By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
Northumberland Hills Hospital President and Chief Executive Officer Susan Walsh said her report to the February board meeting would have a running theme – gratitude.
Walsh led off with the Accreditation Canada team that would have visited NHH at the beginning of March. In recognition of the pandemic’s impact, she said, they are delaying a number of accreditations. This particular one is delayed to September.
Her next expression of gratitude was to the NHH staff and physicians.
“In response to the on-going demands of the pandemic, we have launched a Caring for the Carer campaign,” Walsh said.
“It really has been informed by a newly struck committee of front-line staff, managers, and Foundation and Auxiliary representatives to ensure the mental, physical and emotional well-being of all our carers here at NHH remain top-of-mind.”
A heart-warming expression of gratitude came to the hospital in the form of a three-minute professionally produced video by John Summerfield of Summerfield Films. He said his goal was simply “to make sure everyone at NHH knows the gratitude people are feeling in the community right now.” The thank-you card that was sent in response contained many personal messages of gratitude, Walsh said. The film can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/667571521.
The community also deserves a lot of gratitude for their tremendous response in ensuring the annual Light Up A Life campaign raised more than $272,000 for cardiac monitors and a central monitoring system for the hospital’s recently expanded Intensive Care Unit.
“I personally signed over 620 thank-you letters, and it was a wonderful reminder for me of how generous our community is,” Walsh commented.
Another staffer who gives the NHH community reason for gratitude, she continued, is Recreational Therapist and Elder Life Program Specialist Amy Ludolph, who was named the Seniors’ Care Network Pandemic Champion Award for the Central East Region. Walsh singled out her critical role in introducing and supporting the Virtual Visiting Program, which has been crucial to her patients and their loves ones.
Finally, Walsh expressed her thanks to two retiring Patient and Family Advisory Council members who are retiring.
Bill Prawecki was an inaugural member of the council, formed in 2016, playing an integral part in shaping the council as well as playing an active role in a range of hospital decision-making tables. Long-standing, hard-working volunteer Peter Hosiak brought the patient voice and experience to multiple project teams.
“As we say farewell to our two wonderful PFAC members, we welcome three new advisors,” Walsh said, listing Ashley Bilton, Donna Tindale-Henderson and Ann Dobby.
