2024 President’s Award Honorees
At Southcoast Health, our promise to you is Exceptional Care from People Who Care.
How do we do this? By working together, as a team. Every one of our employees plays a vital role in ensuring we provide the best care to you, our valued patients. Here, we introduce you to some of the amazing people at Southcoast Health. You may recognize them as your family, friends or neighbors. To us, they define what it means to be More than medicine.
Portraits of the award recipients will be displayed at all three Southcoast Health hospital locations and the Fairhaven Business Center as of January 2, 2024.
More than medicine is: Opportunity
Christine Fegan, Housekeeper – Lead, Environmental Services
I’m honored to receive the President’s Award from Southcoast Health. The work ethic my upbringing instilled in me – one rooted in loyalty and going above and beyond – has been my guide, but this recognition also belongs to the incredible team I work alongside. Together, we bring out the best in each other, creating a fantastic work environment!
More than medicine is: Engagement
Bill Needham, Manager, Materials Distribution, Charlton Memorial Hospital
You could say Southcoast Health and Charlton Memorial Hospital are in my blood. My mother, Lois Wilding, was a nurse here for 50 years and received the President’s Award herself in 2002. Now I’ve been here for 35 years. My philosophy – especially during times of crisis – is: just get things done. What my team does is crucial because we’re providing clinicians what they need to get the job done in a seamless way. During the SARS epidemic, my sister was hospitalized, and I saw firsthand all the things being used to treat her. When I know I’ve delivered to clinical staff the tools they need to provide care, and I see how it impacts patients and family members – that fuels me. It has a profound impact.
More than medicine is: Going Above and Beyond
Bethany Duquette, CPACS Administrator, Digital Health Services
My work on the DHS team supporting Epic integration for cardiology and radiology is both challenging and rewarding because it enables better patient care. The way Southcoast Health is always here for our patients inspires me to give back. I do a lot of volunteer work and pick up extra shifts at St. Luke’s as a phlebotomist. I’m co-chair of the More Valor Employee Resource Group (ERG) and a member of the More Abilities ERG and the Southcoast Recognition Committee. As the mom of a child with autism, I realize how hard it can be to find the right resources. I’m constantly researching and sharing information so other Southcoast Health parents can get access to services they may not have known about. A little kindness can go a long way.
More than medicine is: Being Someone Who Helps Calm the Storm
Emilie Berlow, Information Systems Analyst, Risk Management
I’m proud to work here at Southcoast Health, helping wherever I’m needed. My job isn’t clinical, but I see myself as supporting our patient-facing colleagues. When they need information quickly, I’m able to get it to them. I give 110% to everything I do so that when it’s done, they know I stepped up and did more than what was asked. I feel their sense of relief when I’ve solved a problem that will save someone time and make their job easier. My philosophy is integrity. I never want to look back and think I could have done a better job – I believe in doing my best now.
More than medicine is: Compassion
Kelly Buckingham, RN, Team Lead, Patient Care Multi Unit, Tobey Hospital
I like to think that a little bit of compassion makes a world of difference. I cannot physically leave a room without asking, “Is there anything else I can do for you?” If I don’t say that phrase, my interaction with a patient feels incomplete. Coming from working in the Intensive Care Unit, it’s also very important to me to take care of family members. That means addressing their concerns about their loved ones, making that connection, building that trust with them so when they walk out of the hospital they can feel confident that their family member is receiving the best care.
More than medicine is: Teamwork
Andrea Laliberte, DNP, RN, Program Manager, Pathway to Excellence
Southcoast Health is so special on so many levels; it’s truly a family. I’ve been here for 15 years, and it never feels like work to me. Supporting nurses is my passion. My goal as a leader is to keep them engaged and ensure they feel valued and cared for. I consider myself a teacher and a connector. If I know something, I want to share that knowledge with others and mentor them through challenging situations so they can grow and feel confident. All of that translates into providing the best patient experience. If I can make an impact on just one person, I call it a win.
More than medicine is: Finding Balance
Stephanie Sinclair, MD, Hospitalist, Tobey Hospital
As a nighttime hospitalist, I really get the chance to get close with my patients. I get to see life as a whole circle. I deliver babies when needed and am there to deliver a feeling of calm during someone’s last moments. I also really love the balance my work gives me. I have three little girls and I love being with them! I bake with them, pick them up from school and have all the special moments I can. Then I get to head into work at night to do the best job in the world. And the icing on the cake is that I work with the best people! We are all for one and one for all.
