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CHA Recognizes Healthcare Heroes Across State
June 14, 2024
The Adult Kidney Transplant Program at Hartford Hospital received the 2024 John D. Thompson Award from the Connecticut Hospital Association. This award honors the contributions made by John D. Thompson to healthcare administration and patient care quality during his career. The team was recognized for finding a way to improve and save lives by increasing the number of patients who receive transplants.
The hospital association also recognized individuals from each HHC region as healthcare heroes, celebrated for their contributions to their fields and to the communities. Among the honorees was Bill Hoey, who died in February. His contributions to the Fairfield Region were recognized posthumously.
We appreciate their hard work and dedication they bring to our hospitals every day.
Kelly Walsh, Director of Public Safety and Emergency Management, Central Region, Hospital of Central Connecticut. Since starting her public safety director career in the Central Region of Hartford Healthcare in early 2022, Kelly Walsh has implemented programmatic changes that allow staff and patients to feel safe providing and receiving care in our space. Kelly revitalized community outreach meetings to include all local law enforcement leadership, EMS, and fire departments. Through these partnerships, Kelly kicked off HHC live Active Shooter drills at both HOCC and Midstate Medical Center. Kelly has also implemented security canine programs at both hospitals, factoring in the need for not only safety but therapy dogs as well. As part of this program, the dogs and handlers are trained to work within the healthcare space to ensure safety for visitors, staff and patients as well as to provide a calming presence in what can sometimes be traumatic spaces. In an ever-changing world where illness and violence are both becoming increasingly complex and volatile, safety and security are at the forefront of healing in healthcare. Kelly has demonstrated the impact of this as our Healthcare Hero.
Matt Tichauer, MD, MidState Medical Center Director, Emergency Critical Care, Hartford Hospital Fellowship Director, Emergency Critical Care & Resuscitation. In his nearly nine years with Hartford HealthCare, Dr. Tichauer has seen a lot of patients who didn’t have the smoothest post-op experience. But perhaps one of the most memorable is an elderly male patient who experienced an unusual complication from anesthesia. This complication has a high mortality rate. With minute-to-minute changes in his vital signs, the patient required one-to-one care. Dr. Tichauer and the nursing team spent the first six hours after surgery at this patient’s side. Understanding the complexity of what was happening, Dr. Tichauer arranged a transfer to another hospital for more intensive monitoring. He followed the ambulance and provided an in-person handoff at the bedside to a second ICU physician. But that case still wasn’t over for Dr. Tichauer. He continued to follow the patient closely and kept the family updated. It was a long five days, but the patient is expected to make a full recovery.
Lisa DeCarlo, APRN, Preventative Medicine, Windham Hospital. The East Region Preventative Medicine team of Lisa DeCarlo and Barbara Sinko, LMSW, Backus Hospital, have made a huge difference in the eastern Connecticut community with some of the most challenging patients. By identifying patients at high risk for readmission and poor health outcomes through a series of criteria and subsequent interventions, their work reduced the number of patients coming back to the Emergency Departments or being admitted to the hospital.
These results included a 54% decrease of total inpatient/observation encounters, a 63% decrease in total inpatient/observation hospital days and a 28% decrease in average length of stay. The emergency department saw a 39% decrease for inpatient and ED multi-visit patients program.
Last year, they were chosen to present a poster they developed titled “APRN Led Preventative Medicine Team Improves Health Outcomes and Reduces Hospital Utilization for a High-Risk Population” at the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Conference.
Barbara Sinko, LMSW, Preventative Medicine, Backus Hospital. The East Region Preventative Medicine team of Barbara Sinko, and Lisa DeCarlo, APRN, Windham Hospital, have made a huge difference in the eastern Connecticut community with some of the most challenging patients. By identifying patients at high risk for readmission and poor health outcomes through a series of criteria and subsequent interventions, their work reduced the number of patients coming back to the Emergency Departments or being admitted to the hospital. These results included a 54% decrease of total inpatient/observation encounters, a 63% decrease in total inpatient/observation hospital days and a 28% decrease in average length of stay. The emergency department saw a 39% decrease for inpatient and ED multi-visit patients program. Last year, they were chosen to present a poster they developed titled “APRN Led Preventative Medicine Team Improves Health Outcomes and Reduces Hospital Utilization for a High-Risk Population” at the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Conference.
