People, Washington Township

Jim Maloney Nominated for OHA Health Care Worker of the Year Award

Read Time: 3 mins

Jim Maloney, discharge planner, was Southview Medical Center’s nominee for the Ohio Hospital Association’s 2018 Albert E. Dyckes Health Care Worker of the Year Award. One employee from each campus is nominated for this award, which is presented annually to one Ohio hospital caregiver who personifies a leader, gives back to the community, reflects the mission and values of his or her organization, and routinely goes beyond the call of duty. You can read Jim’s nomination below:

Great Leader

When it comes to discharge planning for patients at Southview Medical Center, Jim exemplifies care, collaboration, and outreach with every patient, every time, in every encounter. As a compassionate, competent licensed social worker, Jim takes great pride in his work to advocate for all patients that have extended care and discharge needs. Jim can always be counted on to make the quickest contact with physicians, ensuring the best possible arrangements for patients’ discharge needs. Whether it is coordinating home care, short-term rehabilitation, or extended care facility or senior nursing facility placement, Jim surpasses expectations in situations where families and patients often feel confused and uncertain. Jim gives patients time and support to help alleviate any anxiety simply by listening and explaining. His empathetic nature helps him give the best advice for every situation, often stating, “if it were my family member, here is what I would do…”

Goes Beyond the Call of Duty

Jim states that after 24 years “in the business” at Southview Medical Center, knowing all the physicians, their preferences, and their phone numbers is the greatest asset to placing patients in a prompt manner. He also makes it his personal mission to know all the local facility administrators and contacts in the community and to have their phone numbers “on speed dial.” Often, after discussing a patient or family’s preferences, he will call the physician or facility contact while he is still in the patient’s room at their bedside to ensure the patient receives the timeliest care possible.

Reflects the Mission and Values of Kettering Health Network

Jim’s competitive nature drives him to strive for efficiency and to decrease length of stay. “It’s kind of a game I play with myself,” he says. “This strive to do the best has always been with me, in all my work.” Keeping Southview Medical Center within its parameters for length of stay and helping patients and families discharge expediently and comfortably is a piece of Kettering Health Network’s mission to provide the most appropriate care in the most appropriate setting. Jim Maloney takes that mission to heart each and every day.

Gives Back to the Community

Jim’s community involvement stems back to his time working with students in the Dayton City School District. Jim was actively involved in the schools, helping to provide students with meals, clothing, and resources for after-school activities. Those community connections often spill over into Jim’s current work. “Patients and families not only need direction on where to place mom, but on how to get their husband or family member meals and a ride,” Jim says. Not only does Jim take care of a patient’s needs but he also utilizes outside resources to make sure the patient’s entire family is taken care of.

February 28, 2018
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