Good Vibes Only
A place to share positive news across Cape Cod Healthcare
Dr. Koren receives volunteer clinical faculty award from UMass Chan Medical School
Vladimir Koren, MD, of Falmouth Hospital Medical Center at Bramblebush, received the Alpha Omega Alpha Volunteer Clinical Faculty Award this year from the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. On behalf of Dr. Terry Flotte, Dean, Provost and AOA Counselor at UMass Chan Medical School, the medical students selected Dr. Koren for the award, which recognizes community physicians who contribute to the education and training of clinical students.
The UMass Chan AΩA Induction and Award Ceremony was held Oct. 4, 2022, at the Albert Sherman Auditorium at the Worcester campus.
Dr. Koren has been affiliated with Falmouth Hospital since 2003, is a member of Cape Cod Preferred Physicians and is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Congratulations to Dr. Koren for being honored by the UMass Chan Medical School students!
Newborn foster boxes: Packed and delivered with love
Annika Lakatos delivers newborn foster boxes to Cape Cod Hospital in September.
Jennifer Lacasse, Director of Women’s and Children’s Services at Cape Cod Hospital, meets Annika Lakatos with the special delivery.
When Mashpee Middle-High School senior Annika Lakatos reached out to Mashpee and Falmouth libraries, churches and museums last spring seeking donations for newborn foster boxes for Cape Cod Hospital’s Pediatrics Department and the Massachusetts Department of Children & Families in Hyannis, the community response was overwhelming. She hung flyers detailing items needed and placed donation boxes at several locations, including Cape Cod Children’s Museum, St. Joseph’s parish in Falmouth and the town’s libraries and town halls.
Over a month and a half, Annika collected diapers, wipes, pacifiers, bottles, knitted blankets, onesies, toys and cash donations, which helped pay for any additional supplies that fell short. Her family’s kitchen and living room soon turned into baby headquarters, where she sorted and packaged more than 40 boxes and bags.
Annika is the daughter of Heather Lakatos, BSN, RN, IBCLC, Lactation Consultant at The Family Birthplace at Cape Cod Hospital. Over the years, Heather noticed there was a need to provide newborn baby necessities for foster parents and encouraged Annika and her son, Camron, to start this community project in 2019. It has since grown in donations every year.
In September, Annika delivered a cartful of newborn bags to the pediatric unit at Cape Cod Hospital, and the boxes went directly to DCF in Hyannis. (For the delivery at Cape Cod Hospital, items were packaged in clear blue plastic bags instead of boxes to better accommodate the pediatric floor’s storage space.) When foster parents are called upon at a moment’s notice, says Heather, it makes the process much easier when they pick up their newborn because the kits provide several days’ worth of baby essentials.
Annika says it’s fulfilling giving back to others. “I went into this project with the mindset of knowing that I’m here to help the community,” says Annika, “and I’m here to put my time into something good and help foster families.”
Offsite THRIVE meeting enhances mentorship experience
In September, a small group of physicians who are mentors and mentees in the THRIVE program gathered at Añejo Mexican Bistro in Hyannis to discuss experiences, goals and ideas—and share success stories as well. THRIVE is a wellness committee, comprised of more than a dozen Cape Cod Healthcare physicians, that aims to deepen connections, foster development and build a strong community among physicians at Cape Cod Hospital, Falmouth Hospital and Cape Cod Healthcare’s medical affiliates. A physician mentor program, one of its key initiatives, kicked off earlier this year in January.
Off-site events are held throughout the year to bring together small groups of physicians and accommodate their schedules. The meetings are an opportunity to ask questions and seek guidance to enhance the mentorship experience. “What I like the most about the mentorship program is how it sets up a two-way learning arrangement where both the mentor and mentee, like Dr. Crystal Piper, tap into each other’s strengths for both parties to grow stronger and more resilient,” says mentor Kumara Sidhartha, Medical Director of the Cape Cod Healthcare Employee Health Plan.
“The next cohort will begin in the spring, and there will be many program enhancements,” says Bridget Torres, Professional & Organizational Development Consultant.
Pictured under the beech tree at Añejo: Dr. Ted Calianos, Bridget Torres, Dr. Mita Gupta, Dr. Naomi Kalliath, Dr. Rosa Ramirez-Mendez, Dr. Matthew Kalliath, Dr. Alex Adduci, Dr. Larry Novak, Dr. Kumara Sidhartha, Dr. Kathleen Flynn
Patient expresses gratitude by delivering handmade scarves and hats
As a token of her appreciation, Nancy Freeman delivered hand-knit scarves and hats to the staff of Mugar 6 at Cape Cod Hospital. Freeman, a recent patient, was so grateful for the exceptional care she received. “This is my thank you for the wonderful care I received on Mugar 6,” says Freeman. “I’m so appreciative of what they all did for me, and though I cannot recall everyone’s name, there wasn’t one person that wasn’t great. My nurse, Grace, and Elizabeth, my PT, were particularly wonderful.”
