The contributions of the more than 1,100 volunteers who serve The Mount Sinai Hospital and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai were celebrated at a recent breakfast during National Volunteer Week. Also honored at the event—and receiving special attention and treats—were the canines that participate in the popular Pet-Assisted Therapy program.
Peter W. May, Chairman, Boards of Trustees, Mount Sinai Health System, told the guests: “This is an important event for me—to thank our volunteers on behalf of the Trustees. Mount Sinai has a history of philanthropy and working together, and is a place where people get great care, and they get great care because of people like you.”
Volunteers at Mount Sinai are part of a rich institutional legacy that dates to the 1880s, when they first served as teachers for hospitalized children. Today’s volunteers assist in more than 200 placement areas and support patient and ambulatory settings, basic science laboratories, clinical research, and office settings. Collectively, they devote hundreds of thousands of hours to Mount Sinai in a typical year.
“We are all very, very grateful there are 1,100 volunteers,” Kenneth L. Davis, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mount Sinai Health System, told the attendees. “We know that patient satisfaction and quality of care start at the front door and set a tone that says we are a caring place.”
David L. Reich, MD, President and Chief Operating Officer, The Mount Sinai Hospital, recalled working with volunteers for more than 20 years. “It is an amazing collaboration,” he said. “We have improved the spirits of our patients.”
Jean C. Crystal, member, Boards of Trustees, is a long-time volunteer. “I started 35 years ago. It’s what I love best,” she said. Ms. Crystal founded the Ambassador Program, whose 125 volunteers welcome and assist patients and visitors. The program is based at the Joseph F. Cullman, Jr. Institute for Patient Care.
“Our volunteers are passionate and compassionate,” said Cynthia Levy, Director, Department of Volunteer Services. “They are creative, and they come with positive energy,” added Claudia Colgan, Vice President, Care Coordination for Mount Sinai Care. “They are a vital part of the Mount Sinai family.”