Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center Presents Caring With Excellence Awards

1/26/2006

Awardees exhibit commitment to heal, care, comfort and serve

Winners of the Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center Caring With Excellence Award gather with hospital president John Holiver, center standing, to show off their awards after the presentation ceremony. Standing are B. Hoagland Rosania, MD, left, Holiver, and Elmer Holmes. Seated, left to right, are Ammani Dasari, MD, Paul Smith, Elsie Lowe and Joanne O'Donnell, RN.

Whether the 98-year-old volunteer who knitted and crocheted more than 140 blankets for babies in the special care nursery or the telecommunications technician who has been an integral piece of the medical center’s machinery for 44 years, the recipients of the 2005 Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center’s Caring With Excellence Awards have been recognized “for their outstanding service and commitment,” according to John Holiver, Caritas Good Samaritan president, who kicked off the awards presentation ceremony Jan. 26 in the medical center’s J. Joseph Moakley Conference Center.

“These awards are an important demonstration of the culture at Caritas Good Samaritan, which fosters professionalism, achievement, teamwork, compassion and respect,” Holiver said.

Robert W. Gustafson, Caritas Good Samaritan board chair, joined Holiver is welcoming honorees and guests to the ceremony. “As members of the board, we know that it is this dedication to excellence on the part of so many people that makes our institution such a vibrant part of the greater Brockton community and such a vital member of the Caritas Christi Health Care system.”

The Caring With Excellence Awards are presented to individuals who demonstrate deep respect for 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. A committee of peers selects the award winners from more than 50 nominations each year.

Caring With Excellence Award honorees for 2005 are: Elmer E. Holmes, Middleboro, Allied Health Professional Award; Elsie M. Lowe, Bridgewater, Community Member Award; Paul R. Smith, South Easton, Community Member Award; Joanne E. O’Donnell, RN, Duxbury, Nurse Award; Ammani Dasari, MD, Lexington, Physician Award, and B. Hoagland Rosania, MD, North Easton, Physician Awards.

In addition, Physician Service Medals honoring members of the medical staff who are retiring after 20 or more years of service were presented to B. Hoagland Rosania, MD, of North Easton, a member of the division of orthopedic surgery for 34 years, and Richard E. Greenberg, MD, of North Easton, a member of the division of orthopedic surgery for 32 years.

“Elmer is an integral piece to the efficient running of Caritas Good Samaritan,” said Scott Stewart, MD, Caring With Excellence Award committee chairman, as he presented Holmes with his Allied Health Professional Award. He is a technician in the medical center’s telecommunications systems department, and “if you ever need to find Elmer, look up,” Dr. Stewart said. “He’ll likely be hanging out of the ceiling, fixing a problem.”

Holmes’ relationship with the medical center began 44 years ago when he started working at Goddard Memorial Hospital, which merged with Cardinal Cushing General Hospital in 1993 to become Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center. After serving in the US Navy, Holmes returned to the medical center in the housekeeping department, then the maintenance department, and as a groundskeeper, fireman in the boiler room, general utility man, locksmith and maintenance supervisor. He joined the telecommunications systems department when the hospitals merged.

“Elmer offers assistance even when the work is outside his job description,” Dr. Stewart said. “He’s forever attentive to everyone’s needs, always good natured, friendly and helpful.”

Linda Burke, RN, Caritas Good Samaritan’s patient care director of obstetrics, who presented Lowe with her Community Member Award, described her as a “spry, 98-year-old woman who is a virtual knitting and crocheting machine. “She takes great pride and enjoyment in making these special labors of love,” Burke said, “knowing they will help keep the babies warm and comfortable.” Lowe has produced more than 140 blankets for the babies in the medical center’s special care nursery

Elsie Lowe began volunteering at the medical center about a year and a half ago after her daughter-in-law suggested she make blankets for the premature babies because she loved making them for her nieces, nephews and grandchildren. Before retiring, Lowe worked in a bakery and as a tailor, raised two sons and has four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren and still feels so healthy she has thought about getting another job.

