Aug 11, 2022 | Stories of Excellence
Lisa Renau
Lisa Renau, practice manager, Department of Medicine at Mount Sinai Morningside, cannot say enough about the professionalism and commitment to patient care demonstrated by Diane Kowchai, front desk coordinator at Mount Sinai Doctors-638 Columbus Avenue, Primary Care.
“How does one describe an employee who goes beyond the call of duty each and every day for the patients?” she asks, calling Diane our “Patient Experience Extraordinaire.”
“Diane engages with each patient as they enter the practice with a smile and calming voice. She thanks them for coming and asks how she might help them. The reaction from patients is one of complete joy, but it doesn’t stop there. Diane will come from behind the desk to assist the patient when checking in or answering their questions.”
Lisa goes on: “That one-on-one connection Diane builds is priceless. Before you know it, there is an engaging conversation between Diane and the patient. Diane ensures the patient is comfortable and will offer water as they wait. At the end of a visit, she will give the patient their After Visit Summary and wish them well.”
“But,” Lisa adds, “Diane does not stop there.”
The next day, Diane calls all the patients from the previous day to thank them for selecting Mount Sinai as their primary care practice. She will ask if they have any additional questions for their physician. “Our patients are overjoyed with the follow-up call and an engaging voice,” says Lisa. “They have nothing but kind words for Diane.”
Diane’s commitment to the welfare of her patients has roots in her childhood. “From a very young age, I always had a passion and desire to help others,” she says. “Having the opportunity to work directly with patients is a dream come true. I want each and every patient experience to be something they remember forever because I am able to assist them with their needs while providing the best service possible.”
Aug 4, 2022 | Nursing, Stories of Excellence
Gaylenis Del Carmen Mendez Cabreja, BSN, RN
Gaylenis Del Carmen Mendez Cabreja, BSN, RN, more widely known as Carmen, was recently celebrated at a Mount Sinai Health System President’s Huddle. In the episode cited, Carmen was working her usual night shift at Mount Sinai Morningside, providing post-operative care to a bariatric patient.
The patient later wrote the following: “Carmen was without a doubt the most kind, patient, and empathetic nurse I have ever met. I was in an incredible amount of pain, utilized my call bell many times, and each time she was at my bedside in seconds, removing wires for my numerous bathroom breaks or just to provide calming words of encouragement. Additionally, I shared a room with a woman who had extensive injurie and was very angry and loud at times. All I heard was Carmen in calming tones de-escalating and advocating the patient’s wishes to other providers when they entered the room. I wanted to bring awareness to Carmen because often times, people aren’t praised for a job well done, and she was excellent.”
Susan Ignacio, RN, Manager, Patient Care Services at Mount Sinai Morningside, praises Carmen for her superb patient care.
“If you have met Carmen, you will know that she is soft-spoken and always attentive to her patients. She is the ‘Night-Shift Nightingale,’ carrying a lamp quietly checking that everyone is okay. We are proud to recognize Carmen for her compassion, empathy, and dedication to elevating the patient experience at Mount Sinai.”
Carmen clearly puts herself in her patient’s shoes. “I approach patient care with honesty, empathy, and patience. Honesty allows the patient to make more knowledgeable decisions about their care. Empathy helps patients feel more comfortable and trusting of you to provide care to them. And patience creates a warm and welcoming environment, where patients can process and heal what is a life-altering experience for them,” says Carmen, who has worked at Mount Sinai Morningside, 8E, since December 2021. “Nursing to me means being not only a caregiver, but a friend, to someone in medical need. It’s a blessing to be able to help people in their time of need.”
Updated on Jul 22, 2022 | Stories of Excellence
Kiya Neal
Kiya Neal is a transporter at Mount Sinai West. According to his supervisor, Arleen Charles, Kiya demonstrates many of the Mount Sinai Health System values, including teamwork, agility, and empathy. “Kiya has enormous respect for patients, colleagues, and leadership,” she says. “While I am rounding on units, I always get positive feedback about him. She adds, “Kiya has a unique ability to always have open communication, no matter the atmosphere, and is willing to go above and beyond with clinical staff to avoid gaps in communication when transporting his patients. Importantly, Kiya is committed to providing safe, quality care to every patient he serves.”
A member of the clinical staff recently recognized Kiya, saying, “Kiya is such a wonderful transporter, he is pleasant and delightful. He saw that we were struggling with moving a hospital bed, and he quickly assisted us. He will volunteer to help anyone in the ED. I love working with him, and so do the ED staff.”
Kiya has a thoughtful way to express his approach to patient experience. “Working in health care is not about how much you do, but how much you put into the doing,” he says. “That is why I always practice compassion when interacting with patients and colleagues.”
Updated on Jul 22, 2022 | Stories of Excellence
Angel Rivera
Angel Rivera is a Materials Manager at Mount Sinai Beth Israel who heads a team responsible for keeping all units stocked with supplies on a daily basis. In this important behind-the-scenes role, Angel has been praised by his colleagues for his teamwork, creativity, and agility.
