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ICARE Award

The ICARE Award is for employees and physicians who demonstrate the core values of 开云全站app下载, display a job performance that goes above and beyond expected performance, exhibit a patient-first mentality, are motivated and strive for excellence, contribute to the positive culture in the department and organization, and have made a difference in the life of a patient, visitor, or peer. Click here to submit a CARE Award nomination.

April 2025

Michael Lee & Simmeon Strong

Submitted by: Jerome Streety  
The security department wants to thank and congratulate both Simmeon Strong and Michael Lee for saving a patient's life.

In the early morning hours one day, security was dispatched to assist with a patient. The patient was given medication by the ED nursing staff to help relax. Security stood by with the patient until the medication began to work. An intuition or gut feeling must have kicked in because security decided to stay longer to ensure the patient responded appropriately to the medication. Shortly after, security officers Simmeon Strong and Michael Lee noticed the patient was not breathing. Concerned and worried, they both checked with each other for verification, and concluded the patient had stopped breathing. Immediately they informed the ED nursing staff and came over to check on the patient. The nursing staff verified the patient had stopped breathing and did not have a pulse. The nursing staff immediately started CPR and several minutes later, the patient was stabilized.

Again, a big THANK YOU AND A JOB WELL DONE on saving this patient's life! It is not every day that incidents like this happen, but when they do, it's our compassion and our professionalism that make us who we are!

Lori Christopher

Submitted by: Chunghee Lee, RN & Gina Lee Choi, MD  
I am honored to nominate Lori for her exceptional dedication, problem-solving skills, and commitment to patient care.

Recently, one of our Family Medicine doctors had a patient needing urgent evaluation by the neurology team. When I asked our charge nurse who to contact, she immediately pointed to Lori. Lori quickly took charge, using her expertise to navigate the situation. Instead of just advising us to contact Bed Control, she proactively reached out herself. When she learned the hospital was at full capacity, she escalated the case to neuroscience clinic leadership.

Lori didn’t stop there. She contacted the MS specialist for guidance on the workup and ensured the Referral Coordinator in Family Medicine had all necessary authorizations in place to avoid delays. She coordinated with Radiology to expedite the patient’s imaging and secured approval for the patient to be scheduled the following week.

Understanding the importance of continuity, Lori reviewed the lumbar puncture clinic’s coverage and confirmed the patient had adequate family support to attend appointments. She even reached out to the Department Head’s nurse for approval to add the procedure to the schedule.

Lori’s proactive efforts ensured the patient received timely, coordinated care. Her ability to anticipate needs, collaborate across departments, and go above and beyond embodies the core values of 开云全站app下载—Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence. She is a true asset to her team and to 开云全站app下载.

Feb 2025

Dr. Samuel Wainwright

Submitted by: Laura Ansilio  
The inpatient therapy team would like to recognize Dr. Sam Wainwright as a steadfast patient advocate and a role model in collaboration and ICARE values.

If you’ve worked with Dr. Wainwright, you’ve experienced the energy and passion he brings to patient care. He treats all team members with respect, regularly thanking them for their partnership, offering help in tough situations, and celebrating their successes. He paints a clear picture of his patients, ensures the necessary consultants are involved, and communicates promptly about their needs and plans.

Here are a few examples of Dr. Wainwright’s persistent patient advocacy:

• A patient admitted from a nursing home under a state-appointed guardian was determined by Dr. Wainwright to be cognitively intact and capable of decision-making. He worked with the family and facilitated a formal appeal of the guardianship, allowing the patient to return home.
• Dr. Wainwright was the attending for a patient post-amputation with significant medical history, including contractures. He collaborated with the therapy team and PM&R to optimize care and support the patient’s goal of independence.
• On multiple occasions, he’s been seen answering patient alarms or call lights while walking down the hall, always willing to assist with any task, even outside his own patient load.
• When a patient and their son refused SAR, Dr. Wainwright facilitated communication between the patient, family, and facility to ensure the patient’s safe discharge and placement.
• In a complex discharge involving an uninsured patient, Dr. Wainwright was in constant communication with the therapy team to find a solution that would allow the patient to go home safely.

The rehab department greatly appreciates Dr. Wainwright’s dedication to patient care, collaboration, and advocacy. We have immense respect for him and believe he truly deserves recognition.

Jan 2025

Tom Guerrero

Submitted by: Kristina Skare  
I brought a challenging, time-sensitive problem to Tom, on an early Monday morning. It was a problem that several people had been trying to solve that morning, without any luck. I called Tom, just hoping that he might have a potential answer and he had a solution within (not an exaggeration) 12 minutes. Tom had the solution that no one else had.

Is Tom Guerrero a super hero? Let's examine this.

Super heroes face challenges and lean into the adversity. I can bring what seems like the most challenging problem to Tom and he smiles and lifts the issue onto his shoulder to carry it to the end result. Super heroes inspire others and lead by example to build unity through their actions. Tom allows staff, managers, anyone to contact him personally and treats them as if their issue is the most important on his list for the day. Super heroes possess remarkable problem-solving skills. I have never met a problem that Tom can't solve or help to find a resource to solve. Super heroes have an unwavering commitment to their cause. Tom will never tell you that it's not his job, that it's beneath him, or that he can't do it. I don't think that Tom even has the word "can't" in his vocabulary.

Super heroes are show strength, they lead, they create, and they excel. So does Tom Guerrero.

Dec 2024

Cherry Joy Ayala

Submitted by: Ula Budz  
Cherry consistently goes above and beyond in her care for patients, demonstrating exceptional clinical skills and a deep commitment to patient well-being. I recently witnessed this firsthand when she was caring for a patient who was not her assigned patient, assisting them in the bathroom. The amount of empathy and care coming from Cherry is just palpable. 

