CRMC human resources receptionist receives award

Sheree Wright

Sheree Wright, Human Resources receptionist, is the latest recipient of the Cookeville Regional Medical Center (CRMC) Sunshine Award. She received nominations for the award that reiterated her positive attitude and attentiveness to improving visitor and patient experience.

Sheree’s nomination stated, “This employee exemplifies the principles of the Sunshine Award. She treats everyone she comes in contact with- with kindness. She always has a smile on her face and a willingness to help others, many times even if it is outside her responsibilities. How great this organization would be if many more people treated others the way she does.”

Another nomination stated, “Recently, we had a patient that had multiple visits to the emergency department (ED) without relief of his symptoms. The patient left the ED very upset. Not knowing who to call, the patient called human resources.  She could tell he was very upset and needed immediate resolution to his concerns. Rather than simply forwarding his call or telling him to call another extension, she compassionately listened to the patient and assured him that someone would follow up with him immediately. She took detailed notes of his previous visits, providers, etc., and contacted customer service so they could follow up. The patient agreed to return to the ED for additional treatment. It was discovered that the patient needed emergent intervention, which he received, and an urgent referral was made for a specialist. Without this employee listening to the patient and being empathetic to his concerns, he may not have received the immediate attention and care he needed. The patient said, ‘she was so nice when he called, and she listened to everything he had to say and promised me she would get me someone who could help to call me back. I don’t know what would have happened had I talked to someone who didn’t care or said that wasn’t their job.’ For those that know this employee this comes as no surprise as this is just one of many examples of how she shines.”

The Sunshine Award was created by the Patient Experience Team at CRMC as a way to honor ancillary and support staff who commit to striving for excellence in their role, consistently deliver exceptional care or service, uphold the highest standards and collaborate with other staff to enhance the experience of our patients, family members and guests.