Denise Walpole Wins 2022 ESPRIT Award!

“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 her work. “By providing long-term services and supports in our plan members’ homes, we promote better health and better quality of life,” she notes. “For example, I had one member who had to use a urinary catheter with a drainage bag. This member always felt so self-conscious about this, afraid that others could smell the urine. I encouraged her to contact her urologist to reevaluate the need for the catheter or to discuss self-catheterization. Though her need for the catheter remained, she was able to learn self-catheterization, which eliminated the urine collection bag.  She returned to her busy social activities and was so grateful. She felt like she had her dignity back.”