Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center Presents 2006 Caring With Excellence Awards

1/25/2007

Awardees Exhibit Commitment to Heal, Care, Comfort and Serve

Recipients of Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center’s 2006 Caring With Excellence Award show off their awards during ceremonies in the hospital’s J. Joseph Moakley Center. Left to right standing are John Johnsen, Providence, R.I., Special Caring With Excellence Award; Richard McArdle, MD, North Easton, Physician Award; David Walsh, EMT, South Easton, Allied Health Professional Award; Stephen Chase, MD, Nantucket, Physician Service Medal; Richard Samaha, MD, Hingham, Physician Service Medal, Benjamin Cooley, MD, Sharon, Physician Service Medal; and Mary Pelaggi-Scahill, RN, Bridgewater, Nurse Award. Seated left to right are: Stephanie LaCivita, Stoughton, Special Caring With Excellence Award; Elaine Reiser, Sharon, Community Member Award; Louisa Hines, RN, West Bridgewater, Community Member Award; Susan Sullivan, RN, Raynham, Nurse Award, and Susan Costa, Taunton, Allied Health Professional Award.

The 2006 Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center Caring With Excellence Award recipients received their awards Jan. 18 in the hospital’s J. Joseph Moakley Conference Center during ceremonies where presenters explained why each honoree was so deserving of recognition. Recipients range from a nurse who started practicing in 1945, to a physician who has been serving local residents for 43 years, to the director of food and nutrition, who has been with the hospital for just five years.

All of the recipients, according hospital president John Holiver were recognized “for how they approach their vocations with zeal, sincerity and commitment. With their individual leadership and our combined efforts, we will continue to work to make this medical center one of the best hospitals in the country, with a reputation for its superlative staff and quality of care well above all others.”

Caritas Good Samaritan board member and former chairman John Kelleher welcomed recipients and guests on behalf of the board and said, “Tonight, we have the special pleasure of recognizing our very own – physicians, nurses, allied health professionals and community members – who go the extra mile. These individuals demonstrate the very best about the health care profession and what it means to have the distinction of ‘Caring With Excellence.’”

The Caring With Excellence Awards are presented to individuals who have the respect of their colleagues, thrive in their profession, make a profound impact on others and demonstrate every day a commitment to the hospital’s mission to heal, care, comfort and serve, said Caring With Excellence selection committee chairman Scott Stewart, MD, the hospital’s vice president for medical management. “A committee of peers selects the award recipients from more than 50 nominations each year,” he said, “and once again, the committee had the difficult task of selecting this year’s recipients from many impressive candidates.”

Dr. Stewart presented Caring With Excellence physician service medals to several physicians who have retired or resigned after 20 or more years of service. “These physicians have left an important legacy of healing in our community,” he said.

Physician service medal recipients and their years of service are: Stephen Chase, MD, Nantucket, emergency medicine, 30 years; Benjamin Cooley, MD, Sharon, internist, 34 years; Richard Samaha, MD, Hingham, oncologist, 32 years; Sin Choo, MD, Stoughton, neurosurgeon, 21 years; Ulku Erkan, MD, Lexington, pediatrician, 33 years; Stanley Mazurkie, MD, Easton, internist, 43 years; and Frederick Ng, MD, Stoughotn, gastroenterologist, 32 years.

Caring With Excellence Award honorees for 2006 are: Richard B. McArdle, MD, North Easton – Physician Award; Mary G. Pelaggi-Scahill, RN, Bridgewater – Nurse Award; Susan Sullivan, RN, Raynham – Nurse Award; Susan M. Costa, Taunton – Allied Health Professional Award; David A. Walsh, EMT, South Easton – Allied Health Professional Award; Louisa G. Hines, RN, West Bridgewater – Community Member Award; Elaine H. Reiser, Sharon – Community Member Award; John J. Johnsen, Providence, RI – Special Caring with Excellence Award; Stephanie A. LaCivita, Stoughton – Special Caring with Excellence Award.

In presenting Dr. McArdle with his award, Vincent Iacono, MD, said, “Dr. McArdle’s dedication to excellence and caring for patients is unsurpassed. He has a keen intellect, tremendous drive and insurmountable compassion towards his patients. The Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center and the entire Brockton community are fortunate to have him practice urology at the highest level of excellence.”

As a nurse in the hospital’s same-day surgery center, award recipient Pelaggi-Scahill was praised by staff members for providing stability to an extremely fast paced, challenging outpatient department. She started working at the hospital 30 years ago as a medical laboratory technician and attended nursing school full time while working nights and raising four children as a single mom. Her staff recognizes her as practicing with clinical excellence, acting as a teacher to patients and staff, maintaining caring professional relationships with patients, collaborating with physicians and providing statistical data to support and validate outpatient department nursing care.

