VNS Health in 2023 — Year in Review
What a year 2023 has been! From new online portals to important milestones, from historic rainfalls to NBC-TV’s TODAY Show, here is a month-by-month summary of some of our significant accomplishments over the past year.
Before you scroll down the list, though, be sure to check out our VNS Health 2023 Holiday Card immediately below!
January
Milestones! In 2023…
- Our Health Plans turned 25…
- The Center for Home Care Policy & Research celebrated its 30-year birthday…
- VNS Health Personal Care and Hospice Care both turned 40…
- And VNS Health itself turned 130!
For the third straight year, Dan Savitt is named to the City & State Health Care Power 100 List. The Power 100 recognizes New York’s most influential leaders and decision-makers in health care.
Team members mark MLK Day of Service. On January 16th, in honor of Dr. King’s spirit, 172 VNS Health team members mail greeting cards to over 2,500 VNS Health patients, members, and clients.
“Win-Win” Referrals Employee Referral Program Campaign Launches. One of the best ways that VNS Health hires clinicians and home health aides is through referrals. This “Win-Win” program offers a bonus to current team members who sucessfully refer someone for a job here. Click here to learn more about “Win-Win” Referrals.
February
Behavioral Health program receives Affinity Legacy Community Grant. Behavioral Health’s Bereavement Program for Children Dealing with COVID Loss is awarded a $200,000 Affinity Legacy Community Grant. To read more, click here.
“Neighborhood Spotlight” video wins AVA Digital Gold Award. The video—Ghanaian Children and Families in the Bronx—receives honors in both the nonprofit and documentary categories.
Now that’s a pivot! In this episode of “20 Minutes with Dan,” CEO Dan Savitt examines how pivoting and unlocking new ways of thinking are key to VNS Health’s future. To watch, click here.
March
National Social Work Month. To celebrate our amazing VNS Health social work team members, Frontline asks them to share how they make a difference in the lives of our patients, members, and clients.
New class of Lean Six Sigma Green Belts. VNS Health launches its third course on Lean Six Sigma. This year, 20 team members from across the organization took part in the six-month program.
Improving home care for sepsis patients. Investigators from VNS Health’s Center for Home Care Policy & Research and the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing make a formal presentation to the CDC on the need to add a diagnostic code for “Sepsis Aftercare” to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) listing. To read more about the researchers’ advocacy, click here. Confidential update: Thanks largely to these efforts, the CDC is changing its sepsis policy. Beginning October 1st, 2024, a new IDC-10 code for Sepsis Aftercare can be used in post-acute care settings.
Dementia Care at Home Program is rolled out. The program, offered by VNS Health Personal Care, is designed to enhance the quality of life for patients with cognitive impairment while easing the burden on family caregivers. To read more, click here.
April
Occupational Therapy Month. April is Occupational Therapy Month, and this year’s celebration concludes on a high note with the announcement of Senior Occupational Therapist Gladys Bayles-Panes as VNS Health’s Occupational Therapist of the Year.
VNS Health’s Nurse Residency Program receives HCA Trailblazer Award. VNS Health is presented with the 2023 New York State Home Care Association (HCA) Trailblazer Quality and Innovation Award for our innovative Nurse Residency Program and related RN Preceptor role. Accepting the award at the HCA’s Annual Conference are VNS Health team members Yvonne Eaddy, Elizer Cooper-Audain, Alice Rainford, and Monica Cayemitte. To watch the video, click here.
Hospice Cluster Care launched. The Hospice Cluster Care model calls for assigning a number of hospice-trained HHAs to a nursing facility on a permanent basis, providing more effective HHA support for each patient. To read more about the model, click here.
Goodman Brown Hospice Residence reopens. After being closed for nearly three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, VNS Health’s Shirley Goodman and Himan Brown Hospice Residence reopens its doors.
Hospice Mortality Dashboard rolled out. This new online tool, developed by VNS Health’s Business Intelligence and Analytics team, uses an evidence-based algorithm to continually analyze each hospice patient’s medical record and help assess when a patient is entering their final days—enabling the care team to schedule more frequent visits during this critical time. To read more, click here.
