Valley Medical Center

Congratulations to 6 South's Alex Matsyshen, RN, our latest DAISY award winner. Alex's nomination reads: Alex is a very professional RN. Alex always makes sure that patients are safe, and he helps them. He is responsive and makes patients happy. A patient had anxiety and just needed to have someone beside them. Alex was patient at every encounter, sitting and reassuring the patient that he was safe, and the video EEG was not something the patient needed to worry about. The patient wanted to be discharged and was concerned about his car, so Alex spent his whole shift making sure the car was taken care of and convincing the patient he was safe in the hospital and not to leave. Alex did all his while tending to his three other patients. 

Congratulations to Heather Mosley, Manager, Orthopedics and Surgical, for recently receiving a Daisy Leader Award! Heather’s nomination reads: I cannot thank you enough for your kindness “always,” and allowing me to stay overnight with my dad for his knee replacement last night! You have always gone above and beyond for the patients on that floor as well as their family members and your staff. You are appreciated more than you will ever know! I cannot tell you how many times I have heard from your nursing staff that the reason they are there is BECAUSE OF HEATHER!!! That speaks volumes and I have experienced it myself and see exactly what they mean. I have never experienced a Nurse Manager to be so caring and making rounds to check on the patients and their families and you are always so good at checking in to make sure things are going well. You even popped in at the end of your shift before going home last night to see if we needed anything, which was so kind. Keep doing what you do and being you because it makes for a positive experience for EVERYONE INVOLVED! Valley is SO lucky to have you!

NICU nurse Annette Ventoza was recently featured in Seattle Pacific University's "SPU Stories." In 2023, Ventoza was named Washington State Nurse of the Year in the category of Nursing Practice Excellence by the March of Dimes. Congratulations, Annette!

Congratulations to the Valley Family Medicine class of 2024! These recent grads are off to begin their practices at Valley and other organizations around the region. Thank you for all you've done for your patients and colleagues during your residency.

Congratulations Rachel Jaffee, Our Newest Clinical Bee! Rachel is an inpatient social worker and went far outside of her normal duties to respond to a need in the Emergency Room and do a deep dive into the issues that were preventing the patient from getting the care they needed. Read more about Rachel in their nomination: A patient was in the ED because his home health services hadn't shown up and after I exhausted all ability to solve the problem myself, I reached out to all the inpatient social workers and Rachel was the one who responded. After hearing the story, she knew it wasn't going to be an easy solution and said she would come down and help. After an hour and multiple phone calls, she was able to see where the home health services had missed orders and made sure to correct the issue, getting the person seen the next day. Without her involvement, we would not have gotten this resolved as well as it was, for the patient. She exhibited kindness and compassion and spent a great deal of time out of her already demanding workday to do the right thing for the patient and family.

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, is a pivotal point in the United States history. Often thought of as the “longest-running African American holiday,” the day is a celebration of the emancipation of the enslaved Africans in America. In the midst of the American Civil War, on January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued an executive order which declared all enslaved people, in the Confederacy only, free immediately. This message was not delivered instantly by email, phone, or news notifications like today. Instead, Union soldiers, many of whom were Black, travelled the nation to plantations and cities in the south to spread the vital news. But this proclamation did not immediately free everyone. It did not include the four border slave states and all or parts of the three Confederate states controlled by the Union Army. Though the proclamation did not free all the nation’s enslaved people, the symbolic power of its signing demonstrated the aim of freedom and preservation of the Union.  Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, finally arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, and read the life-changing words of the Emancipation Proclamation. They announced that more than 250,000 enslaved black people in Texas were now free by executive order. Though the proclamation had been signed over 2 years prior, June 19, 1865, officially marked the end of 200 years of enslavement. Known to many as “America’s second Independence Day,” this day is often overlooked and only became federally recognized in 2021. Juneteenth holds great significance for many African Americans throughout the United States. It is a reminder of the struggle and resilience of their ancestors and serves as a testament to their enduring spirit. The holiday serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for equality and justice.  Juneteenth celebrations are more widespread today than ever before. Communities come together to reflect and rejoice through storytelling, family cookouts, music, and faith services. This celebration is a true recognition of our nation’s unity. 

Congratulations to Jennifer Monger, Imaging Services Rep II,  Wilma Doctor, PCA-HCA, and Debby Tank, Surgical Technician, for receiving BEE Awards!

Congratulations to Octavio "Toby" Veloso, a PCA on our General Medicine unit and one of our May 2024 Employees of the Month! "Octavio is always a pleasure to work with and a great team player. He has a positive attitude when he comes to work. He is very good about answering call lights and frequently rounds on patient as well as team members. He is very patient and calm with all the patients. I had a patient with severe dementia, and he would sit and talk with her, with respect and dignity. He kept her calm and prevented any escalation in behaviors. Octavio is always helping patients, even when they are not assigned to him. He helps visiting family members. He treats every patient with courtesy, and respect. He is proactive and goes above and beyond when it comes with anticipating patient's needs. In this way, he cares for our patients like family."

Congratulations to Donna Wenner, a Patient Access Associate in our Admitting department and one of our May 2024 Employees of the Month! See what her colleagues had to say: "She will leave no stone unturned to figure out a problem or schedule a patient in a timely fashion. She actually listens to what the patients are saying to her with empathy. At the end of the conversation our patients are confident that they have or will be taken care of. Donna ALWAYS put's patients first every time. I have worked with her for almost 10 years and I witnessed this daily. She will go above and beyond to make sure patients are taken care of and scheduled to her best ability. She's been doing this job for well 20 something years and has never lost her compassion for our patients." "Donna is complimented by staff regularly for her outstanding customer service, her Kronos is impeccable, she's very conscientious to the needs of our community – always advocating to get our patients in as quickly as possible – possibly the reason for her patient compliments. Donna is always ensuring she does the right thing – the first time, to avoid rework of others, she has been part of the imaging scheduling team since 2/16/1989 and always assists where needed to get the work done. It will be an honor for Donna to receive this award, and well deserved."

We are excited to announce the selection of Kalen Privatsky as Valley's Chief Operating Officer. Kalen joined the Valley team in 2018 as SVP of Clinic Network and prior to that he served as the Executive Director for Proliance Orthopedic Associates. Through both positions, Kalen has played an entrepreneurial and strategic role leading providers and staff members, implementing growth strategies, and advancing innovation. With nearly 30 years of experience in healthcare and the deep ambulatory and operational knowledge he brings to the table, he is well prepared for this new role. Congratulations Kalen!