Faces of Care is a unique series of eight moving, short videos featuring employees who work for the Mount Sinai Health System. These employees are professionals, deeply dedicated to their crafts. The videos show that every employee plays an integral role in delivering safe, high- quality, seamless care, and they underscore the importance of the essential services these employees provide.
“I’m going to prep the instruments as best I can, as fast as I can, because that’s the way I would want to be treated. I’m playing a part in that. I’m helping people. We’re saving lives.” -Leahcim Francis, Central Sterile Technician
The first set of videos focus on employees at Mount Sinai Morningside, including those responsible for everything from sterilizing instruments to operating a PET CT scan to waste removal, and they show how all Mount Sinai employees, no matter their task, keep the patient at the center of their work.
Sanford Lapsley, a high-pressure boiler operating engineer who is one of the featured employees, is part of a team that operates on the hospital’s roof 24 hours a day.
“We’re responders. We feel what we do is important to the whole operation of Mount Sinai,” he says. “We give you heat, we give you steam, and we help cure patients.”
As Mount Sinai Morningside’s Chief Transformation Office, Lucy Xenophon, MD, often goes to see staff in the place where their work is done. She says she is impressed and humbled by their determination, skill, and kindheartedness. She realizes that some roles are almost invisible to the public.
“When I found out that there is someone who stays on the roof of the hospital 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to ensure steam is available for essential operations, I was determined to find a way to tell this story and stories like these,” said Dr. Xenophon.
Dr. Xenophon continued, “We must appreciate the value of our people—their fascinating work and their inspiring accomplishments. There is so much value in shining a spotlight on those who work behind the scenes in critical roles that keep our hospital and health system running.”
Director/Filmmaker Sean O’Neill created the videos in conjunction with the Mount Sinai Video Production Department led by Nicole “Nicci” Cheatham, Video Studio Manager.
“We chose Sean because of his commitment to creating authentic videos,” said Ms. Cheatham. “The choice to film the staff in their workplace and utilize the natural sounds of their environment provides a true look into the subjects’ day-to-day work life.”
“What struck me in watching the videos is the direct connection all of these staff have to healing patients and improving health,” said Arthur A. Gianelli, President, Mount Sinai Morningside. “The sense of duty and passion of people throughout the hospital has always awed me—and it is clearly evident in these videos.” The series is being expanded across the Mount Sinai Health System.
In addition to Mr. Lapsley, the video series features:
Hilary Bogert, Speech Language Pathologist
Douglas Burgos, Patient Representative
Marita Cuenca, Laboratory Technologist
Leahcim Francis, Central Sterile Technician
Sehar Khan, PET CT Technologist
Joseph McSherry, Mechanic Foreman
Edgardo Valentin, Environmental Services, Waste Removal