Appreciation, Accolades and Gratitude! It’s All Here In the Latest Batch of Letters and Commendations!
Nearly 100 people wrote letters, emailed, called or posted recently about how VNS Health team members provided an outstanding customer experience. To see for yourself, read on…
For patient letters and member commendations by geography, click on the area below:
- Bronx
- Brooklyn
- Long Island
- Manhattan
- Queens
- Staten Island
- Westchester
- Health Plan Member Commendations
Bronx
“A big thank you to VNS Health and Lori!”
A Bronx patient wrote a letter thanking her “wonderful” physical therapist Lori Buonaguro for being so “patient” and “instructive,” and for writing down all her PT exercises so she could easily continue them. “A big thank you to VNS Health and Lori!”
“She is very good, she helps me a lot, and I like her very much!”
Home health aide Lisbia Chavarria Mendieta was commended by one client who asked for Lisbia to “always be put on my case. She is very good, she helps me a lot, and I like her very much!”
“Wonderful!”
A Personal Care client was so happy with home health aide Estelita Gishard for “always arriving on time” and taking care of all of the client’s needs, the client took the time to call Personal Care and let them know just how happy she is. Estelita is “wonderful!” said the client.
“Thank you for the wonderful work you do every day!”
Keshia Lewis, a supervisor for our Behavioral Health Promise Zone program, recently received high praise on one of our social media channels. “Thank you for the wonderful work you do every day!” the person posted.
“Super excellent and the best!”
The Bronx South Hospice Team was praised by a patient’s family for being “super excellent.” In addition, another one of the family members specifically thanked nurse Sherma Wheeler and social worker Joseph Johnston for being “the best!”
Brooklyn
“She is very understanding and goes out of her way to help.”
A compliment came in for Behavioral Health nurse Laura Lau from a staff member of a patient’s doctor. Laura is “doing a wonderful job providing services to her patient,” the staff member raved. “She is very understanding and goes out of her way to help.”
“The services provided were exceptional.”
A number of families wrote to say how grateful they were to the Brooklyn North Hospice Team. “The services provided were exceptional,” said a member of one family. The member of another family wrote to say they “really appreciated having my mother at home where she was most comfortable.”
“Good communication.”
The family of another Hospice patient also wrote in, this time to praise the Brooklyn South Hospice Team. “Everyone was very professional and caring,” said one family member. Another family member thanked the team for their “good communication” and for socializing with the patient and family.” One other family member added that she was “happy with VNS Health services and thanks everyone for assisting.”
“Gave me peace of mind.”
The adult child of a Hospice patient expressed gratitude to the Brooklyn West Hospice Team. The team, she wrote, “took exceptional care of my mother and gave me peace of mind for her last days,” adding that the nurses were also “wonderful.”
“She listens to me and I trust her.”
A patient called in to say that Bella Kamenetskaya is “just the best nurse.” Bella, she added, is “caring and kind and always comes in with a smile. She listens to me and I trust her.”
“A life saver in my sea of sadness.”
The daughter of a Hospice patient wrote in to say thank you to Bereavement Counselor Rocio Ruiz, who had “supported” her in her grief. Rocio’s “empathy, validation of my feelings, knowledge of grief processes, and her wonderful, cheerful voice all contributed positively in my journey,” the daughter noted. “She is indeed a very special person with great insight and understanding of loss. I shed many tears during our conversations but always felt buoyed up as if Rocio was a life saver in my sea of sadness. I will really miss our time together, but I am also ready to begin my life anew. Thank you!”
Jewel is “great.”
A client called to compliment home health aide Jewel Mcleod for assisting her with a phone issue. Jewel is “great,” she said.
“Very professional and excellent workers.”
A client called to say that home health aides Joan Cato and Allison Sorrelli are two “very professional and excellent workers.”
“The best!”
This compliment came in on one of our social media channels. It was for Senior Licensed Social Worker Elizabeth Cogan. The individual, a VNS Health team member, posted, Elizabeth is “the best!”—adding, “the SSCoP leadership team is doing truly inspiring work to build community for our internal social service professionals, while also increasing awareness of all that they bring to the shared work of VNS Health.”
Manhattan
“Hospice care was outstanding! Compassionate, informative, and invaluable.”