Joanne O’Donnell, RN, BS, the hospital’s 3A medical/surgical unit patient care director, nominated Sullivan for her award. “After 36 years, she provides the glue that holds the hospital together,” O’Donnell said. “Susan handles her innumerable tasks as night nursing supervisor with poise, as well as expertise. “She is an unsung hero, mentor and teacher who leads by her professional behavior, a truly compassionate, accountable, respectful and excellent nurse.”

Former Caritas Good Samaritan nursing education director Betty Tagney, RN, presented Costa with her Award. “The work that Susan performs as administrative assistant to nursing managers and education is invaluable and embodies our values of compassion, accountability, respect and excellence,” Tagney said. “Susan has huge responsibilities and accountability in assuring a great deal of quality data gets done correctly and in a timely manner. Additionally, in my role in the nursing education department, Susan and I spent a lot of time working with schools of nursing, and Caritas Good Samaritan’s ability to support nursing students and potentially recruit new nurses has been greatly enhanced by Susan’s work.”

Award recipient Walsh, an emergency medical technician, works as a clinical assistant on the night shift in the emergency department. Laura Raymond, RN, BSN, CEN, emergency department patient care director, said about Walsh, “David is one of those people who quietly move about the work environment. He doesn’t take credit for the work, he doesn’t complain about a stressful moment. I’m not sure he realizes how much he is valued. David leaves at the end of the day having made patients more comfortable, the environment more organized and the staff feeling more supported.”

A Brockton High School graduate, award recipient Hines became a nurse in 1945. She joined a medical mission to Egypt and returned to receive her bachelor’s degree in nursing. She worked for the Brockton Visiting Nurses Association as a homecare nurse and at former Goddard Memorial Hospital as a public health coordinator and social worker, today’s case manager. Retiring in 1987, she began volunteering at Goddard in the discharge planning office and continued as a pastoral visitor when Goddard merged with Cardinal Cushing General Hospital to become Caritas Good Samaritan. “Louisa is well deserving of this award,” said Diane DeCosta, Caritas Good Samaritan’s director of volunteer services. “She has many obstacles in her life, yet she continues to be strong, and most importantly, she is kind to all people she encounters and loved by many.”

Carla Fogaren, Caritas Good Samaritan’s director of interpreter services, presented Reiser with her award. “I am deeply honored to present this award to my friend and colleague,” Fogaren said. “Elaine has been associated with Caritas Good Samaritan for more than 33 years and presently is a member of its mission and values committee, as well as director of operations for Brockton Area Multi-Services, Inc. A recipient of numerous awards for her dedication and compassion in serving the community, she has an incredibly deep commitment to serving people, unwavering determination to advocate for and meet the needs of those she serves and is one of the most resourceful people I know.”

“John Johnsen is someone who is always willing and able to make everyone’s dining experience the best it can be,” said Amy Kopchell, Caritas Good Samaritan’s coordinator of interpreter services about award recipient Johnsen. In addition, Kris Silva, the hospital’s director of philanthropy said, “I am responsible for planning many events at the hospital, and I never have to worry when it comes to John. I give him complete control of the menu, which is always perfect. He pays particular attention to the aesthetics of the room and is there to help with set up and break down and is usually the last one to leave. John takes pride in his role and his performance, but more than that, he genuinely cares about people, and it shows in everything he does.”

Lynda Whittemore, RN, presented LaCivita with her award for her exemplary service in the hospital’s cafeteria. “Stephanie is an exceptional member of the hospital staff and wonderful person with a great personality,” Whittemore said. “She generally is one of the first people you see when you walk into the cafeteria and always has a smile and kind word for everyone. She is helpful and her contagious laugh makes you happy to be at work.”

The Caring With Excellence Award has been presented annually to many Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center employees, medical staff and community members with these same attributes for the past 17 years.

Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center is a 231-bed, acute-care hospital providing a full range of inpatient and outpatient services to Brockton and 22 neighboring communities. The hospital offers specialty care for diabetes, heart disease, obstetrics, substance abuse, occupational health and pain management, as well as general and specialty surgery and the latest diagnostic imaging services. A teaching hospital of Tufts University School of Medicine, Caritas Good Samaritan is a member of Caritas Christi Health Care, the second largest health care system in New England. For more information on the hospital’s programs and services, visit www.caritaschristi.org.