Bridgeport Hospital salutes volunteers

BRIDGEPORT, CT – Forty volunteers and auxilians were honored for achieving service milestones of 100 to 18,500 hours during Bridgeport Hospital’s April 4 Volunteer Recognition Luncheon at Testo’s Restaurant in Bridgeport.

“Your routine is our big experience, our big event,” Chief Nursing Officer MaryEllen Kosturko told the volunteers on hand. “You remind us what patient- and family-centered care means. We could not do what we do at the frontline of patient care without you.”

Five Endoscopy Suite volunteers – Ann Cucak, Sharon Lisko, Linda Meola, Ginny Rogers and Flor Soto – received a special achievement award for outstanding service. “They come to the hospital with a smile and positive attitude and provide unconditional support,” said Nurse Manager Holly Brancato.

All told, hospital volunteers contributed over 27,000 hours during the past year, said Director of Patient Experience and Volunteer Services Dan Walsh. Leading the way with most lifetime hours are Joan Crossman with 18,500, Anne Lussen with 14,000 and Gina Ryan with 13,500.

“You help humanize the care we provide,” said President and CEO Bill Jennings. “You remind us that every patient is a person and every person is important to us.”

Bridgeport Hospital, part of Yale New Haven Health, is a non-profit 501-bed acute care hospital with two campuses (plus 42 beds licensed to Yale New Haven Children's Hospital). Its Bridgeport and Milford Campuses serve patients from across the region. The hospital admits more than 23,000 patients and provides nearly 350,000 outpatient treatments annually. The Connecticut Burn Center at Bridgeport Hospital is the only burn center in the state and one of only 64 verified burn centers in the United States. Bridgeport Hospital is committed to providing safe, compassionate and cost efficient care to its patients and the community. www.bridgeporthospital.org