Cherry is not just a skilled nurse, but a mentor and inspiration to others. Her dedication to providing holistic care is truly inspiring. As she spends much more time at the bedside, I often seek her opinion on patient needs. Her commitment to her patients is unwavering and serves as a constant inspiration to me.

Cherry is a true asset to our small but mighty CDU team. She is not only an incredibly skilled and knowledgeable nurse, but she is also a joy to work with (Truly living up to her name, Cherry Joy - sweet and happy). Her positive attitude and genuine compassion are contagious, and she always goes the extra mile to ensure that not only her patients feel cared for but also the rest of the team, including the nurse practitioners. She is a shining example of what it means to be an extraordinary nurse.

If I were ever to be admitted to the hospital, I can't think of a nurse I'd rather have than Cherry. Her care and compassion are truly exceptional.

Erin O’Donnell

Submitted by: Kristina Skare  
There is something that is heroic about kindness. If kindness is heroic, Erin O'Donnell is the Superwoman of our department. One day, we had a patient who has experienced failing health with a chronic condition and who had a medical exacerbation during their therapy session. Erin recognized the mildest of symptoms, took action, and identified the need for further care. These kinds of events can feel distressing to the health care provider, as well, but Erin remained focused on the patient throughout the remainder of the day, even well past her scheduled work hours. This isn't the first time that I've seen Erin care deeply for her patient nor the first time that I've seen Erin go beyond the call of duty to follow-up with a patient. Health care is scientific, and it takes people to make it human. Erin brings humanity and scientific knowledge together in a way that is absolutely touching.  

Maria Perez

Submitted by: Mathew Ajjarapu  
Maria works in the I.S. department, where it’s common to tackle issues across multiple Epic modules and workflows. Often, these involve areas we may not fully understand. For instance, someone in Inpatient Pharmacy may be an expert in drug ordering but might not know how drugs are used in the O.R. or a clinic. This creates challenges in our hospital and clinics, as Epic analysts may not always fully test workflows or grasp all end-user implications. When changes are released into the live environment, nurses, doctors, and other staff might face confusion or frustration if we miss something.  

I’m nominating Maria because she consistently works to avoid these issues. She focuses on complex procedural workflows, like in the GI Lab and Endoscopy, which many people aren’t familiar with. While the ED workflow might be simple, it’s much more complicated when patients undergo procedures and move between different bed assignments. I’ve worked on issues involving this, and Maria has always been incredibly helpful, patient, and generous with her time. She explains things clearly, even creating educational materials that we’ve used to help end-users better navigate Epic—whether that’s attending physicians who don’t often use Epic or people like me who still have plenty to learn.

In short, Maria is awesome. Her patience, knowledge, experience, ample explanations, and kindness are really appreciated, and her helping us test and deploy workflows that are better designed / better understood / better explained really go a long way in helping Epic run smoother for patients and providers alike. Seriously, if you knew how hard working in I.T./Epic can be sometimes... having someone like Maria explain everything so you don't mess it up is always appreciated.

Tammy Lee

Submitted by: Laura Ansilio  
Tammy is the type of provider I would trust to care for my own family. She demonstrates excellence every day, and two recent examples of her exceptional patient care truly stand out.  

One example involves a patient with frequent readmissions due to wounds, infections, no insurance, and poor mobility, nearly bed-bound. Tammy noticed the patient’s anxiety about discharge and created a safe space for him to express his concerns, many of which he hadn’t shared with anyone else. She coordinated with me and the care team to explore any further services. When it became clear there was no more medical intervention to offer, Tammy and her OT counterpart, Hannah, worked closely with the patient and his family. They educated them on home adaptations for mobility, self-care, and preventing pressure injuries, while also providing adaptive equipment to help the patient eat and drink independently when care was unavailable.

Another example is a patient who underwent same-day surgery at the SCB. The plan was for the patient to return home post-op, but the patient, now non-weightbearing on one leg, was unaware of the significant lifestyle changes this would cause. Tammy spent extra time with her, providing detailed instructions on mobility, self-care, and daily life with this new restriction. When it became clear no one had addressed the patient’s post-op DME and home care needs, Tammy took proactive steps, persistently communicating with discharge planning to ensure the patient had the necessary orders for a safe transition home.

We are incredibly grateful for Tammy’s persistence and meticulous care. She ensures no issue goes unaddressed, keeps leadership involved, and is an integral part of our problem-solving team.

Vivian Barbosa

Submitted by: Jennifer Stenger and Amy Nagel  
One day a patient arrived with her mother and young sibling for a PT initial evaluation. The mother expressed that it is too difficult to bring her daughter to UIH from where she lives and wished she could go somewhere closer to home. She stated she called places her insurance stated she could go to but when she would call the clinics would tell her that they don’t take her insurance. I looked at what insurance she had and there should be options for her closer to home. I asked Vivian for any advice she could provide. She came into the room to speak to the mother and asked her to email her the list of places her insurance stated she could go to. Vivian then told us that she would compile a list of places that would be close to their home that her insurance would be accepted by and will call the patient with her findings. The mother was very grateful for the help. This is just one example of Vivian going above and beyond, for patients as well as co-workers.

Vivian routinely goes above and beyond to assist her colleagues and patients far beyond what is expected of her. She takes pride in helping other people and sharing her vast insurance knowledge. Vivian is a true asset to our department. She also puts a lot of time and effort into the appreciation celebrations we have in our department including food contributions at potlucks to embroidering personalized bags for staff. Vivian routinely goes above and beyond to assist her colleagues and patients far beyond what is expected of her. She takes pride in helping other people and sharing her vast insurance knowledge. Vivian is a true asset to our department. She also puts a lot of time and effort into the appreciation celebrations we have in our department including food contributions at potlucks to embroidering personalized bags for staff.