“20 Minutes with Dan” features Health Home program. This inspiring video depicts Behavioral Health client Adrian Soto’s moving journey from homelessness to running the NYC Marathon. To watch, click here.
May
Speech Language Pathology Month. Speech-language pathologist Katie Gildea is named VNS Health’s SLP of the Year for exemplifying how SLPs go above and beyond to achieve the best possible outcomes for their patients.
National Nurses Month. To help celebrate VNS Health’s amazing nurses, Frontline posts a “Day in the Life” profile offering an in-depth look into nurse preceptor Bridget McQuilkin’s typical day on the job. Read more by clicking here.
VNS Health Golf Classic raises funds for Veterans Program. The VNS Health 2023 Golf Classic is a sold-out event, with 128 golfers registered. Participants enjoy a day of perfect weather as the event raises nearly $275,000 for VNS Health’s Veterans Program. To see photos from the day, click here.
Team members join in AIDS Walk New York 2023. On May 21st, 35 team members from across the organization (along with family, friends, and pets) join the SelectHealth team to participate in AIDS Walk New York 2023 in Central Park. The event raises over $2 million in support of New Yorkers affected by HIV/AIDS, with the SelectHealth team contributing more than $3,200 to that total! To see photos, click here.
National Institute on Aging grant awarded to Research Center. The VNS Health Center for Home Care Policy & Research is awarded an NIH grant for their dementia-related research. The grant will fund Research Scientist Julia Burgdorf’s work on an intervention that will enable dementia caregivers to better communicate their needs to the home health team, The team can then use this information to connect caregivers to needed training, resources, and education. To read more, click here.
New Staten Island office. On May 22nd, after 20 years at 1150 South Avenue, VNS Health moves its Staten Island regional office up the road to 1441 South Avenue. Besides being more cost-efficient, the new location features a sleek, modern design with lots of windows, a view of the Manhattan skyline, and plenty of parking! To see for yourself, click here.
Corporate Challenge 2023. 21 team members participate in the Corporate Challenge on May 31st in Manhattan’s Central Park. While some participants run and others walk the 3.5-mile course, everyone has a terrific time getting to the finish line!
May’s “Neighborhood Spotlight” video focuses on veterans. Watch this moving Memorial Day tribute video by clicking here.
June
“Neighborhood Spotlight” wins Telly Award. The “Neighborhood Spotlight” video, “How the Health Home Program at VNS Health Helped One New Yorker in the Marathon of Life,” first posted in April and featuring Health Home client Adrian Soto along with Behavioral Health clinicians Natasha Dixon, Akelia Peart and others, is honored with a prestigious Silver Telly Award.
Crain’s New York Business honors LGBTQ+ leaders. Arthur Fitting, LGBTQ+ Program Manager for VNS Health, and Shannon Whittington, Clinical Director of our Gender Affirmation Program (GAP), are named to Crain’s Notable LGBTQIA Leaders List for their demonstrated impact on equality in the workplace.
Behavioral Health launches suicide prevention program for at-risk youth. The program, called Safe Pathway, is designed to help LGBTQ+ and BIPOC adolescents and young adults at risk for suicide and self-harm—a risk that is widespread among this population. To learn more, click here.
VNS Health welcomes new head of Hospice Care. In mid-June, Sherl Brand, RN, BSN, officially joins VNS Health as Senior Vice President, Hospice and Palliative Care. In this role, Sherl is responsible for overseeing all Hospice Care team members and day-to-day hospice operations, as well as strategic planning, quality oversight and compliance.
“Neighborhood Spotlight” video highlights Gender Affirmation Program. This engaging episode showcases the life-changing expert care and support offered by VNS Health’s Gender Affirmation Program (GAP). You can view it by clicking here.
VNS Health’s 130th Anniversary celebrated on “20 Minutes with Dan”. This 130th Anniversary Special Edition of “20 Minutes with Dan” spotlights our mission and the many ways that VNS Health continually innovates to meet the evolving needs of New Yorkers. To watch, click here.
