VNSNY in 2021 — Year in Review
January
VNSNY welcomes EVP & Chief Financial Officer Keith Patterson. On January 25th, Keith Patterson joins VNSNY as our new Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He arrives with an extensive background in managed care as well as provider and other healthcare services.
VNSNY CEOs named to 2021 City & State Health Power 100. Current VNSNY CEO Dan Savitt and former CEO Marki Flannery are both named to the 2021 City & State Health Power 100 list, a roster of New York’s 100 most influential public officials, health care executives, advocates and activists, academics, and labor leaders.
Vaccinate VNSNY! From early January, when VNSNY opens its vaccine clinic at 220 East 42nd Street, through March 20th, when the clinic administers its last first-dose vaccinations, VNSNY nurses give out 9,000 first doses and 4,400 second doses of the Moderna vaccine—the large majority of them to VNSNY staff members. Click here for a video glimpse of the third-floor clinic in action!
A fond farewell to Marki Flannery. On January 21, more than 600 VNSNY staff tune into a heartfelt Zoom ceremony in honor of Marki Flannery, who hands the CEO reins over to Dan Savitt at the end of January. To honor her legacy, the Marki Flannery Standing Tall Scholarship and annual Marki Flannery VNSNY Parking Pass Award have been created, and VNSNY’s outdoor space on the 3rd floor of 220 East 42nd Street is dedicated as the Marki Flannery Terrace.
Lifting spirits for MLK Jr. Day. Initiated by VNSNY’s Anti-Racism Council (ARC), volunteers write and mail greeting cards to patients, members, and clients across the organization, connecting with those in need of a lift during these challenging times.
Strength from Within Employee Giving Campaign Raises Record Amount! VNSNY team members respond to one of the most challenging years we’ve ever faced with their largest-ever participation in VNSNY’s 2020 Strength from Within Employee Giving Campaign. In addition to raising a record-breaking $138,688 from several hundred colleagues—despite the pandemic—more than 400 employees participated in a special 2020 PTO drive, donating precious time off to support furloughed colleagues.
Out@VNSNY hosts Drag Bingo night. Out@VNSNY, the organization’s LGBTQ+ employee-led resource group, holds its first-ever event on January 28th—hosting an evening of Drag Bingo led by legendary Zoom Drag Bingo hostess Linda Simpson.
February
New CEO. On February 1st, 2021, EVP and Chief Financial Officer Dan Savitt becomes VNSNY’s new President and Chief Executive Officer.
VNSNY celebrates Black History Month. Throughout February, VNSNY commemorates Black History Month with several virtual events open to all VNSNY team members.
Partners in Care HHA training goes virtual. VNSNY joins forces with CareAcademy, a Boston startup specializing in workforce development, to offer certification to new home health aides via an online training program—a New York first! The program allows Partners in Care HHAs to receive their required state certification through a mostly virtual program supplemented by targeted in-person classes.
Partners in Care and CMHS offices resume activities. As part of Operation Workplace, eight sites throughout the VNSNY service area come back into use to some degree, while also meeting the safety needs of staff.
“30 Minutes with Dan” makes its debut. The exciting talk show hosted by CEO Dan Savittand featuring staff from throughout the organization made its debut in February, with a special Black History Month episode. The program has taken us throughout VNSNY’s service areas in the many episodes that have followed since!
March
A new ACE Leadership Program class graduates. After the start of the program was delayed for several months to focus on the needs of VNSNY’s patients and staff, the 10th cohort of VNSNY’s Achieving a Culture of Excellence (ACE) Leadership Program graduates in a live-streamed ceremony at the beginning of March. Including this year’s 29 graduates, 250 VNSNY staff members, representing every area of the organization, have now completed the highly competitive program, which began in 2004!
Recognizing VNSNY’s social services team. During Social Work Month VNSNY honors our more than 500 social workers, counselors, care managers, and other social services team members who deliver vital care each day to our patients, plan members and clients. The recognition includes a special slideshow tribute on Frontline.
Amazing teamwork! Going into 2021, VNSNY had $20 million in unbilled services. The MD Orders, Business Development, Clinical Ops, and IT teams all work together, changing and automating processes, to reduce that number to $6.5 million, putting us right on target.
April
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are introduced. VNSNY’s new approach to setting organization and individual goals, the April rollout of OKRs has made it easier for everyone to clearly see where the organization is heading, and how each of us can directly contribute to getting there!
Lean Six Sigma program graduates its first students. Twenty VNSNY team members are the first cohort to complete a six-month course that prepares them to become certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belts, helping the organization operate more efficiently and improve the quality of our services and products.
May
VNSNY Launches Oncology Hospice Program. As part of its ongoing effort to provide our hospice patients with the best possible quality of life, VNSNY Hospice launches a specialized support program for complex cancer patients and their loved ones. The program builds on VNSNY Hospice’s experience implementing similar programs for patients with congestive heart.
Culture Days kick off at VNSNY. VNSNY’s first-ever Culture Day takes place at our 220 East 42nd Street office, as 75 senior leaders gather to discuss best practices for encouraging a growth mindset at VNSNY.
