I want to celebrate our Greenwich Street ambulatory practice that will have its second anniversary in March. This practice has been a great addition to our network as they serve the professionals and families in the Financial District and lower Manhattan.

Over the last two years, they’ve gained recognition in the community as the place where professionals can go during their work day to quickly get primary care. Depending on the day of the week, patients can also see urology, gynecology, cardiology dermatology, and orthopedic specialists. Most of the patients are in the neighborhood and discover the practice through ZocDoc.

They’ve also been developing relationships with companies in the area like Goldman Sachs and looking for more opportunities to get referrals.   

We have a great team of doctors and medical assistants there. One of our front desk medical assistants, Angela Grissett, originally worked at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and has been at MSBI for more than 20 years.

I’m so thankful to have this stellar group working together to care for the downtown community.

Click below to see a few photos of our Greenwich Street team. 

I want to tell you about the incredible teamwork I’ve seen growing between our security and behavioral health teams.

Employees Know Best
Last year, we created a new model that includes 24/7 security guard supervision within our 8 Bernstein psychiatry unit. This suggestion came directly from behavioral health employees. This has proven to be a wonderful partnership.

Teamwork and Gratitude
On New Year’s Day, 8 Bernstein had a particularly challenging day. Team members recognized that this partnership with security was critical to staying safe that day. Many people praised the efforts of Officer Hakim Godette and patient care associate Calton McCollough that day. I was impressed by the gratitude the 8 Bernstein team expressed in a written letter to security, signed by everyone on that shift:

Our staff would like to recognize our colleagues from the Department of Security. Your officers have been consistently professional, vigilant, compassionate, and a real asset to our mission to maintain a safe milieu. We would like to specifically thank Officer Hakim Godette for his unrelenting support and dedication. He was an active participant, working in concert with our staff to help de-escalate multiple dangerous situations.

Taking the time to recognize our co-workers makes us stronger and better.

Some of the 8 Bernstein staff: Tainia Rivera, RN; Michele Kelley, RN; Carlton McCollough, PCA; Jung Soo Han, RN; Tasia Pinto, RN; and Lindsey Briggs.

Officer Hakim Godette with some of the 8 Bernstein team: Liz Metz, RN and nurse manager; Michele Kelley, RN; Charles Harrison, RN; Georgina-Andrea Irvine, RN.

New Careers
In addition, I recently learned that two security guards who used to rotate at this 8 Bernstein post fell in love with the team and the patients there and decided to become patient care associates. Kimberly Harris says, “People are people. Whether I’m in security or patient care, I treat our psychiatry patients like the wonderful humans they are.” She transitioned to a PCA role in CPEP after two years as a security guard. She was born at Beth Israel and had her children here.

Kimberly Harris, former security guard who is now a PCA in the CPEP.

Officer Joseph Robinson is also currently making the transition to become a PCA on 8 Bernstein.

We are lucky to have them.

2018 was an incredible year for us. I can’t thank you enough for taking care of our patients and each other every day despite facing many changes and challenges.

Please watch the video below and reflect on 2018 at MSBI and throughout our Downtown network.

As we move into 2019, we continue to focus on coming together to improve the patient experience. In the spirit of this important work, we recently gathered our security officers and volunteer greeters with our new concierge team members for teambuilding and training. They are our hub for welcoming patients, guests, and employees to our hospital.

They worked through recent changes we’ve made to help patients find their way through the hospital, like our new map and new preferred routes for patients. They came together in many interactive activities including a scavenger hunt, routing scenarios, and interactive role-playing. I believe one key to our success lies in this kind of interactive teamwork.

Click below to scroll through photos of the event.

What I am most grateful for is their willingness to remain open to exploring how their roles contribute to an excellent experience. Visitor badging is brand new, and our teams have been courageous and patient in understanding how their piece of the puzzle fits together with the larger welcoming environment at MSBI.

Later this year, we will have a similar opportunity for all of our employees to connect in small groups and discuss how we can support our patients and each other. This is important work, and I can’t wait to continue on this journey with you.

To take care of others, we must first take care of ourselves. We want to do everything we can to help you stay healthy this year and always. Did you know MSBI has a gym on campus? The employee-only space on 3 Linsky has cardio machines, mats, freestanding resistance machines, free weights, kettlebells, and other workout equipment. We recently fixed some of the equipment and bought new elliptical machines. There are also cubbies for your belongings and a shower/changing area. We heard from some of you about how you’ve taken advantage of the gym.

To hear from Chief Medical Officer Barbara Barnett about her time in the gym, click the button below. 

You can visit the Mount Sinai Wellness page for more information about our other wellness activities.

This week I’d like to feature our patient care float pool staff for the support they offer to the various units in our hospital.  They are consistent and flexible while working with so many different teams and patients depending on the daily needs of our various units and programs. And one additional thing that makes this work is the extra effort that the regular team members on each unit give to orienting and making our float staff feel at home.

Their sense of community and belonging is strong. Lies Moulla, a float staff patient care associate who has been part of our community for over 17 years, says that no matter what unit he is on, he is always able to connect the team members there and thinks of them as family.

Our patient care float pool team members represent the best of Beth Israel – always open to change and always ready, willing, and able to provide their expertise where they are most needed.

Top left, then clockwise: Mignon Sampson, PCA; Michael Sta Maria, RN; Lybra A Winds, PCA; Dolores Daly, PCA.

Top from left to right: Louis White, PCA; Jennifer Parker, PCA; Jovonn Douglas, PCA; Bottom from left to right: Jenny Lam, RN; Jackeline Vives, USA; Marie Blaise, RN.

Top left, then clockwise: Yolanda Rodriguez, USA; Victoria Tuoyo, PCA; Shatika Smith, RN; Rashid R Edwards, PCA.