July
InstaMed is now a payment option. A convenient, consolidated payment portal for medical bills and health plan co-payments, InstaMed can now be used by VNS Health Home Care and Hospice patients, Personal Care clients, and members of our MLTC and Total health plans. The secure, HIPAA-compliant portal offers 24-hour access, allowing users to view statements and pay their health care bills on any device.
New Member and Provider Portals launched. VNS Health Health Plans rolls outs two new online portals—one for its network of health care providers, the other for its plan members. To read more about our new Provider Portal, click here. To read more about our Members Portal, click here.
VNS Health Total becomes available in the Albany area. As of July 1st, 2023, VNS Health’s integrated Medicare-Medicaid long term care plan, VNS Health Total, is now available to eligible residents of Albany, Rensselaer, and Schenectady Counties. Prior to this expansion into the Capital Region, the plan was only available in New York City’s five boroughs and Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counites.
August
Nurse-Family Partnership alums gather. The first in-person meeting for members of the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) Alumni Alliance takes place in the Bronx, at the Grand Concourse branch of the New York Public Library. The branch’s librarians narrate a bilingual story time, followed by a luncheon for the attending families.
VNS Health Researchers publish study on caregiver continuity and language barriers. The study, which appears in the journal Medical Care, found that for people with limited English communication skills, having the same home health nurse across multiple visits significantly decreases hospital readmissions, regardless of whether the patient and nurse speak the same language. To read more, click here.
“Neighborhood Spotlight” video highlights New York’s Chinese American communities. This installment of the video series celebrates some of New York’s most distinctive cultural treasures, as well as the care VNS Health team members have been providing to the area’s Chinese American community for nearly two decades. Watch it by clicking here.
“20 Minutes with Dan” addresses homelessness. In this video, Dan talks to various VNS Health team members who are working to prevent or address homelessness and housing insecurity in New York. To view this inspiring episode, click here.
September
HHS grant awarded to support new Behavioral Health clinic. VNS Health receives a grant of $4 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to expand access to integrated substance use and mental health care for residents of the South Bronx. Read more by clicking here.
Hospice News features VNS Health Hospice outreach in AAPI communities. Hospice News profiles VNS Health community education programs aimed at boosting hospice awareness and utilization among Chinese American populations in New York City. To read more, click here.
Team members take in a game at Yankee Stadium and raise money for Behavioral Health. VNS Health team members convene for a fun-filled evening at Yankee Stadium, where they watch the Yankees take on the Detroit Tigers. A portion of every ticket purchased by team members goes to benefit VNS Health’s Behavioral Health programs, raising a total of $1,560. See the photos here.
New York State extends funding for Nassau Nurse-Family Partnership. New York State’s funding for VNS Health’s Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program in Nassau County is extended for another year, through September 30th, 2024, with a $90,000 increase in total funding over the preceding year.
Home Care clinicians discuss how they’ve made a difference in a patient’s life. This episode of “Ask VNS Health” features VNS Health Home Care team members describing how they are living the organization’s mission. Watch the video by clicking here.
Home Care team members lobby Congress to roll back Medicare home care cuts. Margarita Roldan, a senior social worker with VNS Health Home Care in the Bronx, and Raquel Webb-Geddes, a VNS Health Home Care nurse on Long Island and a Federation of Nurses/UFT Chapter Leader, join VNS Health’s Government Affairs Team in Washington, DC, where they call on Congress to halt billions of dollars in current and proposed Medicare home health cuts. Read more about their lobbying effort by clicking here.
The great rainfall of September 2023. Over eight inches of rain fall in a single day, causing flash floods, closing subway lines and roads, snarling traffic. And VNS Health team members once again rise to the occasion! Click here to read their stories.
October
HomeCare Magazine highlights the importance of culturally sensitive behavioral health care. Evelyn Pozo, a psychiatric social worker with Behavioral Health’s Geriatric Mental Health Initiative who works with Latino and Hispanic seniors in the Bronx, is featured in HomeCare Magazine. To read the full article, click here.
“20 Minutes with Dan” focuses on caring for super agers. This episode of Dan’s video talk show spotlights how VNS Health team members are delivering care to patients, members and clients in their 80s, 90s and even 100s. Watch it here.