The Manhattan Upper East Side Hospice Team received many compliments from the families of patients in their care. One family wanted to thank the team for their care and support, saying “VNS Health has been amazing and awesome.” The family of another patient wrote to say, “VNS Health did a fantastic job. It is a great service and I really appreciate it.” From another family: “Hospice care was outstanding! Compassionate, informative, and invaluable.” And, finally, here’s this from another family: “There was real comfort having VNS Health at the end. It was so helpful, and I understood the need and purpose of palliative care.” Many families also praised our Hospice nurses, calling them “exceptional” and “great.”
“Utmost gratitude.”
The Manhattan Upper West Side Hospice Team also has been receiving a lot of nice praise. One family wrote to say they are “very satisfied with VNS Health Hospice services.” The member of another family said she wanted to “express my utmost gratitude once more to the team,” stating that she is forever grateful and adding, “God bless you all.”
“I would highly recommend VNS Health Hospice.”
The Manhattan Lower East Side Hospice Team was recently praised by a family member of a patient for providing a “positive and excellent” experience. The husband of another patient wrote in to say, “I used VNS Health Hospice because it was a practical way to handle meds, etc. BUT I was very impressed by the support that the VNS Health team gave principally to me in my wife’s final days—I would highly recommend VNS Health Hospice Care.”
She should be “recognized for her caring.”
The family of one Manhattan Hospice patient praised nurse Sherry-Ann Caesar, calling her “excellent” and wanting to make sure that she was “recognized for her caring.”
“Exceeded ALL of my expectations!”
Many family members of Hospice patients wrote letters to praise the Manhattan Lower West Side Hospice Team. One family member stated, “VNS Health was absolutely superb! Amazing staff. Super professional. Concerned about everything. Best Hospice health care and support imaginable. Exceeded ALL of my expectations!”
“She is a true inspiration!”
Licensed Social Worker Asha Lyons received praise on one of our social media channels from a VNS Health colleague who posted, “we are so lucky to have Asha at VNS Health—she is a true inspiration!”
“Could not be happier.”
Home health aides Paula Seymour, Jemma Bazil, and Gwendolien Tijndaal all received kudos from a Hospice patient’s son for the wonderful service they provided to the patient as she was transitioning to our 24-hour care. The son called to say he “could not be happier” with their service coordination and support.
“Truly caring, professional, and warm.”
A compliment came in for Director of Emergency Management and Employee Safety, Lauren Campbell, from a colleague who praised Lauren for being “truly caring, professional, and warm—a wonderful and sometimes unusual combination.”
“Doing a nice job.”
A client called to compliment home health aide Latrice Dicks. The client said that Latrice is “doing a nice job.”
“Very, very, very pleased.”
Home health aide Maribel Arias-Vazquez was recently praised by one of her clients. The client called to say she is “very, very, very pleased with Maribel.”
“Lavaughn is a treasure—this is an understatement, she is even better than that.”
The husband of one of our Hospice patients called to praise nurse Lavaughn Coward. “Lavaughn is a treasure,” he stated, adding, “This is an understatement, she is even better than that. Thank you, Lavaughn, for all you do, and for offering excellent care to our Hospice families.”
Recommends the Goodman Brown Residence highly for their “wonderful care and support.”
Family members of several of our Hospice patients could not speak highly enough of the care their loved ones received at the Goodman Brown Residence. One family member said that she recommends the residence highly for the “wonderful care and support” the patient received. The family member had such a great consumer experience, she said she’d even do a commercial to recommend our services. Another family member stated “how wonderful, above, and beyond” the Goodman Brown team was, adding that “the people are nice and caring.” And yet another family member noted that they provided “excellent care.”
“5 stars” to VNS Health Hospice!
The daughter of one of our Hospice patients wrote in to praise nurse Jasmine Tsai and home health aide Cheryl Thomas, saying how “very impressed” she was with VNS Health Hospice Care. “We appreciate your help, guidance, and thoughtfulness. I highly recommend your services and these two amazing caregivers… 5 stars!”
“Very comforting.”
Nurse Olderine Charles was praised by the family of one Manhattan Hospice patient, who called to say that Olderine was “very comforting to their family” during the visit that day.
