throughout the organization. Whether she is empowering a colleague to share their knowledge or joining huddles throughout CKHA’s two sites, her methods promote inclusivity and help to build a culture of teamwork at CKHA.
Values Award: Ellen MacDonald-Beacock, Speech Language Pathologist – Ellen is a Speech and Language Pathologist who exemplifies CKHA’s Values.A strong team player, Ellen works collaboratively within the patient care team and maintains a positive attitude that makes her a role model to those around her. As a patient advocate, she demonstrates accountability in working towards her patient’s goals with safe, compassionate and effective treatment while also being respectful of their decisions during treatment. With a focus on Patient and Family Centred Care, she embodies respect and excellence in everything she does. Ellen puts her best effort forward every day to provide excellent care to her patients and to make a positive impact in all of her interactions with peers, patients and families.
Team Award: Medication Reconciliation Team (Pharmacy Technicians: Sarah Cowley, Connie Newman, Pauline Quirion, Janice Patrick-Millyard, Pamela Seney, Lynda Wiebenga, Paula Coleman, Edie Pratt, Jamie Hanuszak, Jennifer Baxter, Natasha Fuller, Meaghan Meloche, Kim Plyley, Penny Jenkins, Alison Bowles, James Whiteye, Vanessa Gagen, and Pamela Smith) — The Medication Reconciliation Team is a group of pharmacy technicians who work together with patients, families, caregivers and physicians to ensure accurate, comprehensive medication information is communicated across transitions of care. At CKHA, these specialized pharmacy technicians work behind the scenes in ER, Medicine, Stroke and Chronic units to prevent medication errors before they ever happen. In only a few short months, the Medication Reconciliation Team caught and prevented potential errors that were likely to have resulted in patient harm. This proactive, comprehensive approach to medication reconciliation is invaluable in ensuring that CKHA continues to provide safe, quality care for our patients now and into the future.
Compassionate Caregiver Award of Distinction: Karen Millard, Registered Nurse, Palliative Care – Karen Millard has worked at CKHA as a registered nurse for more than 18 years. In 2015, Karen joined the Palliative Care Unit where her compassionate and caring nature helps patients, families and staff on a daily basis. With an ability to look past the illness and see the person, she makes patients and families feel respected and heard during the emotional end-of-life conversations she encounters every day. Her perceptive intuition puts patients and their families at ease as she provides support and meets them in the grieving process. Whether she is offering a listening ear or a caring touch, Karen’s compassion for patients and families is clear in everything she does.
This year’s recipients were selected from peer nominations by a panel of staff and past honourees. Awards were presented during CKHA’s Annual Recognition Banquet Thursday, November 15 at Club Lentina’s in Chatham.