More than medicine is: Having Perspective
Kathy Leidhold, RN, St. Luke’s Hospital
As a night shift oncology nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital, you develop a unique perspective on life. I’ve learned that life is truly a gift, and I am always grateful for my and my family’s health. When someone is facing a terminal diagnosis, it is important to know how to walk in the room. It’s like being a chameleon. You change your energy, voice, persona, even your body movement, just to make the patient and their family feel taken care of, important and, above all, human. It can be a very hard job, but I know I am so lucky to go home and spend time making memories with my family. My job reminds me to appreciate every second I have with them.
More than medicine is: Making an Impact
Scott LaRosa, Executive Director & Chief Analytics Integration Officer, Digital Health Services
We have spent 20 years collecting data in various areas and now we get to use that data to benefit our patients and the community. I work with a lot of smart people, and it would be impossible to do this job without them. I typically work behind the scenes, but to receive this award from my peers makes me feel very proud and humbled. I couldn’t do it without them! I always ask people “What’s your why?” and I can tell you my “why” is my wife and children. Our family has personally experienced the impact of applying data-supported workflows to clinical protocols and how data saves lives by triggering quick responses in dire circumstances. I am so honored to be a part of the Southcoast Health community and I couldn’t ask for a better team to work with.
More than medicine is: Community
Henri Valois, Manager, Pharmacy, Tobey Hospital
Growing up as the oldest of three boys, I was always the peacekeeper in my family, and I think that has carried through much of my life. We also all played baseball, so a team mentality is at the core of everything I do. The pharmacy team at Tobey is what really keeps me here. We work seamlessly together to make sure the patient has the right medication when they need it most. I am so overwhelmed to be receiving this recognition. I am not a “center of attention” kind of guy. I enjoy tackling challenges while keeping an even keel, and maybe that’s why my colleagues chose to honor me this way. This is a great community and I love living here with my family. My work brings me a lot of pride knowing that I am helping the people who live where I live.
More than medicine is: Giving 100 Percent
John Saurette III, Manager, Food Service Production, Charlton Memorial Hospital
Food is a big part of my life and I think at the core of it, I enjoy taking care of people. At home, I love to cook, watch cooking shows and practice my craft. I think hospital food gets a bad reputation, but I take great pride in making sure we are using the best quality products we can. I was in the restaurant scene for much of my early career, starting at 15 years old washing pots and pans. As I got older, I began seeking more work-life balance, and I was told how great it was to work for Southcoast Health. That was 10 years ago! I really love the team and I try to be on the floor as much as I can, helping and training folks. I really enjoy what I do, and I try to give 100 percent every day.
More than medicine is: Caring for Others
Alicia Medeiros, NP, Nurse Practitioner, Southcoast Health Urology
I went into medicine because I wanted to take care of the people I love. But my journey really started when I was 12, when my Grandma – my best friend who helped raise me – was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I remember the first time she forgot my name. By 16 years old, I had become a CNA. Later, while I attended nursing school, my mother and I took shifts caring for her. We were able to keep her comfortable and at home until she passed. I turned to medicine in part so I could find some magical treatment to save her, but it also allowed me to give her the best quality of life possible in the time she had left. Her memory is with me always and it fuels my work as an NP with Southcoast Health Urology. I really enjoy the time with my patients, and my goal is to always listen and take the time that each one needs.
More than medicine is: Compassion for Our Patients
Southcoast Cares About My Diabetes
The Southcoast Cares About My Diabetes team came together from departments across our system to create and implement a program to help reduce health disparities by providing education to help patients better manage their diabetes.
“This collaboration was so much more than a project. Each group member contributed their expertise and demonstrated true passion for the project and compassion for the patients in our community.” – Lindsay Dowd, RN, CCM
“It was so rewarding to see so many people come together to bridge gaps and remove barriers to diabetes care for patients. Together, we were able to bring care into communities in places people could easily access in a safe and welcoming environment.” – Katelyn Ferreira, Health Equity Program Manager
Remembering team member Twyla Higgins, Diabetes Educator, pictured above center in the framed photo. Twyla was passionate about the team’s mission and the community it served.