Olufunmilayo Falade, MD, chief of Critical Care, St. Vincent’s Medical Center. Dr. Falade is a natural leader with proven expertise in managing a large, closed medical-surgical intensive care unit. Dr. Falade (Funmi) stepped up to this role during the COVID-19 pandemic. For many at the medical center, and across the greater Bridgeport community, her leadership during the pandemic stands out as a concrete example of how much of a hero she really is. She tirelessly sacrificed personal protection and precious time with her young family during the lockdown to prepare the ICU for the impending surge early on. She remained a stalwart presence in the hospital, at all hours of the day and night, constantly assessing the ICU’s needs and looking for intrepid solutions while dealing with the unknown. Recruiting and organizing provider staffing to help deal with the overwhelming work during the pandemic was no small task, but Dr. Falade rose to the occasion and created unique solutions that assured everyone was cared for and the staff was supported. Since 2020, Dr. Falade has continued to have an incredible impact on the medical center and the Hartford HealthCare system through her strong leadership as the chair of Hartford HealthCare’s critical care council. She is also actively engaged with our local and regional diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) initiatives that support awareness and community engagement. Dr. Falade also is a leader in medical education. She serves as an academic and clinical mentor for the internal medicine residents and Quinnipiac University’s medical school students. Most recently, she was selected to receive the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award for 2024. It is Dr. Falade’s natural instinct to go above and beyond, the consistent and highly professional, compassionate care for her patients and colleagues alike that makes her our healthcare hero.
Eugenia (Ginny) Soucie, Clinical Leader RN, Hartford Hospital. Ginny Soucie, a registered nurse and clinical leader in the Hartford Hospital Emergency Department, arrives at work every day with a genuine commitment to excellence. Not only is she known for her compassion, mentoring, and ability to bring people together, but she also has a track record of improving patient care through implementing new processes, especially through collaboration among different disciplines.
Ginny recently facilitated several initiatives to benefit patients in the Emergency Department. To improve patient experience, she partnered with the nursing leadership team to develop an extension of the existing welcome ambassador role. The welcome ambassador works in partnership with the first nurse, triage nurses, PCAs, and comfort associates to ensure a safe and comfortable environment in the triage and waiting room area.
Another initiative, this time from the ED Operational Optimization Workgroup, involved developing a “team triage” model where a nurse and APP partner evaluate the patient together upon arrival, facilitating faster assessment, testing and treatment.
This past year she also formed the ED Workplace Organization Committee, in which colleagues review workflows and equipment in the department to streamline more efficient processes while also reducing unnecessary supplies. This committee involves many different members of the ED team, including nurses, equipment aides, and PCAs. With the fast-paced, unpredictable nature of the ED, maintaining a consistent environment of care is critical – and the committee works to ease this, while improving workflows and reducing supply waste.
All of these initiatives have contributed to increased efficiency in throughput, reduced “left without being seen” rates, and improved patient experience.
Barbara Poirier, catering associate, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. Barbara Poirier knows that every aspect of a hospital visit leaves an impression – even if it’s as simple as a warm smile with a hot cup of coffee.
As a catering associate in the Charlotte Hungerford Hospital cafeteria, patients and colleagues alike stopping in for breakfast or lunch have probably been greeted by Barbara and her genuine kindness at the register. She knows nearly every employee’s name – and she makes sure to address everyone personally for that extra sense of community.
Barbara’s positive attitude has brightened countless days as she makes everyone in the café feel welcome and at ease. But Barbara’s involvement doesn’t stop there. Always interested in recognizing others and bringing people together, she also suggested the hospital recognize national health observances by wearing the color of the recognition that day. Now, colleagues at CHH have an opportunity to wear certain colors to promote awareness about diseases.
Barbara is truly an inspirational colleague who always helps others feel their best by truly taking an interest in what matters most to them.
The CHA Awards also paid tribute to William (Bill) Hoey, who served as vice president of mission services at St. Vincent’s Medical Center from 2012 until his death in February 2024. Deeply rooted in his faith, Bill developed strong ties to the community of Bridgeport. Throughout his time at St. Vincent’s, he would play a pivotal role in many efforts, including the House of Hope, Swim Across the Sound and The Hope Dispensary, while also volunteering his time to programs such as Hartford HealthCare’s Medical Mission.
In addition to his tireless work supporting St. Vincent’s Catholic mission and serving our neighbors in need, Bill also co-led the Health Improvement Alliance, a coalition formed to address the health needs of the greater Bridgeport community, and served as a role model for collaboration across the region.
During the pandemic, Bill’s unique connection with faith leaders throughout the community greatly enhanced access to vaccinations, helping to keep parishioners safe and healthy. Their trust and faith in Bill was just one more example on the positive impact he had during a time of great uncertainty.
As a colleague, Bill was a bright light throughout St. Vincent’s and the region. Whether offering formal blessings and opening prayers during joyous ribbon-cutting ceremonies, or providing solace in more troubling times, his presence was a source of comfort and inspiration. With his passing, Bill gives us his final gift: Those of us who knew him can share his memory and his mission with those who did not. Bill has left us with his personal blueprint to continue his good work and strive to touch the lives of others.