HHA Resources
National Nurses Month Special: Saluting Years of Dedicated Service
May 11, 2022–This year, in celebration of National Nurses Month, VNSNY honors—and thanks— all of the nurses whose hard work and dedication make such a vital and colossal contribution, and difference, to the lives of our patients, clients and members across the organization. As a special highlight, Frontline spoke to the longest-serving nurses in each part of the organization. Click on their names to go directly to their stories or just scroll here to read them all! Myrna Agosto Susan Banner Myra Cohen Eloise Goldberg Lisa Miller Elisabeth Regis Karen Terry Betty Velez Nancy Washburn Deborah Wilson Myrna Agosto, Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Queens/Brooklyn Mobile Crisis Unit, Behavioral Health — 33 years at VNSNY “I see the possibilities.” As a psychiatric nurse practitioner in the Queens/Brooklyn Mobile Crisis Unit, Myrna Agosto spends her days working with vulnerable patients at very difficult times in their lives. “Typically, we’ll get a referral
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10 Things You May Be Surprised to Know About the Three Dozen Doctors Among Us!
November 15, 2022–People are often surprised to learn VNS Health has several dozen physicians and other medically licensed doctors who play an important role in our operations. Here are 10 things you might not know about them: 1) Most of VNS Health’s physicians work on the Hospice Care team. VNS Health Hospice Care has 23 physicians in either full-time, part time or per-diem roles. As hospice physicians, they work to help hospice patients retain comfort and dignity at the end of life. Their roles include collaborating with the patient’s primary attending physician (if any) to treat symptoms commonly encountered at end of life, such as—but not limited to—pain, fatigue, breathlessness, nausea, agitation and anxiety. They also provide general oversight of Hospice Care’s interdisciplinary care teams—including offering guidance on making complex treatment choices and helping to set goals for care for patients and their families. 2) Our Behavioral Health team includes five medical doctors, all of them psychiatrists. Three of the five MDs are team
Check Out These Patient Letters and Member Commendations!
November 9, 2022–Our VNS Health team members continue to prove how empathetic, resilient, dedicated and, really, how just plain amazing VNS Health team members are! The following are excerpts from a few of the many recent letters, phone calls, and emails we’ve received from grateful patients, members and clients as well as family members that reflect an outstanding consumer experience. For patient letters and member commendations by geography, click on the area below: Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Nassau Queens Westchester Facebook Bronx “I’ll never forget your caring ways.” The granddaughter of a patient from the Bronx called in to thank nurse Sultana Alibasic for the exceptional support Sultana provided during her loved one’s end-of-life care. “Sultana, thank you for the care that you provided to my grandfather and family by extension,” she said. “Everyone, including my curmudgeon, yet lovable grandfather, felt you were beyond capable, compassionate, and kind. I’ll never forget your caring ways.” “She
Meet HHA Xiu Yan Chen – And Learn Her Tips to Providing Care
November 8, 2022–Xiu Yan Chen, who describes herself as a straightforward personality, is from Jilin, Northeast China. After being introduced to VNS Health by a friend in 2016, she was then trained as a Home Health Aide and became part of the VNS Health Personal Care team. “How’s your day today?” … “The weather has changed recently, are you keeping warm?” … “Did you sleep well last night?” … The secret to breaking the ice when delivering care, Xiu Yan says, is to ask your client questions when you begin providing care. She can not only build up a relationship with the client in a short time by asking these questions, but her client’s responses also help her update the client’s status and how the client is feeling immediately so she can provide better service. For example, a client didn’t sleep well last night, so by asking questions, Xiu Yan can figure
The 2022 Halloween Selfies Are Here!
November 3, 2022–VNS Health team members — and their friends and family — certainly had a lot of fun this Halloween! Click through the slideshow to see the scary, creative, adorable, and funny costumes that were sent in from across the organization! Thanks to everyone who submitted their photos! If you have any additional pictures to share, please send them in by clicking here. Happy Halloween from VNS Health!
Monsters, Goblins, and Ghosts, Oh My! Send Us Your Halloween Costume Photos!
October 27, 2022–Celebrating Halloween this year? Send us your photos and selfies so we can showcase all of your spooky festivities in Frontline! Individual and team member group shots are both great, either in or out of the office, and if you’d like to send a Halloween photo of yourself with your family, friends, or pets, you are more than welcome. Please be sure to identify who you are in the photo. To submit photos, click here.
An Actor/Director, a Voiceover Specialist and an Improv Comedian … And They All Work Right Here at VNS Health! Check Out Our New Hidden Talents Report!
October 24, 2022–Welcome to the latest edition of Frontline’s “Hidden Talents” series—featuring profiles of your colleagues with special skills you may not have known about! Do you have a hidden talent that you’d like to share in Frontline, or do you know someone else at VNS Health who does? We’d love to hear about it, so please email us with your hidden talent! Experiencing the Magic of Theatre with Lauren Campbell For Lauren Campbell, Director of Emergency Response, theatre and stage production is one of her fondest passions. Born and raised in Queens, Lauren always found herself around music growing up, which is how she got her start in the performing arts. Today, when she’s not overseeing VNS Health’s emergency preparedness, she continues to play the clarinet, baritone saxophone, and African drums (Djembe) and enjoys singing as an alto in her church’s choir. Lauren’s love for theatre began 20 years ago when she played the role
VNS Health Medicare Advantage Plans Earn Highest CMS Rating in NYC and Long Island!
October 21, 2022–For the second year in a row, VNS Health Medicare has earned a rating of 4.5 out of 5 Stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). No other Medicare Advantage plan in New York City or Long Island received 4.5 Stars in the latest ratings, making VNS Health the top-ranked Medicare Advantage payer in these areas. While the rating is given to VNS Health Medicare as a whole, it applies to all three VNS Health Medicare Advantage plans—VNS Health EasyCare, VNS Health EasyCare Plus and VNS Health Total—for 2023. “Scoring 4.5 Stars and being rated highest in New York City and Long Island is an outstanding achievement on the part of our Health Plans team and the Shared Services team who supports them, as well as everyone at VNS Health,” notes VNS Health CEO Dan Savitt. “It says to those we serve that our Medicare plans are
From Helping Out with VNS Health’s Rebranding Efforts to Caring for Clients, Meet Home Health Aides Tanai Blanco and Marta Rivera
October 17, 2022–Tanai Blanco It’s easy to make Tanai Blanco laugh. She’s also easy to talk to. Tanai, who was born in New York City but grew up in Puerto Rico, has been working as a Home Health Aide (HHA) with VNS Health for just a few months. But her good nature and positive energy caught the attention of her supervisor, who included her in the team helping to implement VNS Health’s new name and branding this summer. “I’ve been working in VNS Health’s 220 East 42nd Street office for the past few months,” she explains. “I’ve been helping to call other Home Health Aides to come in and pick up their new uniforms and I.D. badges.” Tanai has experience in office work. Before working as an HHA, she worked in Bellevue Hospital and later served in New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services. “I’ve always liked to help people,” she says.
Home Healthcare News Shares Expert Takeaways from Jim Rolla, SVP of Personal Care in Story about Recruitment and Retention of Home Health Workers
October 17, 2022–