BLUE Stars - October 2012

Building Lasting Unforgettable Experiences... At WILLCARE, that's what we do best! We strive to provide exceptional customer service for all our customers, including patients, their families, physicians, vendors, referral sources, and co-workers. We view every interaction as a chance to leave our customers with positive experiences that they will never forget.

Our BLUE program (short for Building Lasting Unforgettable Experiences of course!) recognizes those WILLCARE team members who've gone above and beyond to provide fantastic customer service. Once a month, the WILLCARE employees that best embody the spirit of BLUE are selected to be our BLUE Stars. Learn more about our October 2012 winners below...

Mariah Bishop RN Case Manager Kingston NY Certified Branch	*Why She Was Nominated:* WILLCARE received the following from one of our patient's daughters: "To Whom It May Concern: My mother recently passed away from ovarian cancer. She was diagnosed in January of this year and shortly after, she had botched surgery to remove the cancer. This caused her to have an oddly located ostomy. Mariah was the only nurse my mother wanted to see - she showed empathy, compassion and competency far beyond our expectations. We are so grateful to have had her in our lives for the last 6 months. She not only taught us about healthcare and the importance of early detection, but we felt my mother was safe in her care. Because of my mother’s unique situation, Mariah volunteered to be on call for my mother beyond her usual time. She would answer our questions and give us invaluable information. She told me that no formal thank you was needed and that she was happy to be of service to us. I can’t describe how blessed we feel to have had her in our lives." Selected 10/2012

Gina Bologa Home Health Aide Kingston NY Certified Branch	*Why She Was Nominated:* Gina Bologa went out of her way to ensure one of her patients was properly cared for. She traveled to her patient’s home in Ellenville, NY on her own time and without pay because her patient has very limited insurance authorizations for services. Gina was there in order to negotiate a language barrier and help the patient understand required documents for increased services. Gina built a lasting unforgettable experience for this patient by going beyond her employment requirements. Selected 10/2012

Elizabeth Brondsky RN Case Manager Newburgh NY Certified Branch	*Why She Was Nominated:* One evening when Liz was home, she received a call from one of her patients who suddenly needed immediate assistance for a special need. Liz volunteered to go out to see the patient so the on call nurse did not have to and WILLCARE could maintain a high level of continuity of care. Thank you Liz for everything you do. You are a true asset to our agency and to our patients. Keep building those lasting and unforgettable experiences that you are so adept at doing. It is always a pleasure working with you and we always know your patients are receiving the highest possible level of care. Selected 10/2012

Jill Cygan Filing Clerk Olean NY Licensed Branch	*Why She Was Nominated:* Jill Cygan currently works out of our Olean office. Prior to working in the office, she worked as a Home Health Aide in the field. Recently, an aide came into the office to notify the staff that she would not be able to see two of her priority one cases on the upcoming Sunday. Unfortunately, the scheduler was having difficulty filling these shifts. Jill overheard the scheduler trying to fill these cases, and in an attempt to fill the cases, she volunteered on her day off to ensure that the priority one clients received the care they needed. Selected 10/2012

Anquinette Hobbs Licensed Practical Nurse Cleveland OH Branch	*Why She Was Nominated:* A patient called the Cleveland, OH branch in regards to the coordination of services. The patient ended the conversation praising Anquinette Hobbs. The patient stated that Anquinette was “awesome, knowledgeable and made her feel very comfortable.” Anquinette is regularly commended by patients and her coworkers. She consistently provides quality care and full assessments. She pays great attention to details in regards to individual patient issues. You could "hear" the smile in this patient's voice when she spoke about Anquinette. We're very pleased and proud that Anquinette is a part of our care team in Cleveland, OH. Selected 10/2012