Huntington Health presents Heart of Huntington Award

Recently, Huntington held its sixth Heart of Huntington award ceremony, a peer-to-peer recognition program that honors employees, physicians and volunteers for their extraordinary acts of kindness to patients, their families and one another. The award is presented quarterly to clinical and non-clinical individuals.

Lori J. Morgan, MD, MBA, president and CEO, Huntington Health, recognized Jennifer Chan, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP, pharmacist specialist; Matthew Morgan, staff development specialist; Marco Franco, simulation lab coordinator; and Kimberley Williams, radiation therapist at Huntington Cancer Center.

Jennifer received the clinical award for prioritizing patient safety and being a valuable “bridge” between pharmacy, IT, nurses, physicians and patients. Her colleagues applauded her intelligence, kindness, dependability, and most of all, her support. Jennifer’s efforts to help staff prepare for the transition to CS-Link is one of the many ways she has supported her colleagues. In fact, going out of her way to help others is a hallmark of her service.

“It’s clear that Jennifer has done everything she can to make this a safe place for our patients to receive care and to cultivate a work environment in which our staff and providers feel well supported. Thank you for your hard work,” said Dr. Morgan.

Matthew, one of two non-clinical recipients, was acknowledged as an excellent educator with a sincere desire to help others understand complex issues. He provides ongoing training for our clinical staff and enthusiastically engages, motivates and inspires those he trains. Matthew’s willingness to help in any situation and his compassionate approach to connecting and collaborating with his colleagues makes them feel valued and cared for.

“Whether addressing IT issues in our Simulation Lab or helping with Stop the Bleed training, Matthew maintains a relentlessly optimistic and cheerful approach to his work. Thank you for being there for your colleagues to ensure they are equipped to deliver the highest quality care for our patients,” Dr. Morgan said.

Marco was also a non-clinical recipient, recognized for his respect, compassion and dedication while helping staff deliver world-class health care. Despite ever-changing demands, he maintains a calm, professional demeanor and consistently accepts new opportunities. Throughout the pandemic, he went to great lengths to meet our staff and physicians’ rapidly evolving education needs, including developing a step-by-step decontamination (DECON) training video instead of holding in-person lessons, which was prohibited then. Marco also serves as a DECON Team member and a Stop the Bleed trainer at the hospital and community.

“I am incredibly grateful for the concern and care Marco has shown in ensuring that all Huntington staff and physicians are prepared to provide safe and effective patient care,” Dr. Morgan said.

Dr. Morgan also recognized clinical finalist, Kimberley Williams, commending her excellent judgment with a patient who recently suffered a stroke and exhibited troubling symptoms after radiation therapy. Kim convinced the patient to undergo an evaluation with a registered nurse, which ultimately identified a health emergency.

“Thank you, Kim, for being attentive to the needs of our patients and taking appropriate precautions to safeguard their health,” Dr. Morgan expressed.

Congratulations to all!