“Outstanding.”
The family member of one Hospice patient wrote to express her gratitude for the entire Hospice team. She praised nurses Arnold Pryor and Jason Bauer for their “professionalism and extraordinary empathy.” She also commended clinical supervisor Kathleen Pizzi, nurses Marc-Yrvline Desormeau and Jelilat Sarumi, and Hospice team manager Julie Crosse for all their help and comfort throughout. “I want to thank everyone personally, on behalf of my family, for their support,” she said, adding praise for the truly “outstanding job” that the “field clinicians, HTMs, SWs, admission nurses, hospital liaisons, covering physicians, and weekend/after-hours/overnight teams do on a regular basis.”
“Smart, caring, and very professional.”
The wife of a Personal Care client called to thank home health aide Sherman Barrow for the “excellent service he provided for my husband.” Sherman was “smart, caring, and very professional,” she added. The family member of another client who had been admitted into Hospice also called to say how happy they were with Sherman’s “patient care and bedside manners during Hospice care.”
“Deeply moved by Marvaline’s loving care.”
Nurse Marvaline Cunningham was recently commended by the family of one of our Hospice patients who wanted to thank Marvaline. The family added that they were “deeply moved by Marvaline’s loving care” for the patient.
“Very pleased.”
The son of another Hospice patient called to compliment nurse Yvette Solomon, saying how very pleased he was with the service and noting that his mother had a “lovely visit” with Yvette.
“Very grateful.”
One of our NORC members reached out to say she was “very grateful” to Charles Berton, RN, for advising her to see her primary care physician. Thanks to Charles’s guidance, she added, she was able to receive the proper treatment for her heart and other health issues.
“Jacqueline is an excellent worker.”
A Manhattan client commended home health aide Jacqueline Murray, stating, “Jacqueline is an excellent worker.” The client added, “she is very nice and is always on time.”
“I feel lucky to have her.”
One Hospice patient expressed how thankful he was for nurse and coordinator of care Cristina Sava, calling her an “angel” and stating “how happy” he was to see her. Another Hospice patient also complimented Cristina, saying, “She is a wonderful nurse…she is kind and patient and excellent at what she does. I feel lucky to have her.”
“The Hospice nurses are so good at what they do.”
The family member of a Hospice patient wrote to say that “VNS Health was amazing.” He complimented the Hospice team’s social worker and also stated, “the Hospice nurses are so good at what they do. They were my guides. They were so good at predicting and letting me know what was happening.” He expressed special appreciation to nurse Karin Schyboll, who was present at the time of his loved one’s death, for telling him to come to be with his loved one as they were dying.
“They are very, very good at their job.”
Nurse Vanessa Boyce, social worker Dani Calderon, and Hospice team manager Julie Crosse all received compliments from a Manhattan Hospice patient. “They are very, very good at their job,” said the patient. “Thank you all!”
“Grateful.”
The daughter of one Hospice patient wanted to thank licensed social worker Bianca Davies, adding that she was very “grateful” for Bianca.
“The Hospice team made such a difference for me.”
The wife of another Manhattan Hospice patient was also thankful for the Hospice team. “Even though my husband was on the Hospice program for only a week, it made such a difference for me during that time,” she noted. “I was able to simply be his wife, not ‘Nurse Ratched’ as I felt I was before. My husband was able to have the death he wanted, and I was freed to simply be with him, to accompany him in his last days, and enable my husband to die according to his wishes. I am grateful to all of the Hospice team—nurses Daniel Mccarthy and Dazel Gamit, licensed social worker Thomas Brown, and coordinator of care and nurse Bianca Diaz.”
“So pleasant, courteous, and helpful!”
Home health aide Kamara Fatoumatta was praised for the outstanding care she provides to her clients. One client recently called to say how grateful she was to Kamara for being “so pleasant, courteous, and helpful!”
“Wonderful to my mother and very loving and caring.”
The daughter of a Hospice patient called to say that Coordinator of Care and nurse Cristina Sava and nurse practitioner Svetlana Basina have been “wonderful to my mother and very loving and caring. They take great care of my mother and I know that we are lucky to have Hospice. Please thank them for all they do.”
“We were so very impressed with him.”
