Employee Awards
Congrats to Katie Gildea, VNS Health’s 2023 SLP of the Year!
May 25, 2023–As we approach the end of Better Speech and Hearing Month, we’re proud to announce that speech-language pathologist (SLP) Katie Gildea has been named VNS Health’s Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year! Leaders from VNS Health Provider Services reviewed this year’s nominations and selected Katie as someone who exemplifies how our SLPs go above and beyond to achieve the best possible outcomes for their patients—delivering outstanding service while also embodying VNS Health’s Core Values of Integrity, Empathy and Agility. Katie started out in speech-language pathology almost 20 years ago, working with children and adults recovering from brain injuries. After several years, she moved to New York and joined VNS Health. Now approaching 15 years with the organization, she has spent much of her career working with patients on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. “I feel very lucky to be in home health care right now,” said Katie. “I find that all my
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Meet VNS Health’s 2023 OT of the Year: Gladys Bayles-Panes!
April 27, 2023–As Occupational Therapy Month draws to a close, we’re proud to announce that Senior Occupational Therapist Gladys Bayles-Panes has been named VNS Health’s Occupational Therapist of the Year! Leaders from the Occupational Therapy (OT) and Rehabilitation teams reviewed nominations from across VNS Health to select an awardee who not only exemplifies our Core Values, but goes above and beyond to achieve the best possible outcomes and deliver outstanding service. With nearly three decades in the health care field, including the past 15 years with VNS Health, Gladys currently serves as a field clinician in Queens and Nassau County, and often travels to assist other OTs and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs) with home visits and consultations. “I’m truly proud to be an occupational therapist and to work with a lot of wonderful and hardworking OTs,” says Gladys. “Every day we try our best to make a difference in our patients’
Denise Walpole Wins 2022 ESPRIT Award!
November 22, 2022–“Having a positive impact on Health Plan members’ lives is one of the greatest rewards of my work.” Denise was the manager for the VNS Health MLTC plan’s Utilization Management department for several years, where she elevated team performance and improved compliance through a holistic leadership strategy, using data, communication and collaboration to create a high-performance culture. Now, as Director of Clinical Assessments and Utilization Management, she uses these strategies and leadership skills to help steer the team towards meeting not only departmental goals but also organization-wide objectives. “Ever since I started with VNS Health back in 2006, I knew that I wanted to stay with this organization,” says Denise, who is now a two-time ESPRIT Award winner. “What VNS Health provides to needy New Yorkers is so unique and powerful.” Being able to have a positive impact on Health Plan members’ lives is one of the greatest rewards of
Reena Vadlakunta Wins 2022 ESPRIT Award!
November 22, 2022–“I am a problem solver. My motto is keep it simple—and provide a clear solution.” Though Reena only officially joined the team that supports the Workday application in April, she was already handling much of the same hefty workload prior to her promotion. “Her agility is constantly expanding,” enthuses one nomination letter. “She previously worked on file transfers between outside vendors and internal customers, along with resolving Workday support issues. Now, she is expanding and contributing to our increasing work on development, security, and supporting integrations in Workday. Often, her work is around the clock, supporting interfaces communicating between VNS Health and multiple vendors and customers. She is a strong critical resource for the future of VNS Health.” A distinctive part of Reena’s IT role is making complicated projects seem simple. “When VNSNY rebranded to VNS Health, there was a lot of collaboration with my team members in order to
Myrna Agosto Wins 2022 ESPRIT Award!
November 22, 2022–“I always try to empower the poor and marginalized.” “In my role on the Brooklyn and Queens Mobile Crisis teams, I find it rewarding when I’m able to prevent someone from hurting themself or hurting someone else. It’s so satisfying when my colleagues and I can help get our clients into the hospital to ensure they get the care they need,” says Myrna. “I have been a witness to people’s lives being transformed from suffering with mental health and physical illnesses to living a more fulfilling life.” Myrna’s exceptional diagnostic skills and empathetic, caring nature extend beyond the vulnerable clients she serves. On one home visit, she saw that her patient’s spouse was suffering in her own right, struggling with her husband’s mental-health issues and her sadness at being unable to help him overcome them. With her signature straightforward style, Myrna took the time to educate her about her husband’s
Geraldine Kauffman Wins 2022 ESPRIT Award!