Vaccinating Queens residents. VNSNY partners with NYC in the city’s Homebound COVID-19 Vaccination Program to provide in-home vaccinations in Queens. By the time the program concludes, VNSNY clinicians will have given COVID-19 vaccine to over 1,700 homebound Queens residents.
June
Saluting PRIDE Month. While the PRIDE NYC March didn’t take place in person this year, VNSNY finds other ways to mark the occasion—including a special edition of “Ask VNSNY”; adrag pageant featuring VNSNY’s LGBTQ Heroes of 2020 in a live performance; and the rollout of VNSNY Home Care’s new LGBTQ+ Care Type clinical model. In addition, City & State New York names Arthur Fitting, LGBTQ+ Program Director, and Shannon Whittington, Gender Affirmation Program Director, to their Pride Power 100 listing of the region’s top 100 LGBTQ leaders and allies.
VNSNY presents HELPS tool to NYS DOH. VNSNY presents its revised HELPS tasking tool—which uses evidence-based algorithms to assess a patient’s home care need—to New York State’s Department of Health (DOH), after the state announced that it’s looking to implement a uniform tasking tool for all state health plans. Stay tuned for DOH’s response!
July
Andria Castellanos honored by Crain’s. Andria Castellanos, Executive Vice President and Chief of Provider Services is named by Crain’s New York Business as a Crain’s Notable in Healthcare 2021.
Jim Rolla Speaks at “Better Care, Better Jobs Act” Rally. On July 13th, VNSNY Partners in Care Senior Vice President Jim Rolla addresses a huge gathering of home-care workers at a rally in support of the Better Care, Better Jobs Act, a $400 billion investment in Medicaid Home & Community Based Services. Jim is the only home-care organization leader invited to speak at the rally.
VNSNY team members march in NYC’s Heroes Parade! Field team members from across VNSNY play a central role in July’s Hometown Heroes Parade in downtown Manhattan, held to honor New York City’s essential workers for their dedicated efforts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Partners in Care home health aide hiring events. To meet the rising demand for personal care in the home, Partners in Care holds Open House hiring events throughout July in Manhattan, Nassau, Yonkers, and Staten Island, to recruit additional HHAs.
A bright rebirth for the Bronx FRIENDS office. The FRIENDS clinical headquarters in the South Bronx reopens, showcasing its sparkling new, bright interior—the result of a much-needed renovation, courtesy of VNSNY’s Facilities team.
August
VNSNY welcomes Tracy Dodd as EVP and Chief People Officer. In August, Tracy Dodd joins VNSNY as its first-ever Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, bringing 30 years of diverse experience as a global HR leader. One of Tracy’s first initiatives is to hold Employee Roundtables with team members from across the organization to learn and understand what the current employee experience looks like and how VNSNY can enhance that experience.
Zoom Rooms are a hit at 220 East 42nd Street. Combining the best of the remote-working and in-office worlds, the new Zoom Rooms for meetings at VNSNY’s 220 East 42nd Street office open to excellent reviews—and wide use.
Multi-million-dollar grant for VNSNY Research Center and Gender Affirmation Program. VNSNY’s Center for Home Care Policy & Research receives a $3.4 million research grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research to conduct a landmark study with VNSNY’s Gender Affirmation Program (GAP) on the psychosocial well-being and quality of life of individuals after gender affirming surgery. To support its clinical work, GAP was also awarded $200,000 from New York City in 2021, and another $30,000 from New York State.
September
CHOICE Total Earns 4.5 Stars! Thanks to the hard work by the CHOICE team, CHOICE Total achieves a CMS quality rating of 4.5 Stars out of a possible 5! More specifically, the plan achieved 4 Stars for Part C and 5 Stars for Part D, which together give it the overall rating of 4.5.
Happy Birthday, ARC! VNSNY’s Anti-Racism Council (ARC) marks its one-year anniversary. Over the course of a single year, ARC’s 100+ members have made significant strides towards implementing practices and projects that combat racism and promote diversity and inclusiveness in the VNSNY workplace and in the communities we serve.
Impact Challenge holds final-round presentations. Starting with 34 proposals and extending over 10 weeks, the VNSNY Impact Challenge comes to down to final-round presentations from five teams. The drama and excitement of the event is captured on video for all VNSNY colleague to see.
VNSNY celebrates Rehab Awareness Week. This week, which occurs in late September, honors rehabilitation therapists and therapy assistants here and across the U.S., and is also when VNSNY selects its Rehab Therapists of the Year.
CMO’s Palliative Care program rolls out new predictive algorithm. At the start of 2021, VNSNY’s Care Management Organization launched a multidisciplinary palliative care program to support VNSNY CHOICE members with advanced illness and their families. In September, as part of this program, the CMO teams with VNSNY Business Intelligence and Analytics (BIA) to roll out a cutting-edge algorithm that helps identify individuals who are eligible for palliative care services. As the CMO program solidifies its best-in-class status, other health plans are now expressing interest in it as well.
October
Honoring Partners in Care home health aides. In late October, VNSNY Partners in Care holds its annual Service Awards celebration. The evening’s highlights include presentation of the 2021 HHA of the Year Award to Luisanny Taveras Bello, plus an inspiring video of 13 Partners in Care HHAs talking about their profession.