An older patient’s daughter called to praise physical therapist Ahmed Nady-Mohamed. She said that he was “excellent with the patient and we really loved him.” The daughter added that Ahmed was “gentle and knew just what to look for to make sure the patient got the correct help needed. We were so very impressed with him.”
“Fantastic and terrific.”
Home health aide Keith Scopinich was complimented by a Manhattan client’s son, who said that Keith “is fantastic and terrific,” and that they wish they could see him every day.
“Wonderful.”
A Hospice patient’s daughter called to say that nurse Marcia Dubois is “wonderful” and that they were “so pleased with her visit the other day. We wanted to make sure you knew how excellent a nurse Marcia is.”
“Consummate professional.”
A patient’s wife wrote to commend physical therapist Daniel Tan for being a “consummate professional with a warmth that creates a welcome and very helpful service. He takes initiative, is very educational, smart, and practical.”
“Dellon’s care is one of the greatest pleasures of my life.”
Home health aide Dellon Yaw-Kellerman recently received high praise from one of his clients and the client’s wife. “Dellon does absolutely great work,” wrote the client’s wife. The client himself added, “Dellon’s care is one of the greatest pleasures of my life.”
“Very good.”
The family member of a Manhattan Hospice patient called to compliment nurse Rifat Rahim, saying that Rifat was “very good” and that she “explained everything.”
Long Island
“Amazing… Kind and terrific!”
The husband of a Long Island Home Care patient called in to say that the two nurses who visited his wife, Nancy Girlando and Yves Claudine-Bosse were “amazing.” He added that they were “kind and terrific with my wife!”
“Everyone is delightful!”
Another Home Care patient called in to compliment physical therapist Patricia Vieria and occupational therapist Jennifer McCaffrey. He raved that “everyone is delightful!”
“Great experience… they went the extra mile.”
The caregiver of one Nassau County patient called to report that she had a “great experience” with physical therapist Thomas Hurley and nurse Sheryll Bromberg. “They both went the extra mile,” she said.
Queens
“Very refreshing to meet someone who is so warm and easy to communicate with.”
Social worker Elza Moskowitz was recently thanked by her patient for “all her help.” The patient added that it was “very refreshing to meet someone who is so warm and easy to communicate with. You have made the process very simple and made us feel very relaxed and comfortable. Thank you for being who you are and what you represent.”
“Thank you, VNS Health, for your excellence in picking two of the finest individuals at your agency.”
A Personal Care client wrote in to express her gratitude for the help and understanding she receives from home health aide supervisor Colletia Blair and home health aide Leezel Barry. “I will only receive services from Ms. Barry because of all the excellent qualities that she demonstrates. She is one of a kind,” she noted. The client added, “Ms. Blair knows how to talk with me and always works things out in my best interest. She is definitely a team player and demonstrates the type of leadership skills every supervisor should have. Thank you, VNS Health, for your excellence in picking two of the finest individuals at your agency.”
“10 stars!”
The daughter of a Personal Care client called to “give 10 stars” to home health aide Helena Belfield for “coming in and doing such a wonderful job. Helena was so professional.”
“Very supportive, consistent with patience, and relatable.”
The family members of a Hospice patient thanked Hospice team physician Dr. Maria Del Mar Ortega-Rios, licensed social worker Kimberley Rodney, Hospice team manager Rizza Dumalag, and the rest of the Hospice care team for being “very supportive, consistent with patience, and relatable.”
“I couldn’t have made it without their care and concern.”
The Queens Central Hospice Team received multiple compliments from their patients’ family members, who said the team was “amazing” and provided a “wonderful experience.” Another family member added, “My husband had the best care by the team. I’ll never forget their concern for him. They were wonderful. I couldn’t have made it without their care and concern.” Lastly, one family member stated that the team “provided stellar care to my husband and supported our family through the darkest days of my husband’s illness. There was always a helpful and caring voice on the hotline 24/7, day or night, and they didn’t hesitate to send a nurse out when we needed it. Not only that, but their social worker helped us navigate all these uncharted waters. I thanked God every day for VNS Health.”
“We can’t thank the Hospice staff enough!”
