Long service and excellence celebrated at RMH

Ross Memorial Hospital celebrated our team members during our annual Long Service and Excellence Awards in the hospital cafeteria yesterday.

The awards celebrate RMH employees and professional staff marking significant milestones at the hospital, along with individuals nominated by their peers in specific categories of excellence.

The 129 Long Service Award recipients this year are employees and professional staff who have worked at Ross Memorial for a minimum of 5 years, and up to 45 years. The two longest-tenured team members who were celebrated are Dr. Mervyn A. Stone and Carole McBride, Director of Critical Care, Medicine and Patient Flow. They have worked at Ross Memorial for 45 and 40 years, respectively.

The accumulative number of years served by the 129 Long Service Award recipients is 1,550 years.

Twenty-nine individuals received an Excellence Award this year across four categories:

– Dedicated to Excellence
– Champions of Change Awards
– Committed to the Team Awards
– Respectful Communicator Award

A full list of the Long Service and Excellence Award recipients can be found here.

Invited guests included City of Kawartha Lakes Mayor Doug Elmslie, Christi Norris, Chair of RMH’s Board of Directors, and Ryan O’Neill, Chair of the RMH Foundation, who all provided remarks during event.

“Our long-serving team members have developed an intimate knowledge of the hospital and the community we serve, something that can’t be taught in a classroom,” said Kelly Isfan, president and CEO of the Ross Memorial Hospital. “They contribute to a uniquely caring culture at the Ross and a collective strength that is unmatched. For our Excellence Award winners, what better reflection of the importance of their work than having their name brought forward by a peer? It says a great deal when the people they work shoulder-to-shoulder with each and every day feel compelled to see their efforts acknowledged. They are all leaders and examples of what we all strive to accomplish through our work here at Ross Memorial Hospital.”

“I extend my deepest appreciation to each long-standing member of the Ross Memorial Hospital staff,” remarked Doug Elmslie, Mayor of the City of Kawartha Lakes. “Your years of service have made a lasting impact on the lives of our residents, and your commitment to excellence is truly commendable. On behalf of Council and the entire community, we are immensely grateful for the knowledge, expertise, and compassion you bring to your roles.”

“Forty-five years – how quickly the time passes,” said Dr. Mervyn A. Stone, 45-year Long Service Award recipient. “I have had the privilege of watching the Ross Memorial Hospital evolve from a general practitioner-based facility to a hospital of excellence with the addition of multiple specialties. This remarkable journey has been defined by the compassion of colleagues, the dedication of the hospital staff and administration, and the trust bestowed on me by countless patients and their families. It’s been an honour to contribute to the hospital’s legacy of excellence in healthcare. As I embark on my next goal of 50 years of service, I will watch with great interest as our hospital adapts to the progress in medicine and the challenges presented with an aging population and growing community.”

RMH’s Long Service Awards recognize and celebrate members of the Ross team who have made a lasting impact within the hospital. Their commitment and professionalism over the years have improved the quality of the hospital and allowed for the Ross to continually provide exceptional care.

RMH’s Excellence Awards, meanwhile, recognize employees, physicians, volunteers and community partners whose efforts inspire those around them. Through their actions, their words, their gestures and their support, they have gained our respect as Ross Champions.