CHOICE begins enrolling members in two new health plans. With the start of Medicare’s open enrollment period on October 15th, VNSNY CHOICE begins signing up members for its two new Medicare Advantage health plans that will commence in 2022: EasyCare and EasyCare Plus.
“Neighborhood Spotlight” video series features host Dan Savitt. President and CEO Dan Savitt kicks off his new “Neighborhood Spotlight” video series on Frontline, in which Dan travels to communities throughout our service area to highlight the care that VNSNY provides.
VNSNY launches new Partners in Care Resource Center. The new online hub, hha.vnsny.org, is a dedicated informational website and Resource Center for VNSNY Partners in Care home health aides that can be accessed through any smartphone, laptop or other electronic device.
Hispanic Heritage Month events. In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, from September 15th to October 15th, VNSNY’s Anti-Racism Council holds a series of cultural events. The month-long celebration is also featured in a special edition of “Ask VNSNY.”
November
VNSNY’s Gala raises over $1.4 million! After pivoting to a virtual format for safety, the VNSNY’s 2021 Benefit Gala raises over $1.4 million for VNSNY’s Charitable Care and Community Benefit Programs and the VNSNY Coronavirus Response Fund—its second-best total ever. The event features a video program in which the Lillian D. Wald Award, is presented to healthcare executive Adam Boehler and to former VNSNY Board Chair John Rafferty and his wife Emily.
2021 ESPRIT Award winners are announced. Representing departments from across the organization, the 10 winners of the 2021 ESPRIT Awards embody VNSNY’s core values of Empathy, Integrity, and Agility. To watch the November 16th awards ceremony, click here.
Celebrating VNSNY’s veterans. On Wednesday, November 10th, VNSNY holds a special Veterans Day Zoom event to celebrate our VNSNY veterans and their service to our country.
Chinatown NNORC and Nassau Home Care mark their 15- and 20-year anniversaries! VNSNY marks 20 years since VNSNY began providing Home Care services in Nassau County, and 15 years since the opening of the Chinatown NNORC (Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community)—a VNSNY program providing health, social, educational, and recreational services to Chinatown seniors.
Empowering Chinatown seniors to manage their blood pressure. Utilizing a $20,000 Nobel Trust grant, VNSNY’s Chinatown NNORC launches a program that is teaching 200 at-risk Chinatown seniors to monitor their blood pressure at home.
December
NYS Department of Health honors Dr. Jay Dobkin for AIDS Work. On World AIDS Day, December 1st, VNSNY’s Chief Medical Officer, Jay Dobkin, MD, is presented with a Commissioner’s Special Recognition Award from the New York State Department of Health for his contributions in the field of HIV/AIDS research and treatment.
Esther Conteh receives Phyllis Mills Living Legend Award. The award, named for long-time VNSNY Board Member Phyllis Mills, was given in recognition of Esther’s outstanding contributions to care management models and processes during her 20 years with VNSNY CHOICE.
Working with government officials. During 2021, Government Affairs beat back state funding cuts, secured new city council funding, and raised our presence with key government officials, both locally and within President Biden’s administration.
$100,000 and counting! Employees from across VNSNY donate over $100,000 (to date) to the 2021 Strength from Within Employee giving Campaign, which helps our most vulnerable patients and clients in our charitable care and community programs. Just recently, there was even a fun bingo night (pictured at left) to raise money! If you’d like to donate to the Strength from Within Campaign, please click here.
Here to help you with your tech issues. Each month, the IT Service Desk receives approximately 3,600 calls from employees calling in with tech issues. In 2021, 85% of these calls are answered within 60 seconds.
Expert advice. The VNSNY Legal Team provides expert advice on a wide array of issues in 2021, including vaccine mandates, the Medicare Advantage expansion as well as the Management Services Organization.
Stellar service levels for CCSS! By the end of its first year, VNSNY’s recently formed Contact Center Shared Services (CCSS) department is reliably exceeding service levels of 80% of calls answered within 30 seconds—greatly enhancing the consumer experience for our callers. Other CCSS achievements in 2021 include implementing an improved time management system and an individualized coaching program for team members, and rolling out a new dashboard that keeps CCSS agents updated in real time on when clinicians will arrive for scheduled home care visits.
Marketing and Social Media team partners with VNSNY Hospice to produce moving video on grief. VNSNY’s Marketing and Social Media team, in cooperation with the Hospice Bereavement team and KHJ Consulting, produces a new video that looks at grief from a different perspective. The video, called Matt’s Story: Saying Goodbye to the Love of His Life | Anticipatory Grief, tells the moving story of a caretaker’s grief journey, which began at his partner’s diagnosis. It is the first in a series of educational hospice videos that will be featured on the VNSNY YouTube channel in the coming months.
Kudos to everyone! Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of all in 2021 is that, despite all of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued to provide outstanding care to our patients, members and clients! Kudos to everyone for being there for New Yorkers!!
Happy Holidays! From the Frontline team, many thanks to everyone at VNSNY!
To view VNSNY’s 2021 holiday card, please click here or on the image below.