The relatives of patients of the Queens Northwest Hospice Team praised the team for being “marvelous” and “making a terrible situation easy for the family.” The team was also complimented for providing an “excellent experience,” with one family member adding that they were “very grateful for the Hospice program and the team” because their father had a lot of help at the time when they needed it most. “We can’t thank the Hospice staff enough!”
“Hospice made it easier…”
The Queens Northeast Hospice Team received kudos from a number of patient family members, including one who said that they had a “good experience.” Another said, “Hospice made it easier to care for my mom by having medications delivered to the home and being responsive to all questions and concerns.”
“Much understanding and compassion.”
The family members of patients of the Queens South Hospice Team complimented the team, saying that they provided “much understanding and compassion.” They also noted that the team was “very courteous and friendly.”
“Professional and provides excellent care.”
A Home Care patient called in to commend nurse Sandra Denis, stating, “Sandra is professional and provides excellent care.”
The “best nurse.”
The caregiver of a Queens patient called to say that nurse Nicholas Gozar “works hard” and is a “very honest and nice person.” The caregiver noted they were happy at how Nicholas treated the patient with care “like he is family,” and added that Nicholas is the “best nurse.”
“Awesome!”
A patient recovering from a joint replacement procedure called to compliment physical therapist Elisa Resuello for being “absolutely amazing and wonderful.” The patient added, “Elisa was awesome!”
“With her level of dedication, I have no doubt that she positively impacts everyone she encounters.”
The daughter of a Queens patient who recently passed away called to express her extreme gratitude for the support of Bereavement Counselor Gladys Ortiz-Alvarado. “In the wake of this profound loss, Gladys emerged as a pillar of strength, offering unwavering compassion and empathy,” said the daughter. “Gladys guided me through the turbulent stages of grief, providing invaluable insight and support every step of the way. Her compassionate approach and genuine concern for my well-being have been instrumental in helping me navigate this difficult journey of healing. While the process of grieving remains ongoing, I am immensely grateful to Gladys for helping me find solace and peace amidst the pain. I felt compelled to bring to your attention the exceptional work that Gladys continues to do, not only in my own life but also in the lives of countless other individuals and families. With her level of dedication, I have no doubt that she positively impacts everyone she encounters. I want to express my deepest appreciation to Gladys for her support and guidance throughout this challenging time. Throughout this grief process, Gladys has been nothing short of a blessing to me, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with her.”
“Yik took amazing care of my wife.”
Physical therapist Yik-Ming Yam received a very special shoutout on Q104.3FM from popular DJ Marc ‘The Cope’ Coppola, who stated on live radio that “Yik took amazing care of my wife during both her recoveries from interior hip replacement.”
Westchester
“Thanks for your continuous, upbeat words of encouragement.”
A Westchester patient wrote a letter thanking nurse Angela Lombardi, noting that she was “on top of her caring and encouraging wound care treatment.” The patient also praised Angela for her “continuous, upbeat words of encouragement” and for being such a nice person to spend time with.
“Excellent suggestions to help.”
A grateful Westchester Home Care patient couldn’t say enough kind words about nurse Janice Flowers-Tyrrel, physical therapist John Casey, physical therapist Sunitha Achamma Job, and occupational therapist Dan Lynch. The patient said she especially appreciated the team’s “excellent suggestions to help.”
Staten Island
“Really kind and communicated great by calling before the visit.”
A patient called to say that nurse Atinuke Fadamiro is an “angel,” adding, “She is really kind, communicated great by calling before the visit, and was great with taking the pictures of my wounds.”
“They both go the extra mile.”
Physical therapist Ria Badiola and nurse Ramadan Sainovski both received compliments from one of their patients. Ria is “phenomenal and helped so much in my movements and getting up,” and Ramadan has done a “phenomenal job getting my pressure sore to heal and taking great care with my wounds,” the patient said. “They both go the extra mile and that makes me feel good as a patient.”
“Fabulous.”
The Staten Island Mid-Island Hospice Team received praise from the relatives of their patients. The family members called their experience with the team “wonderful” and especially commended the nurses, who they said were “fabulous.”
“I’m so grateful. Thank you, VNS Health Hospice Care Staten Island.”