Helpful app adopted by Health Plans. VNS Health Health Plans announces it’s offering a new app, called Helpful, to plan members’ families. The app allows caregivers to view their loved ones’ health insurance benefits and medical records, as well as educational resources related to various health conditions—all in a single location. To read more, click here.
Physical Therapy Month. As part of the organization’s Physical Therapy Month celebrations, Marc Goldberg is named VNS Health’s Physical Therapist of the Year.
Personal Care moves to 5 Penn Plaza. The VNS Health Personal Care team moves its office from 220 East 42nd Street across town to 5 Penn Plaza.
Jim Rolla is honored with Founders’ Spirit Award. The New York Business Journal and New York Nonprofit Media announces that Jim Rolla, SVP, Personal Care, is the recipient of the 2023 Founders’ Spirit Award from the New York State Association of Home Care Providers. Get the story here.
“Neighborhood Spotlight” video features Palliative Care team. This episode shows how VNS Health’s Pediatric Palliative Care team members were there for a young girl and her family in Brooklyn, after she received a life-altering diagnosis. Watch this heartfelt video by clicking here.
VNS Health and Columbia University researchers publish cutting-edge study on speech analysis. The study, which appears in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics, looked at the use of artificial intelligence to analyze speech patterns as a means of identifying and monitoring home care patients who are at risk of hospitalization or emergency room visits. To read more, click here.
Strength from Within campaign kicks off. The 2023 Strength from Within employee giving campaign helps the vulnerable patients and clients we serve in our charitable care and community benefit programs. Update: As of mid-December, the campaign has received more than $92,000 in donations from over 280 team members!
November
Benefit Gala raises over $1 million for community impact programs. This year’s annual Benefit Gala, held on November 9th at the Ziegfield Ballroom, features the theme “Empowering Our Neighbors in Need.” All funds raised by the event will go to support VNS Health’s community impact and charitable care programs. PIX11 covers the event, in a clip that can be seen here.
“Neighborhood Spotlight” video showcases family caregivers. This moving video encapsulates what it means to be a family caregiver—and how VNS Health can help relieve some of the burden. To watch it, click here.
VNS Health Health Plans annual turkey giveaway featured in Spanish TV Media. In the days before Thanksgiving, VNS Health distributes free turkeys to hundreds of families in the Washington Heights community. The giveaway is featured on both NY1 Noticias and Univision 41.
December
Dan Savitt named Power Player in Health Care. PoliticsNY and amNY Metro Power Players in Health Care recognizes VNS Health President and CEO Dan Savitt. Read more by clicking here.
VNS Health Hospice Clinicians featured on NBC’s TODAY Show! Eight VNS Health hospice clinicians gathered in honor of National Home Care and Hospice Month to pose for a photo that aired on Sunday, December 10th on NBC’s Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist, reaching an estimated national audience of 21 million viewers. Click here to see the clip.
Nurse Residency and Veterans Program receive important grants. The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation awards a $1.5 million, multi-year grant to expand the VNS Health Nurse Residency program, which trains new nurse graduates. Mother Cabrini also awards VNS Health a $300,000 grant to support our Veterans Program.
Jessica Fear and Esther Conteh named McKnight’s Pinnacle Award finalists. On December 11th, Esther Conteh, VP, Care Management of Health Plans and Jessica Fear, SVP, Behavioral Health are named as finalists for the “Inspiration” and “Thought Leader” Awards, respectively. Click here to read more.
“20 Minutes with Dan” on How VNS Health Provides Care and Inspires Hope for New Yorkers Coping with Cancer. Click here to watch this touching episode.
VNS Health reveals its strategic plan for the next three years with this intro video from CEO Dan Savitt. Click here to see the video.
VNS Health releases new recruitment video. This :90 video, used by recruiters to help motivate job seekers to apply for positions at VNS Health, describes the benefits of working at this exciting, dynamic 130-year old organization with a mission of caring for New Yorkers. To watch this new video, click here below.
Happy holidays from all of us in Communications – many thanks to everyone at VNS Health!