November 22, 2022–“Nursing is my life, not just my career.” A nurse by training, Geraldine has an unwavering commitment to patient care. In her current role, which involves overseeing corrective action plans (CAPs) and regulatory implementation for Provider Services, she approaches every task as an opportunity for continuous improvement and partners with many teams—a perfect embodiment of the “One VNS Health” ethos. She works closely with Personal Care and Home Care. Known for her collaborative spirit, Geraldine always aims to find more efficient processes and to correct areas of non-compliance, leading that charge with patience, understanding, and consideration for the business’s perspective. “The best part of my job is working with a very caring, resourceful team, some of whom I have worked with for the past 15 years,” she says. From the onset of the pandemic, she volunteered to assist with the Clinical Emergency Response Team (CERT), taking hundreds of calls and
Margarita Roldán Wins 2022 ESPRIT Award!
November 22, 2022–“A navigator of systems for her clients and colleagues.” As a full-time field social worker, Margarita visits the homes of some 20 clients per week, then provides all related followup to address their psychosocial needs. Her service area, the Bronx, is marked by high social determinant of health-related needs, driven by significant health care disparities. At times, during severe staffing shortages, she’s covered the entire region on her own, never hesitating to take on the extra workload. Margarita excels at managing complex cases, coordinating with the rest of the interdisciplinary team, and connecting clients to the internal and external resources they need in order to optimize their quality of life as they cope with illness and recovery. “I have worked very closely with various departments within VNS Health, including Volunteer Services, Behavioral Health, the Long-Term Care Navigation Team, the Gender Affirmation Program, and Pediatric Palliative Care,” says Margarita. “Many of our clients
Vanessa Taveras Wins 2022 ESPRIT Award!
November 22, 2022–“I’m passionate about ensuring the quality and integrity of new and existing processes.” As a Claims System Configuration Analyst, Vanessa assists in the configuration and maintenance of the claims system used to administer operations of current and new business for Health Plans products. Her responsibilities include analyzing, documenting, and testing all new configurations, as well as assisting in preparing and delivering reports and recommendations to address existing and potential issues in related processes across the organization. “As a person with 22 years of experience in health care, I’ve become someone who will always put 110% into everything,” says Vanessa. “I’m passionate about ensuring the quality and integrity of new and existing processes, as well as claims configuration, and I enjoy collaborating with my team as well as other business units to understand strategic goals and eliminate the potential for over-and underpayment.” In addition, she notes, “I actively seek ways to
Davett Scully Wins 2022 ESPRIT Award!
November 22, 2022–“You must always put yourself in someone else’s place. This will allow you to give that person the best care.” As a scheduler, Davett is charged with an ongoing challenge of navigating a landscape that is in a perpetual state of flux—making sure that patients are seen, that all visit paperwork and protocols are in place, and that clinicians are supported and not overwhelmed, despite the last-minute schedule challenges that are an inherent part of the job. “Although we have a huge team, Davett is always aware of each team member’s workload and schedule,” raves one clinician. “Whenever I am overwhelmed with visits, somehow Davett will be aware, and she will call and check if I need help. When I am low in cases, she will arrange new evaluations for me automatically. When I have planned vacations, Davett will arrange coverages for me in advance so I can explain the
Rizza Dumalag Wins 2022 ESPRIT Award!
November 22, 2022–“A force to be reckoned with.” In one of her ESPRIT nomination letters, Rizza was described as a force to be reckoned with. “As a former IPU (In Patient Unit) nurse, Rizza is able to see beyond what is obvious, and does things proactively without even being told to,” praised the writer. “She is very understanding with nursing team members, making sure they feel heard and trying to accommodate their schedules so that there is a good work-life balance. She is also extremely good at defusing difficult family situations through active listening. And there are days when I know that she’s working after hours, when no one is looking, to make sure that the team workflow is ready by next day.” Organized, supportive, and dedicated to keeping her team informed and up-to-date, Rizza is well-versed in Medicare requirements and makes it a priority to educate her team, keeping them abreast