Oak Hill announces associate recognition

Oak Hill Hospital has announced its Star Associates for the Month of December. Each month hospital associates are chosen in a process that involves nominations and voting by their peers, patients, patient families and physicians. December's Oak Hill Hospital stars are:

• Keith Joyce, operating room tech — he joined Oak Hill Hospital in February of 2006. He has worked at both the second floor and radiology department and is currently working in the surgery department as an OR technician where he prepares the operating room by setting up equipment, positioning patients on the operating room bed, setting up sterilized tools for the physicians and assisting in surgery. Keith has a 20-year-old son, Andrew, who lives with him in Spring Hill and attends Pasco Hernando Community College. Keith's nomination came from coworkers who praised him for always being professional, respectful, helpful and courteous toward patients as well as his coworkers. Keith has a reputation for consistency in this area.

One co-worker writes, "I recently witnessed Keith showing even more compassion and thoughtfulness than he normally does toward a patient. His actions warmed my heart and I'm sure the patient's heart, too. I am proud to be able to work side by side with Keith. He is the epitome of what a caring person should be."

For Keith's part, he says that, "Working with the Oak Hill Hospital staff has many benefits. It gives you the opportunity to work together as a team touching the lives of others to help provide a better quality state of health for them. In return I find that it gives me a sincere feeling of accomplishment that we have made a difference in the lives of others."

• Kladis Alkazzi, EKG and stress technician and PCA — she began working at Oak Hill Hospital in April 2003 in the EKG department where she serves as an EKG stress technician as well as a PCA. She lives with her family, which consists of her husband, Jean Boutros, and two children, a teenage son, Charbel and a daughter, Christine, 14. Kladis' nomination also came from a co-worker who stated that she always gives patients and fellow staff members "200%. She is so pleasant, optimistic and caring to everyone, even when she floats to other departments. We know our patients are cared for by the best."

Kladis has a reputation for exceeding all standards. About Oak Hill Hospital Kladis says that working at the hospital for the past eight years she has achieved the best sense of family.

"Everyone works well together, which makes it easy to come to work," she said.

• Annie Rose San Marte, physical therapy — her nomination came from a co-worker who stated that she had a patient who needed to be cleaned before Annie was to begin working with her.

"I told her it would be only a few minutes, and she immediately grabbed gloves and began to help. This is not her job but she didn't even blink to help me for the good of the patient."

In making the announcement Oak Hill Hospital's Chief Operating Officer Sonia Gonzalez said, "Dr. Thomas Frist, Senior, our founder, always believed that 'Good people beget good people.' People like Keith, Kladis and Annie Rose prove that Oak Hill Hospital will continue the legacy."

For more information about Oak Hill Hospital, visit the website at OakHillHospital.com.