The relatives of the patients of the Staten Island South Hospice Team commended the entire team for providing such an “excellent experience.” One family praised the nurses in particular for being “wonderful.” Another added, “I can’t say enough about VNS Health Hospice Care. Although my wife was under their care for a short time, the nurses, social worker, and therapist all went above and beyond their assigned tasks. It allowed me to spend the last week, all of my time, just being with her. I’m so grateful. Thank you, VNS Health Hospice Care Staten Island.”
“I want to say how wonderful our nurses, Natalie and Lora, were.”
The family member of another Staten Island Hospice patient sent in a compliment for nurses Natalie LoDolce and YouQiong Luo (Lora). “I want to say how wonderful our nurses, Natalie and Lora, were,” wrote the family member.
“Perfect for the patient.”
The husband of a Home Care patient called in to say that physical therapist Ria Badiola did “fantastic work” and was “perfect for the patient.” The husband added that he was very happy with the experience his wife received.
“Awesome.”
Hospice team manager Janine Dalessandro received a compliment through one of our social media channels, where a person posted how “Janine was an awesome RN!”’
Health Plan Member Commendations
“Goes the extra mile.”
Health Plans Associate Director Grace McGhee commended Supervisor for Contact Center Shared Services Carmen Perdomo, noting that Carmen “truly knows her job and goes the extra mile to help resolve the members’ issues and is very passionate about issue resolution.”
“Extremely knowledgeable.”
A Health Plan member recently praised Contact Center agent Patricia Passione for being “extremely knowledgeable and kind and helpful, which I greatly appreciated.” Patricia also received a commendation from Social Work Care Coordinator Seth Boigon for going above and beyond to get a glucometer issue resolved for one of our Medicare members.
“Excellent customer service!”
The daughter of one of our members praised Contact Center agent Stanley Maldonado for his assistance in locating a dentist for her after numerous failed attempts. She said that Stanley was “pleasant, upbeat, and went above and beyond in providing excellent customer service while resolving my issue.”
“Professionalism.”
One of our members complimented Contact Center agent Opal Lesmond for her “professionalism and the good customer service provided.” She added that Opal took care of her inquiry about an OTC card issue.
“Magnificent service!”
A Health Plan member called to say how pleased she was with Contact Center agent Nina Guity. She praised Nina’s “professionalism and wonderful service on assisting her on benefit issue.” She also stated that Nina provided a “magnificent service and was very courteous.”
“Amazing and super helpful.”
The daughter of one of our plan members thanked Contact Center agent Jheanell Petit-Frere for her professionalism in assisting her with resolving an issue involving the member portal. The daughter stated that Jheanell was “amazing and super helpful in walking me through the member portal steps.”
“Very polite.”
Another Health Plan member expressed her gratitude to Contact Center agent Amin Laboriel for going above and beyond in resolving an issue she had. The member added that Amin was “very polite throughout the duration of the call.”
“Five stars.”
A member’s daughter called in to give Contact Center agent Raynelle Love a “standing ovation” and award her “five stars.”
“Great work!”
Dahyana Astudillo, an Outreach Representative in Health Plans, recently received some nice praise on one of our social media channels when a person wrote to say, “Great work, Dahyana!”
“I am so fortunate, and I am so grateful that VNS Health is my health plan.”
Two members sent in their thanks to Contact Center agent Lidia Medina. “You are the best and the finest, wrote one of the members. “Your demeanor comes across over the phone, even on something as simple as checking my OTC balance. You can’t put a price on these things, but they should pay you a million! This is why I recommend VNS Health wherever I go.”. The other member added, “I am so fortunate, and I am so grateful that VNS Health is my health plan. Thank you for making my transition from SelectHealth to Medicare so seamless and painless.”
“My father had a huge smile on his face as things were being resolved.”
A member’s daughter could not speak highly enough of Supervisor of Contact Center Shared Services Joslene Catnott. “Joslene was like an angel sent from up above to help me navigate through all the needs for my dad,” said the daughter. She added, “Joslene was extremely empathetic. I could feel that this wasn’t just a job for her, but that she took it personally and pushed any obstacle in front of her to get each challenge solved. She demonstrated a big heart and kept reassuring me that everything was going to be all right. My father had a huge smile on his face as things were being resolved.”