“Elsie is an amazing woman and an inspiration to us all,” Burke said.

Paul Smith, the other Community Member Award honoree, has been a Caritas Good Samaritan volunteer for more than 10 years, stacking up more than 4,500 hours of volunteer time, and “enjoys going far beyond the call of duty as he guides patients through the emergency department, J. Joseph Moakley Center and throughout the hospital,” said medical center trustee John Learnard. “Paul’s intense commitment and interest instills a refreshing sense of confidence in the minds of ‘first-time’ patients, as well as the elderly and handicapped,” Learnard said.

Fellow volunteer Julie Learnard recalled that Smith is known as the candy man because he always carries candy in his pockets to share with hospital staff and other volunteers. “Paul is the most caring, thoughtful and helpful person anyone could know,” she said. “His good nature is recognized by patients, employees and people in the community and certainly exemplifies our mission to heal, care, comfort and serve all who come to Caritas Good Samaritan in their time of need.”

Another fellow volunteer, Dick Bergeron, who presented Smith with his Caring With Excellence Award, said, “For 10 years, he as faithfully given of this time, his efforts and his compassion to serve the patients and staff of Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center. He has given more than 4,500 hours of dedicated commitment to exemplifying the values of this hospital.”

Serving is something the Nurse Award honoree understands well, according to Mary Lou Boll, RN, the hospital’s vice president of patient care, who presented O’Donnell with her Caring With Excellence Award. Boll said, “One of Joanne’s colleagues remarked, ‘Joanne is the type of person we want to represent our organization.’ She continually demonstrates a strong commitment to the hospital and to providing the best care for the patients in our community.”

A long-time employee, Joanne O’Donnell has served as a staff nurse, nursing supervisor and case manager and currently is patient care director for medical/surgical units 3A/3B. Whether making decisions about patient care or discussing clinical issues with physicians, according to Boll, O’Donnell’s expertise has been critical in developing new ways to improve patient flow, in updating technical equipment and in maintaining the morale of her staff.

Also involved in educational development for her staff and new nurses, she teaches classes to increase their knowledge, skill and confidence in their patient care. “She values and respects her staff and co-workers, is always quick to offer help and support and goes the extra mile whenever a problem arises,” Boll said.

Physician Award honoree Dr. Ammani Dasari has been described by a colleague as a “wonderful, caring, sensitive anesthesiologist who is respected by all of her colleagues. What I have seen first-hand over the years is a dedication to her profession with the utmost love and care for her patients.”

Dottie McLaughlin, RN, a Caritas Good Samaritan staff nurse who presented Dr. Dasari with her award, noted how the physician’s commitment extends far beyond her anesthesia practice. She has served as president, trustee and board chair of the Indian Medical Association of New England and is a trustee for a number of hospitals in India. She currently serves as president of the New England Medical Association, which is the medical society for physicians from India. Her peers have chosen her as a trustee of the New England Hindu Temple, and she has held various posts for her medical school.

Additionally, a true humanitarian devoted to her family, McLaughlin said, Dr. Dasari cares for her 90-year-old father and her sister, who is afflicted with multiple sclerosis. “She is the glue that holds together an extended family of 11 people living in her house,” said McLaughlin.

William Sullivan, MD, presented the other Physician Award to B. Hoagland Rosania, MD. “Dr. Rosania has best demonstrated the meaning of the unique award,” Dr. Sullivan said. “His devotion to his patients, to his hospital, to his colleagues and, best of all, to his community created a vast network of goodwill toward medicine in general. For 35 years, he was the glue that held Sullivan Orthopedics together. His kindness to people was his hallmark.”

Many people like these have been honored with the Caring With Excellence Awards, which have been presented annually to Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center employees and medical staff for 16 years.

Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center is a 258-bed, acute-care hospital providing comprehensive inpatient and outpatient treatment and serving 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.