Team Members in the News: August Highlights!
Summer may be winding down, but when it comes to VNS Health in the news, things are heating up! This month, VNS Health team members were making waves, from sharing advice on pressing health needs in the community, to providing perspective on some of the biggest challenges in home health care today and the need for health equity for all.
Team members featured in August news stories include:
- Dan Savitt, President and CEO
- Jim Rolla, SVP, Personal Care
- Alex Karydi, Director, Behavioral Health Product Development
- Nausheen Rokerya, VP, Associate General Counsel
- Constance Washington, RN and Care Coordinator, VNS Health Plans
- Chinatown Community Center
Crain’s Health Pulse Features Q&A with CEO and President Dan Savitt on Health Equity in the Face of Proposed CMS Cuts
Dan Savitt was featured in an in-depth Q&A with Crain’s Health Pulse on the cuts to home health care reimbursements in the 2024 proposed rules from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and their reverberations across the health care ecosystem, as well as the broader challenges facing the home health industry. In the piece, Savitt focuses on the ways VNS Health has worked to fill care gaps, and what more can be done do to address health inequities in some of the most vulnerable communities. As Dan notes, “it’s important to understand that we continue to see disparities widen in these communities, and we need to do something about it as a health care system–not just the home care community.”
Read more on Frontline here.
Dan Savitt Featured in Home Health Care News Q&A on Prioritizing Home-Based Care and Opportunities for Growth
In another wide-reaching and informative Q&A, CEO and President Dan Savitt spoke with Home Health Care News on challenges and opportunities for home-based care providers. As Dan notes, VNS Health has found success by focusing on the consumer experience. “We talk internally about, ‘How do we make health care simpler to understand, easier to access and much more meaningful for the people that we’re serving?’ We’re focused acutely on the patient, the plan member and the consumer,” he said.
Read the whole interview on Frontline here.
WPIX11 Features Jim Rolla in Story on the Need for Work Authorization for New Americans
WPIX11 ran a video segment focused on ongoing calls for lawmakers and community members to provide work authorization for asylum-seekers and migrants, in order to help address worker shortages across various industries including health care. In the piece, Jim Rolla, SVP, Personal Care spoke to the need for more workers to meet the health needs of New Yorkers, and how workers deserve access to meaningful work. The piece also features footage from an inspiring press conference and rally VNS Health participated in, calling for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for new Americans. The event was led by partner organizations SEIU 1199 and the NYC Immigrant Coalition. Jim was a featured speaker at the event, stressing the importance of immigrants to VNS Health. “Like NYC, immigrants have been the lifeblood of VNS Health, right from when we started caring for New Yorkers 130 years ago,” he said.
Watch the WPIX11 story on Frontline here.
NY1 Segment on Teen Suicide Features Expertise from Alex Karydi
NY1 aired an informative story on the rising rates of suicide among youth, featuring expertise from Alex Karydi Director, Behavioral Health Product Development, who plays a key role in the new VNS Health Safe Pathways Suicide Prevention Program. During the interview, Alex shared tips on what families and community members can do if they think their child is at risk, and stressed the importance of culturally appropriate care for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth experiencing signs of suicide ideation.
Watch the segment on Frontline here.
American Health Care Leader Profiles Nausheen Rokerya
Nausheen Rokerya, VP, Associate General Counsel, was featured in an engaging profile in American Health Care Leader. In the piece, Nausheen shares her career journey, and why working at a mission-focused organization helps her excel. “The fact that I work at a mission-driven organization where everyone agrees that the patient’s well-being is central to our operations is also helpful. Leaning into that common ground helps me calibrate and ease into conversations amongst management, labor, and third parties like other lawyers or regulators,” she said.
Read the whole piece on Frontline here.
Manhattan Voice + Patch Feature Summer Health Tips from Constance Washington
The Manhattan Voice and Patch both featured insightful pieces on beating the heat and staying safe in summer smog from Constance Washington, RN and Care Coordinator with VNS Health Plans. In the stories, Constance detailed how her years as a home care nurse, and currently as a care coordinator, have given her a unique understanding into the health needs of New Yorkers. Constance provided actionable tips readers can use to stay healthy during the summer, particularly vulnerable individuals, on days with hot temperatures and poor air quality.
Read more on Frontline here and here.
World Journal and Sing Tao Daily Report on Ongoing Hospice Education Campaign
The Chinese-language media outlets World Journal and Sing Tao Daily published stories this month on the first in a series of special monthly hospice education events held in Chinese at VNS Health’s Manhattan Chinatown Community Center. The presentations at the center will feature hospice experts and clinicians providing insights into culturally sensitive end-of-life care—including myths and misperceptions that contribute to underutilization of hospice care in New York.
Read more here.
