New York, NY January 6, 2022 -- DailyPay once again pays homage to America’s heroic health care professionals on the frontline of the global pandemic with its second annual ‘Healthcare Heroes’ Award.
Today DailyPay announced honorees Marika Pelaez of Mission Health, Justine Alcantara of Ultimate Care, Yolandi Carrasquillo of Patriot Homecare, Amee Pham, LPN of IntelyCare and Arlene Ruiz of Patriot Homecare for their critical work and dedication to their field.
Partnering with America’s leading employers, DailyPay works with health care companies nationwide to provide visibility and on-demand access to employees’ earned pay. This impactful benefit helps health care providers retain top talent while simultaneously alleviating health care workers’ financial stress. DailyPay’s research shows that employees with this benefit are less stressed and more engaged and productive at work, which is especially critical in health care.
As medical professionals face unprecedented conditions amidst the pandemic, these Healthcare Heroes and their colleagues work tirelessly for their communities. Nurses brave the unknown and put themselves on the frontlines to take care of the most vulnerable. Doctors and medical researchers go the extra mile to tend to patients and work to discover new treatments. Administrators and other staff members work tirelessly behind the scenes to provide support. DailyPay recognizes that these professionals go above and beyond the call of duty and deserve our strongest support.
Today, DailyPay aims to shine a light on deserving Healthcare Heroes chosen by the best-in-class organizations across the country with which we work. We thank them for all they have done this year to make the world a little brighter.
“We recognize the bravery of these heroes who worked selflessly to make sure those who needed help were taken care of during these most frightening and uncertain times,” said Jeanniey Walden, Chief Innovation and Marketing Officer at DailyPay. “With a never-ending cycle of new variants and vaccine/booster rollouts, health care professionals once again had to operate in uncharted waters. And we salute them for their efforts.”
#1
Marika Pelaez
Administrative Assistant, Mission Health
Tampa, FL
Marika has worked in healthcare for nearly 21 years, the last four at Mission Health Communities.1
“While a big part of my role as administrative assistant is to educate on new changes to systems, certifications and insurance, and deal with resident accounts, most importantly I listen to everybody. I listen to people and their stories, and try to get them what they need.”
“At the front desk, Marika guided the office throughout COVID, and is on a constant mission to keep things running smoothly and safely,” said Rosie Cronin, Mission Health’s director of customer experience. “I try to keep everyone calm and keep things going,” Marika said.
Marika’s concern for others extends beyond their physical and mental well-being. “I wish more people would get DailyPay,” she said. “I am helping people understand how important it is to have that access.”
#2
Justine Alcantara
Field Liaison, Ultimate Care
Brooklyn, NY
Justine has worked as a field liaison in healthcare for the past four years, all with Ultimate Care,2 a home health care agency covering all five boroughs in New York City.
She communicates with doctors and hospitals on behalf of patients, reducing incidences of hospitalization, and visits patients in their homes to address any escalated concerns.
“If I can’t meet my patients’ needs, I can’t sleep at night,” Justine said. So she goes the extra mile, which might be as simple as getting a patient groceries, or as challenging as starting a clothes drive for a patient with mental illness. Throughout the pandemic she continued her vital work, showing her dedication, commitment and caring.
Sometimes the needs of patients are beyond what she can provide, but “meeting their needs is what really makes my day,” she said.
Justine provides the heart and caring that make her a true Healthcare Hero.
#3
Yolandi Carrasquillo
Caregiver
Patriot Homecare
The caregiver’s job, like others in healthcare, is to help people, said Yolandi. In her case she says to be in her position, one has to “like taking care of people. But it takes patience.”
Having worked in the field for five years (she started at Patriot Homecare3 in early 2021), Yolandi frequently finds she needs to stay with clients in the South Philadelphia area all day long. “I’ll feed them breakfast, wash their clothes, and help them to bathe and go to the bathroom, and sometimes put them to bed,” Yolandi said.
Yolandi had a heroic moment when one of her clients recently suffered a stroke at home while she was there and would have died had she not acted professionally to calm down a family member, call 911, and start CPR until the ambulance arrived.
“I’d like to learn even more how to do better for my clients,” she said.
#4
Amee Pham, LPN
Charge Nurse
IntelyCare
The biggest challenge for Licensed Practical Nurse Amee Pham in her job at various Pittsburgh-area nursing and skilled rehab facilities is paying close attention to residents “for the slightest little change” in their health during this pandemic. “Most residents cannot tell you if there have been changes to their bodies,” so Amee, who works for IntelyCare,4 and her staff have to effectively monitor for any differences in behavior.
Amee, who has 15 years of healthcare experience, the last five as an LPN, joined IntelyCare in 2020 and said that despite the news constantly covering the ongoing nurse shortage and burnout, "my nursing passion is personal, I am not burnt out.”
She experiences joy when patients recognize her. “It’s comforting that they are comforted by my presence,” Amee said, who also added that she appreciates her employer offers DailyPay. “I make a nice paycheck, but I have kids, and you never know when something comes up. It makes me able to keep up with every little thing.”
#5
Arlene Ruiz
Caregiver
Patriot Homecare
Arlene’s most fulfilling moment was the recent pronouncement that a client, suffering from colon cancer, was now cancer-free after a successful surgery and recovery – a process that Arlene was involved in every step of the way in her role as a caregiver for Patriot Homecare.5
A relative newcomer to the healthcare field (she started working in the business three years ago, the last year has been with Patriot), Arlene provides her services to individual clients over a long period of time.
Her job as a caregiver in the greater Philadelphia area involves spending most of her work time caring for and listening to clients. “I enjoy sharing moments with my patients,” Arlene said.
Referances:
1. http://ww.missionhealthcommunities.com
2. https://ultimatecareny.com/
3. https://www.patriothomecare.org/
4. https://www.intelycare.com/company/
5. https://www.patriothomecare.org/