Sentara employees rewarded for working through the pandemic

Sentara Healthcare will reward the compassion and perseverance of employees working through the COVID-19 pandemic with 'gifts of appreciation' up to $1,500.

President & CEO Howard P Kern sent a 'Message of Gratitude' to employees Wednesday, March 17, marking a year since the pandemic disrupted health care delivery and caused rapid, fundamental shifts in clinical protocols and business operations.

"I want to offer my sincere thanks and recognition for your extraordinary response toward helping our patients, our community, and one another during this difficult time," Kern wrote in an email. "Your commitment and dedication over the past 12 months have not gone unnoticed, and I am deeply grateful for your efforts."

Kern announced that eligible Sentara team members will receive gifts of appreciation acknowledging their "personal and professional sacrifices and unwavering support." Clinical caregivers and support staff who work directly with patients in Sentara hospitals and outpatient settings will receive $1,500. All other eligible team members who have supported Sentara operations during the pandemic will receive $750. Recipients will include employed physicians and team members, up to and including the director level, who have worked for Sentara in the last six months.

"It is difficult, even now, to grasp the full impact of the pandemic on our work, our families, our spirits, and our emotional well-being," Kern added. "As I look back, I do so with fierce pride in your compassion, your integrity, your skills, and what you accomplished under the most difficult circumstances.

"It is my hope that we can all go forward with a renewed sense of pride and confidence in yourself, your colleagues, and the honorable and vital work we do at Sentara to improve the health of our communities every day!" Kern concluded.