Sophya Seda

Getting a mammogram can be stressful, both physically and emotionally. That is why a technologist like Sophya Seda, Lead Mammography Technologist at Mount Sinai West, is such a welcome presence for her patients.

“We are fortunate to have Sophya on our team,” says Myra Rosa, Practice Manager of the Radiology Department at Mount Sinai West. “Just the way she speaks to patients puts them at ease.”

Courtney Thompson, a patient at MSW, could not agree more. “I recently arrived for an early morning mammogram, only to discover my insurance coverage was not active. This situation compounded my usual pre-mammogram anxiety, as I thought I might have to reschedule. Sophya was so calm and so in control, I was quickly reassured. She managed to get through to the right people at my insurance company so I could have my test as planned, on time.

Plus, she expertly guided me through the new 3D process. I felt totally taken care of.” Sophya says she is just grateful to be a part of the experience for her patients. “I love what I do”, she says. “Being there for my patients is near and dear to my heart.”

Patrick Barton

Patrick Barton, Director of Engineering for Mount Sinai Brooklyn, is referred to as “MacGyver” by his colleagues because, like the quick-thinking action hero, Patrick never wavers in finding a solution to whatever problem arises.

According to senior leadership at Mount Sinai Brooklyn, although Patrick has many competing priorities, he never shows frustration; he simply handles everything efficiently and with a sense of urgency. He is also proactive and agile.

When a weekend heat wave hit last summer, Patrick increased the facilities staff on site, so resources were on hand for possible problems, and he came in personally to hose down the hospital’s chillers to keep them from overheating. When an injury landed him in the Emergency Department, his concern was not for himself, but for his department’s work flow.

According to Emelda Forrester, Director of Patient Services, “‘No’ and ‘This cannot be done’ are not in Patrick’s vocabulary. It is reassuring to all of us at Mount Sinai Brooklyn that he is on the job.”

Patrick says he is blessed to have the support of management at Mount Sinai Brooklyn and a hardworking team by his side. “I want every patient here to have a great experience, and our efforts in maintaining a safe and comfortable environment are key to that experience.”

Nana Yeboah

Nana Yeboah, MPA, is described by her colleagues as a bundle of positivity and optimism. A senior training specialist in the Talent, Development and Learning Department (TDL), Nana works with managers around the Mount Sinai Health System to develop customized learning programs for their teams and also teaches many of the ongoing classes offered to staff members by TDL.

According to Diane Adams, Chief Learning Officer, Mount Sinai Health System, Nana always has a smile on her face. She also has an “amazing sense of empathy and patience” and is very conscious of busy employees’ limited time.

Diane says that once Nana starts speaking, participants are energized, which sets the stage for an exceptional learning experience in classes such as “Coaching for Peak Performance,” and “New Beginnings for Leaders.”

Diane has received numerous letters from attendees praising Nana’s extraordinary talent. Nana is also known for going out of her way for anyone she meets. Case in point: When a woman in her class broke her shoe, Nana gave her a spare pair she keeps in the office.

Nana’s mandate is simple. She wants employees to understand their worth and importance to the Health System. “Everything we do as employees is a reflection of the mission, vision, and values of Mount Sinai. My objective is to strengthen the abilities of everyone who works here so we give the best of ourselves to our patients and our colleagues.”

Clara Ortiz

An older patient arrived in the Urology Department at Mount Sinai Union Square one morning and told Clara Ortiz, Front Desk Secretary, that he was there for his appointment.

The man seemed fragile and confused, and struggled to communicate. He handed Clara a paper that explained the nature of his visit. She informed him that he was on the right floor, but in the wrong department, and provided directions.

The patient did not seem to understand her instructions. At the same time, several patients were waiting to make follow-up appointments or check in. Clara asked them if it was all right if she left to personally take the patient to the right office.

Gregory Cicero was so impressed, he wrote a letter to the Urology Department commending Clara. “I have never seen such kindness in a medical facility before; it should be emulated throughout the profession,” he wrote. “This is not my first visit to Urology, and each time Clara has always gone above and beyond. She is truly an exemplary employee.”

From left: Ronald Villota, MSN, RN; Danae Dent; and Germaine Chan, MD.

When patients come into the Emergency Department for urgent care—and are also on dialysis—it is critical that physicians receive timely and complete information about their medications and dialysis orders.

To help expedite the process at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s, Martine Pollack-Zollman, MD, Assistant Professor, Nephrology, and Medical Director of Inpatient Hemodialysis, and Ronald Villota, MSN, RN, Nurse Manager of the Rehabilitation and Hemodialysis Unit, turned to Danae Dent, who is unit secretary and a key player in ensuring efficient operations.

Danae was excited about the assignment from the start, Ronald says. Her plan included staying in close contact with the Emergency Department to identify dialysis patients as soon as they were registered, then calling their usual hemodialysis sites to quickly capture information about their treatment. She also created a detailed spreadsheet to share this data with the medical staff.

Danae’s work impressed the entire team. Dr. Pollack-Zollman says the “always smiling and helpful” Danae has done an amazing job. She adds, “Her proactivity made the process much smoother and easier than we imagined it could be.”

Germaine Chan, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Nephrology, says, “Danae is an invaluable asset to our team. She was able to provide needed information on patients before I was even called to treat them. This is a first.”

Danae says she is humbled by the outpouring of gratitude by her team. “I sit near my physicians and was able to get a sense of their needs. It gives me great pleasure to help my colleagues out and make our unit, and the patient experience, the best it can be.”

Michael Jones

Ellen Marmur, MD, Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology and former Chief of Dermatologic Surgery at The Mount Sinai Hospital, wasted no time when her son Julien, 15, complained of pains on his right side shortly after dinner last spring.

From the Emergency Department at The Mount Sinai Hospital, it was a quick trip to an operating room for an appendectomy.

Julien was apprehensive. “I had never been an inpatient before, and everything happened so fast,” he says. “It was all a little overwhelming.”

Compassion and creativity by Michael Jones, a Surgical Care Associate, made things easier for Julien. As Michael was taking him from the Patient Recovery Unit to the Pediatrics Department, he made it an adventure, says Dr. Marmur. He asked Julien to name his favorite race car and transformed his bed into a blue Lamborghini for a “drive” through the dark halls of the hospital.

“Michael helped me to smile and be less fearful,” says Julien. “I felt he really cared about me. He was so awesome.”

That is precisely Michael’s mission. “I have worked at The Mount Sinai Hospital for over 22 years, taking patients to and from labs and radiology and surgeries,” he says. “My focus is always on my patients’ well-being. I try to take their minds off of being sick. When it comes to children and teens, humor and imagination go a long way.”