You Make a Difference

Employees across Michigan Medicine continue to make a difference and inspire colleagues through their hard work and dedication. Each month, Headlines features a set of randomly selected submissions from the Making a Difference awards program that highlight our employees’ dedication to an organization core value.

The Making a Difference program aligns recognition with the organization’s core values. This is a great way to further demonstrate how our employees are living out the core values in the education, research and patient care settings.

This month, we look at all five Michigan Medicine core values: caring, integrity, innovation, inclusion and teamwork; and recognize the commitment of faculty, staff and learners to live these values in their daily work.

CARING

Angela Galvin, Department of Human Resources

Angela, you are always friendly and eager to help answer any questions that I have about payroll. You go above and beyond to help resolve any issues that arise. Because of your kind and approachable personality, I never hesitate to contact you which makes my job so much easier. Thanks for all you do, Angie!

Jehad Albataineh, M.D., Department of Anesthesiology

Jehad, thank you for your wonderful care of one of my patients in the CVC ICU who has had a difficult post-operative course but who is making slow, steady progress. The family has remarked to me on several occasions how much they appreciate that you listen to their concerns, that you examine the patient daily when you are on service, and that you genuinely care about the patient getting better. To a distressed family member, that is an incredible gift. Thank you for making a difference!

Pablo Garcia Salgado, Entrance Services

Pablo assisted me while trying to help a visitor with a language barrier. He is always pleasant to our patients! Thank you, Pablo, for your help. I know that you made her more at ease while she was going through a stressful situation.

Elaine Pomeranz, M.D., Emergency Department

Elaine deserves credit for taking great care of our son and also making sure we were comfortable and understood everything. Even during his procedure with plastic surgery, she expertly kept track of what was going on with my son and also kept me updated and reassured. I’m so grateful for everything!

Salvador Bombase, acute hemodialysis

Thank you for your discovery of an incorrect medication being stocked in the area. It is clear that you used the skill STAR (Stop, Think, Act and Review) and cross-checked, which led to catching the error that could have negatively impacted a patient. Thank you for providing excellent care!

INTEGRITY

Lori Taylor, finance

Lori’s attention to detail is excellent. She works hard to make sure her work is accurate by checking and double-checking her work, which is critical to a detail-oriented role. Thank you for all you do!

Francine Girard, acute hemodialysis

Thank you, Francine, for being an exceptional educator for our unit. You have given our unit 110%, and we see the difference. I just wanted to recognize your hard work. We see your dedication to new staff members, giving them their best shot at success in the unit!

INNOVATION

Corey Patterson, C&W, 8ECP

Corey is a great partner and leader for continuous improvement. He is always open to new ideas, as well as respectfully engaging staff and patients. Most of all he makes the work feel fun as well as valuable, and he always goes above and beyond with whatever we are doing. Thank you, Corey!

Tyler Jaycox, CVC Pharmacy Services

Tyler, thank you for all of your hard work and leadership triaging workflow concerns with the activation of BD IV Prep. You worked a very long day and displayed a positive attitude throughout. I was impressed with how you jumped right in to provide support to technicians at shift change. You also took time to write a very detailed and thoughtful summary of your experiences and recommendations to aid in further decision-making.

Janet Houghtby, Precision Health Initiative

I’m awed by the work Janet has done during the pandemic and finding innovative ways to continue recruitment during unprecedented turmoil. You are amazing!

Thomas Sobeck, nurse, C&W 10

Thomas, thank you for looking more at the chest tubes with me! Because of our assessment, we determined how best to set up the chest tubes and leadership is able to send out clarifying information to the rest of the unit. Thanks for being a great PCTU nurse!

INCLUSION

Andrew Weeden, Department of Radiology

For years, Andrew has come to pick up his patients in reception C. He is always lighthearted and the patients love him. When he returns them back to the area, he is always so helpful and makes sure they know how to get back to their car. He stops back to check several times a day behind our desks to say hi and make sure the clerks are doing well. We have appreciated his kindness and making us feel part of the team! Thank you!

John Herlocher, HITS

John, thank you for sharing some of your life history as part of the HITS My Story series.  Hearing key events about your past and your opinion on important issues related to your work in HITS was both very interesting and valuable. I appreciate your willingness to open up for the folks on the call. Great work!

Natalie Harmon, Ambulatory Pharmacy

Natalie, you are amazing and have the patience of a saint. I thank you for the endless questions you’ve endured and thank you for making me feel included in the specialty pharmacy family. It is really great being able to come to work and enjoy the people and atmosphere where you work everyday.

TEAMWORK

Amy Kruskie, Lindsey Self, Michele Kaminski, Occupational Health Services

This team went above and beyond to be sure that all of our patients were seen in a timely fashion during a significant increase in patient activity. They greeted each patient with kindness and empathy toward their situation. Great job!

Alvina Ayrapetova-Swidan, Brittanii Lyons, Jodi Forrester-Hutchins, Justen Lewis, Portia Bonner, Ruth Knoedler, Office for Health Equity and Inclusion

This group deserves kudos for caring for one another and the Michigan team with integrity, innovation and inclusive Teamwork!  The administrative support at OHEI is amazing! Thank you!

Making a Difference awards can be submitted through the Michigan Medicine recognition site. Click here to send your colleague or a group of colleagues an award, or send an e-card to recognize a work milestone, birthday or just to send a simple ‘thank you.’