We ask a lot of you, and you give even more in return, so the People First Awards is about pausing for meaningful appreciation each year.

It was extremely difficult to choose winners from such an esteemed, inspirational group of 80 nominees! It stands to reason because these individuals and teams are representative of the outstanding work I see happening all across VCH each and every day. But I am excited to announce our winners who have been doing extraordinary work, some for many years. Please join me in congratulating our colleagues and friends!

The 2016 winners                             

The Unsung Hero

This award is for an individual who has consistently gone above and beyond without fanfare to the benefit of the organization and the people around them, whether they are patients or fellow staff members.

Award of Excellence

• Catherine Nocente, Registered Nurse, Shorncliffe Intermediate Care Facility, Sechelt

Awards of Merit

• Bina Kopit, Social Worker, Intensive Care Unit, Vancouver General Hospital
• Fabio Romeo, Peer Coordinator, Assertive Community Treatment, Vancouver Community

Patient-Centred Care

This award is for an individual who goes above and beyond to support their patients, clients or residents in the delivery of high quality care and services while upholding professional standards.

Award of Excellence

• Jacquie Steglich, Registered Nurse, Emergency, Squamish General Hospital

Awards of Merit

• Mary Burck, Care Management Leader, Cardiac Units, Vancouver General Hospital
• Pauline Reece-Peterson, Care Management Leader, Cardiac Units, Vancouver General Hospital

Teamwork and Collaboration

This award is for a team that has come together to problem-solve, break down boundaries and/or create new relationships, finding sustainable solutions to health care challenges.

Award of Excellence

• Tertiary Older Adult Assessment & Treatment Unit, Vancouver General Hospital

Awards of Merit

• Catheterization/Electrophysiology  Lab Staff, Vancouver General Hospital
• Mental Health & Substance Use Team, Richmond

Innovation

This award is for an individual who uses their courage and creativity to bring forward innovative solutions that challenge the status quo, improve quality and move us toward a more sustainable health care system.

Award of Excellence

• Victor Brittain, Regional Practice Coordinator – Medical, Residential Care, ICU, Emergency, Vancouver

Awards of Merit

• David Handley, Vice President, Business Partnerships, Business Initiatives & Support Services
• Conrad Cone, Management Development Advisor, People & Culture, Employee Engagement

Leadership

This award is for a respected, compassionate leader who inspires their peers and team with their thirst for excellence.

Award of Excellence

• Gail Malenstyn, Director, Surgery, Procedural Care & Medical Administration, Richmond Hospital

Awards of Merit

• Kulwinder Sangha, Interim Patient Services Manager, Solid Organ Transplant, Gynecology, Urology, Plastics, Women’s Clinic, Vancouver General Hospital
• Kathryn Embacher, Patient Services Manager, Inpatient Psychiatry, Vancouver General Hospital
• Dr. Hazel Park, Medical Director, Regional Trauma Program, VCH/PHC, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, UBC, Emergency Physician/Trauma Team Leader,  Lions Gate Hospital

Volunteer Excellence

This award is for an individual or group who has volunteered their time to improve the health care system for their community.

• Advance Care Planning Team, Community Engagement Advisory Network

Let the celebrations begin

Watch our blog, Up for Discussion, in the coming weeks as we count down to the awards ceremony by recognizing the winners in each category and giving everyone an opportunity to offer their kudos in the comments.

The awards reception for the winners and their guests will be held on Wednesday, June 22, to celebrate their outstanding contributions to VCH.

On behalf of the Senior Executive Team, I sincerely want to congratulate the winners—and the nominees—for this honour.

Please congratulate the winners in the comments section below. They deserve it!

Mary Ackenhusen
President and CEO
Vancouver Coastal Health