Patrice Alexandre, RN, Nurse Manager, 7 Silver says, “While completing rounds to deliver materials and assure that our stockroom was equipped with the necessary supplies needed for the unit, Mr. Rivera noticed that the supply room on 7 Silver was a bit disheveled and need some organization. He took the time out of his busy day to discard any boxes or items that were the source of clutter or inappropriately stored, cleaned the floors behind the storage shelves, and removed any excess supplies that were impacting the cleanliness and appearance of the unit. After he left, the room was so clean and well organized! We all truly appreciated his hard work and dedication to the upkeep of our supply room. Thank you Mr. Rivera!”
Richard Spatafora, MSN, RN, Nurse Education Manager, has also thanked Angel for going above and beyond: “Angel always finds a way to help, and today was no exception. Angel quickly responded to our need for some materials we needed for our critical care course. He located exactly what was needed, and despite being exceptionally busy, found the time to run the needed supplies to Nursing Education. This kind of behavior is not unusual for Angel. He is always kind and helpful, and contributes greatly to all of our collective success. Nursing Education loves you, Angel! Thanks for always being so helpful. ”
Angel is clearly dedicated to his work. “Assuring that our patients have the daily supplies for them to be taken care of is really important to me, he explains. “It is so satisfying to know that I am helping patients to be comfortable and safe and that their stay at MSBI turns out to be a great experience. It’s always a pleasure working with the nurse managers of each unit and assisting them with their needs. I have made it clear that I am only an email or call away.”
Updated on Nov 14, 2025 | Engagement, Stories of Excellence
Sylvia Dabalsa, Language Coordinator.
Sylvia Dabalsa began her career at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (NYEE) in 2014 as a Spanish medical Interpreter, and a few months later took on additional administrative duties, which eventually led to her current position as language coordinator. In this role, she says, “it is a privilege to serve our diverse patient population.”
Sylvia makes sure that patients with limited English proficiency or who are deaf or hard of hearing have easy access to interpretation services via telephone, video, and face-to-face interpreters. In addition, she plays a key role in implementing and expanding policies and procedures that meet the language requirements of the New York State Department of Health and Joint Commission. These include annual language needs assessments; increasing the number and utilization of video remote interpreters; expanding the number of staff who are assessed and added to the language bank; and overseeing regular in-service sessions to ensure that staff are familiar with the resources available to communicate effectively with all patients. She also oversees the translation of key documents and consents that are used throughout NYEE.
Miguel Arenas, MS, CPXP, Senior Director Patient Relations, Mount Sinai Downtown and Mount Sinai Brooklyn, says that Sylvia is tireless in her efforts and advocacy for all patients, but especially those with limited English proficiency and those who are deaf or hard of hearing. These patients feel safer, comforted, and reassured when Sylvia is in the house. “Her dedication to this work comes from her clear understanding that a simple error when interpreting can put patients’ lives in danger or limit their ability to understand their diagnosis or plan of care,” he says. “Sylvia has a keen ability to work with a wide range of providers and managers across all departments. She is agile, caring, smart, resourceful, and embraces any challenge that comes her way.”
Sylvia is committed to providing patients with the best possible experience through high quality, compassionate, and unbiased care. “I love my work,” she says, “as it allows me to facilitate communications between limited English proficient or sensory disabled patients, their family and friends, and our staff. Improved communication translates into better diagnoses, better patient understanding of the plan of care, and better health outcomes.”
Updated on Jul 14, 2022 | Stories of Excellence
Jino Gatpandan, LMSW.
Jino Gatpandan, LMSW, is a float social worker at Mount Sinai Beth Israel (MSBI), meaning that he covers all inpatient areas of the hospital. Jino has been working at MSBI for about a year and has already shown that he is calm, empathetic, and compassionate, his supervisor say. Jino often has to help with discharges at the last minute or when there is a crisis, and he does so efficiently and creatively.
Recently, Jino was recognized with a STAR by Alicia Tennenbaum, LCSW, Director of Social Work and Case Management. Alicia recounted an incident that exemplifies Jino’s commitment to his patient’s welfare. One of the medical teams was trying to discharge a patient who was at high risk for readmission because she had trouble filling her medications. (She had already been readmitted to MSBI and other hospitals.)
Jino met with her medical team and pharmacy to determine how to rectify this situation. For the better part of a day, they hit roadblocks with the patient’s insurance company. Finally, in the evening, they were able to get her medications filled at the pharmacy. Jino decided that he would not feel good about this discharge until he ensured that the medications were in the patient’s hands. He went to Walgreens himself and stayed there until the medications were ready and he could bring them directly to the patient’s bedside. Alicia says, “It truly was selfless and an example of going above and beyond. Jino made the patient’s discharge smoother and safer by embodying the Mount Sinai values of creativity, empathy, agility, and teamwork.”
Jino is modest when talking about his contributions to the patient experience. “Helping people is what I try to do every day. So if there’s a way that I can assist a patient in making their transition back into the community seamless that goes beyond what’s normally expected, but within reason, then I’ll do it.”
