BRMC, OGH announce first Star Award winners of 2025

BRADFORD, PA / OLEAN, NY - Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) and Olean General Hospital (OGH), Kaleida Health facilities, are proud to announce the January 2025 Star Award winners. This month's recipients were Heidi Elliott, LPN, BRMC, and Christine Phillips, OGH.

Heidi Elliott, an LPN at Smethport Family Practice, BRMC, has been honored as the first BRMC Star Award winner of 2025. She joined the organization in 2019.

"Heidi is an excellent nurse! She greets every patient with a smile and has a great rapport with them. Heidi continually goes above and beyond for the team wherever there is a need. She recently stepped up while short staffed handling the needs for two providers such as: rooming patients, administering injections, obtaining urine drug screens, and assisting providers with procedures. She handled that day with grace and never complained," said her nomination. "We are extremely grateful for the hard work she puts in every day."

Christine Phillips, environmental services, a team member at OGH since 2023, was awarded the first OGH Star Award of 2025.

"Christine consistently keeps the ICU in an outstanding state of cleanliness-the cleanest I have ever seen! She warmly engages with patients and their families, fostering a positive and comforting environment. I observed her orienting a new team member with exceptional patience and thoroughness, which inspired me to nominate her for this recognition," detailed her nomination. "Christine not only exemplifies excellence in her own work, but also demonstrates a commitment to excellence in her colleagues. Her dedication is truly commendable!"

The Star Award is presented monthly to an employee who demonstrates outstanding performance and inspires the same in others. Staff are nominated for exceptional customer satisfaction, continuous performance improvement, teamwork, communication, ownership/accountability, and excellence through co-worker or patient nominations.

The following were also nominated for Star Awards at BRMC: Jennifer Snyder, EVS aide, and Jennifer Klussmann, CNA. OGH nominees were: Dawn Dubois, RN; Abby Green, coder; Derek Hittle, ED tech; Ashlyn Howard, BSN, RN; and Julia Whitney, RDMS(AB), RT(S). Star award recipients receive a chamber of commerce gift certificate, additional paid time off, certificate of recognition, and the star award parking spot.