LI Community Hospital recognizes employees

Considering the COVID-19 virus, emergency department beds have been occupied basically the entirety of 2020. Employees continue to risk their health and lives in order to tend to the very sick. Long Island Community Hospital in East Patchogue is no exception, and its administration continues to express its appreciation for all their hard work.

“We are constantly looking for ways to make sure our employees know that their unwavering dedication and unselfish willingness to go above and beyond is valued beyond measure,” said Richard T. Margulis, president and CEO of the hospital.

Most recently, the hospital acknowledged Heroes Week, which is an extra effort to show how much the hospital community sincerely cares about all its employees, the work they do, and the additional, different work that has been called for during the pandemic.

“We put together Heroes Week to bring our full organization together to celebrate all of our Courageous Hearts. It was a great success as the staff fully enjoyed the gifts and recognition, and we did it all safely,” Margulis said. “I wear my own pin as a badge of honor because I couldn’t be more proud of how our LI Community Hospital heroes are here for our community.”

For Heroes Week in October, since the gift shop at the hospital is currently vacant, it was decorated with hero imagery and decor, said Cynthia Ruf, vice president of branding and stakeholder relationships. Ruf said she was the one who spearheaded the event.

“Our staff has been through so much this year. They deserve something that would make them feel good and appreciated,” Ruf said, adding that it was tricky to make an event like this work, considering the guidelines. “People could celebrate together, but not be together.”

Ruf said that Heroes Week was well situated, considering the resurgence of the virus that really began in mid-October, just after Heroes Week.

Joe Arocho, a respiratory therapist at the hospital, aptly describes these times as challenging, but is proud of the good job everyone has done.

“Heroes Week was a kind gesture from the hospital that showed appreciation for all our extraordinary efforts, and it meant a lot to me and my team,” Arocho said.

Since then, Ruf said that there has been an internal virus-centric e-newsletter put together called “What You Need to Know.” Additionally, to improve internal communication, a special section on the internal website titled “It’s Who We Are” encapsulates a similar sentiment.