Saha Award for Patient-Centered Care 2019

Winners of the 2019 Saha Award for Patient-Centered Care, pictured with Dr. Saha

For the 2019 Saha Award for Patient-Centered Care, more than 6,000 recognition stories were collected from the STAR Program. Those best representing patient-centered care were submitted to the Saha Foundation Committee for review. The committee members selected award recipients in four categories – clinical support, clinical nurse, assistant professor and ambulatory – based on core concepts of patient-centered care and UK HealthCare LIVING DIReCT values.

The Saha Award for Patient-Centered Care, sponsored by the Saha Foundation, was established to honor health care providers who exhibit a high sense of professionalism, a moral obligation to patient-centered care and the ability to lead by example in advocating growth in UK HealthCare’s work culture. This year’s award recipients were honored at a ceremony on Tuesday, April 9, in Chandler Hospital’s Karpf Auditorium.

Clinical support: Becca Charles, BSN, CNML, trauma/surgical services

Becca Charles with Dr. Sibu Saha

Becca demonstrated exemplary compassion and kindness toward family members who had been at the hospital with a patient for over two weeks. They had no ability to shower or wash their clothes, since they lived far away. Becca located clean clothes for the family to change into after they took a shower and then washed the dirty clothes for them.

Clinical nurse: Christine Short, BSN, RN, Kentucky Children’s Hospital

Christine Short with Dr. Sibu Saha

When a pediatric patient at Kentucky Children’s Hospital was dying, Christine stayed with and comforted him so he wouldn’t be alone, because his family was not there at the time. She stayed with him long after her shift ended until his mother was able to get to the hospital.

Assistant professor: Kevin Bonfield, MD, internal medicine/pediatrics

Dr. Kevin Bonfield with Dr. Sibu Saha

Dr. Bonfield was checking on a young boy just diagnosed with leukemia, and the patient told him that he felt hungry for the first time in days. After learning about the patient’s favorite chicken Alfredo dish from a local restaurant, Dr. Bonfield took the time to order it and surprise the patient with the meal he had been craving. The patient and family were so grateful for this and all of the care they received that they now refuse to go anywhere else for chemotherapy treatments, even though they drive two hours to get to Chandler Hospital.

Ambulatory: Katy Walker, LCSW, Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center

Katy Walker with Dr. Sibu Saha

Katy is a social worker whose main role is to help patients in the nonmedical management of their diabetes. However, she often goes beyond the scope of her role to help both patients and co-workers, such as when a 19-year-old patient could not afford a glucose meter. Katy found one that came with free supplies and purchased it for the patient.