Daniel Figueroa, Secretary lll

A patient recently shared her heartfelt appreciation for the outstanding service of Daniel Figueroa, Secretary lll, Department of Medicine, Center for Post COVID Care at Mount Sinai-Union Square.

Due to challenges with her insurance, the patient travels from Albany to receive care at Mount Sinai. She described how stressful this situation has been for her and recounted how Daniel went above and beyond to assist her when she arrived late to an appointment. She stated that she was grateful for his empathy as he ensured she felt heard and cared for. Daniel immediately advocated for her to be seen, and his kindness and genuine concern deeply touched her heart. She explained, “You never know what someone is going through, and Daniel’s compassion made all the difference.”

Arlene Rodriguez, Administrative Manager, Department of Medicine, says, “Daniel’s ability to listen attentively and show genuine compassion made a significant difference in this patient’s experience. Daniel’s dedication, empathy, and exceptional service set a shining example for us all. You are truly remarkable, Daniel, and we are grateful to have you as part of our team.”

The patient experience is clearly Daniel’s No. 1 priority. “As I speak to patients, I am committed to listen carefully and allow them to express themselves without judgement. Each patient has a story to share, and I want to ensure that each one has a safe space to discuss their health. My approach is to value each patient with respect, integrity, professionalism, perseverance, and accountability,” he says, adding, “In the words of Mother Teresa, it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.”

Monique Smalls, Environmental Services

Monique Smalls is a member of the Environmental Services team at Mount Sinai Queens. A patient wrote a letter of appreciation for Monique’s compassion and kindness and included a thank you poem.

Dear Monique:

We started to talk…You became very near and dear to me… I always looked forward to our daily talks. I finally got home from rehab. There were times that I got down in my thoughts and spirit. BUT then I would think of you and YOUR GIFT, and it lifted me back up again. By gift…I mean the gift of You…your thoughtfulness, kindness, and compassion. You are the sweetest and most considerate person I’ve met in a long time. You will NEVER know what you did for me. I pray for God‘s richest blessings upon you, your family, and your grandson.

T   There’s a rare and special quality in the way some people live.
H   However busy they may be, they still have time to give.
A   Anything you ask or need, they’ll do their very best.
N   No matter what the task is or how simple the request.
K   Kindness just comes naturally to the rare and selfless few
S   Special giving people—people just like YOU

Monique was surprised to receive this patient’s note. “I will always remember her; she was all alone, no family. It really saddened me. I had no idea I made such an impact; you never know what you can do for a stranger.”

Despite not being responsible for direct patient care, Monique is dedicated to every patient she meets. “What makes my job rewarding are the patients with whom I interact with every day. The first thing I do when I come into a patient’s room is smile and ask them how they are feeling and try and make them as comfortable as possible. They are patients here, so they become family, and I treat them as such.” She adds, “I know that words are very powerful. I choose to use my words to make patients smile, to reduce their anxiety, and most important, feel wanted. My mission is to help them see the positive in a negative situation.”

Simone Henry, phlebotomist

Simone Henry is a phlebotomist at the Recanati/Miller Transplantation Institute at Mount Sinai and is praised for her strong work ethic and compassionate care as she draws blood for tests. “Simone is highly dependable and does not hesitate to come in early and leave late when needed. And our patients love her,” says Zipporah Verwayne, Practice Manager for the Institute.  “We recently received a compliment from a kidney donor who said she was very nervous about the process of donating an organ and became even more anxious when she saw the number of tubes of blood that would be required to move forward. Simone made her feel comfortable and relaxed. The patient added that being a donor can be overwhelming, and the impact of having someone, like Simone, to reassure her, was most helpful.”

Carolyn Forman, Administrative Director of the Institute, says Simone has been tapped for added responsibilities. “Simone is one of our top phlebotomists who draws blood for the most patients daily. Her technical skill is so expert that we have asked her to take on the task of doing all our donor lab draws and the majority of the initial bloodwork for our kidney patients. Thank you, Simone, for all of your hard work and dedication!”

Simone puts the patient experience front and center. “As a dedicated health care professional, I strive to ensure that each patient feels at ease and confident in my care,“ she explains. “I understand that procedures like blood draws can be a source of anxiety, especially when multiple tubes of blood are involved. To alleviate these concerns, I make it a point to exude confidence and clearly explain the importance of these lab tests. I walk each patient through the process, addressing any questions or worries they may have. I look forward to continuing to provide compassionate care to my patients.”

Kamaria Gregory, LMSW, left, and Ilyse Acosta, RN

The Mount Sinai Home Infusion team is using its expertise and compassion to assist patients during a nationwide shortage of a vital medical supply.In late September, Hurricane Helene severely damaged Baxter International’s North Cove plant in North Carolina, which supplies 60 percent of the medical-grade fluids used nationwide. As a result, health systems and hospitals nationwide experienced severe intravenous (IV) fluid shortages. Baxter has advised that it will not return to full operations before the end of the year, at the earliest.

Locally, third-party home infusion companies were struggling to meet the demand for parenteral nutrition—this is feeding through a vein, an IV therapy that is often provided through home infusion services and requires a significant amount of fluids. These companies were declining cases, including some at the Mount Sinai Health System hospitals, because of the shortage.

Christine Hamilton, PhD, LCSW, MPH, Senior Director Department of Social Work Services at Mount Sinai, reached out to Mara Rotbard, Vice President, Mount Sinai Home Infusion Business Services, to ask if Mount Sinai could assist with patients who were scheduled to receive home therapy from other services and who could not be discharged because services were not available. Mount Sinai Home Infusion was able to not only continue serving its own patients, but accepted new patients allowing timely discharge. The referrals were seamlessly coordinated by Ilyse Acosta, RN, Clinical Service Liaison Mount Sinai Home Infusion, including insurance verification, securing nursing, clinical pharmacy review and coordinating the delivery of the parenteral nutrition and supplies. Ilyse worked with the social workers, including Kamaria Gregory, LMSW, to manage the discharges. “The collaboration between The Mount Sinai Home Infusion and Social Work teams was also excellent,” Christine says.

Ms. Rotbard says that Mount Sinai Health System’s having its own home infusion program is an invaluable benefit. She explains, “We have been affected by the fluid shortages as well, but fortunately have access to supplies through our eight hospitals, and combined with the efforts of our Supply Chain and system Pharmacy teams, we were able to help get all patients discharged with no interruption to their at home therapy.”