FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 11, 2014
UTICA – Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) has made the following staff announcements.
Barbara Folger, RN, MS, CPHQ, NEA-BC, CPPS, has been named assistant vice president of Quality and Outcomes Management for MVHS. In this role, she is responsible for Quality Management, Patient Safety, Regulatory Affairs and Infection Prevention for the system. Folger has been an employee at Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare for 28 years, where she has served as a staff nurse, charge nurse, nurse manager and the director of nursing for Medical-Surgical and Maternal Child Services and has held positions as the Performance Improvement nurse administrator and the director of Quality and Performance Improvement and Case Management. Folger received her Master of Science in Health Services Administration and Bachelor of Science in Nursing at SUNYIT Utica-Rome in Utica, New York. She is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) and Board Certified Nurse Executive Advanced (NEA-BC).
Marianne Baker, MS, RN, CCM, CPHQ has been named director of Regulatory Affairs for MVHS. In this position, Baker is responsible for meeting regulatory requirements and coordinating the efforts of identified committees, departments, and clinical service teams in providing feedback and input into responses to the Department of Health, DNV Healthcare and other accrediting bodies. She also oversees the Language Assistance Program and the Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) Specialists. Baker has more than 30 years of healthcare experience beginning as a critical care nurse at Faxton Hospital. She is also a certified emergency medical technician (EMT). Baker received her Master of Science in Health Services Administration and Bachelor of Professional Studies in Human Services from SUNYIT, Utica, New York, and her Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree from Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica, New York.
Heather Bernard, BS, RN, CIC, has been named director of Infection Prevention for MVHS. In this position, Bernard oversees infection prevention programs at all MVHS locations, develops and executes annual infection reduction plans, and educates staff members on proper infection prevention practices. Bernard has been an employee at Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare (FSLH) since 2008, serving as the nurse manager of the Vascular Access Department, as well as the director of Infection Prevention. Bernard is pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Infection Prevention and Environmental Safety at Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois. She earned her Bachelor of Science from SUNYIT Utica-Rome in Utica, New York, and her RN/Associate of Applied Science degree from Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica, New York.
Rebecca Delahunt, BSN, RN, has been named Director of Case Management for MVHS. In this position, Delahunt is responsible for the Case Management services at MVHS with clinical oversight of acute care registered nurse (RN) case managers, social workers and care coordination assistants. Delahunt has been an employee of Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare for more than 24 years. Prior to her current position, she held various nursing and case management positions throughout the organization. Delahunt received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from SUNYIT Utica-Rome in Utica, New York, and her RN from St. Elizabeth College of Nursing in Utica, New York.
Martha Kodsy, BS, MS, has been named administrative director of Risk Management and Resource Utilization for MVHS. In this position, Kodsy provides administrative leadership for Case Management, Social Services, Mental Health Counseling and Utilization Management. She also oversees the organization’s Risk Management program which includes the identification, control, reduction and analysis of risk as well as the patient relations and grievance program. Kodsy has been an employee at St. Elizabeth Medical Center since 1991, holding various leadership positions, most recently serving as director of Performance Improvement and Risk Management. She received her Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from New School for Social Research in New York City and her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus on Human Resource Management from Utica College of Syracuse University in Utica, New York.
Kimberly Witchley, BS, has been named director of Social Services and Care Transitions for MVHS. In this position, Witchley provides oversight to the Social Services Department (which focuses on discharge planning and care coordination), collaborates with network affiliates to grow network referrals within the organization, works with community resources to increase community service availability, and works with the MVHS leadership team to streamline discharge processes. Witchley has been an employee at St. Elizabeth Medical Center since 2009. She has held various positions within the organization, most recently serving as director of Case Management. Witchley is pursuing a Master in Health Administration from Utica College in Utica, New York. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Studies from Utica College in Utica, New York, and her Associate of Applied Science from SUNY Canton in Canton, New York.
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Sandra Fentiman
Manager, Marketing and Public Relations
St. Elizabeth Medical Center
(315) 798-8195
sfentiman@stemc.org