Two St. Joseph’s Health Leaders Honored with Excellence in Healthcare Awards
October 12, 2020SYRACUSE, N.Y.— St. Joseph’s Health is pleased to announce that two of its medical professionals are being honored with Excellence in Healthcare Awards from the Business Journal News Network and BizEventz. Dr. Philip Falcone, Medical Director of Quality, received the Healthcare Innovator award, and Pearl Lavalette, RN, Director, Infection Prevention and Control Department, received the Excellence in Nursing award.
As the COVID-19 pandemic began, Dr. Falcone was instrumental in developing new ways to decontaminate N95 masks. He introduced and implemented a Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor (HPV) method that had seen success in preliminary studies at Duke University and Stanford University. With the HPV method, St. Joseph’s reprocessed 5,000 masks to be used to keep healthcare workers safe at a time when personal protective equipment (PPE) was difficult to source.
“Everyone pitched in quickly and effectively to get this from concept to clean masks virtually overnight,” said Dr. Falcone. “I was humbled by the dedication and teamwork of all those involved and proud to have been able to contribute in a small way to fighting this pandemic here at St. Joseph’s Health.”
On top of decontaminating masks, the hydrogen peroxide vapor device is used to decontaminate COVID patient units and Operating Rooms. This innovative process remains an important part of the St. Joseph’s Health plan to provide the safest possible surgical environment for our returning patients.
An infectious disease specialist, Lavalette has provided exceptional support and service to patients and staff at St. Joseph’s Health and the Syracuse community throughout the pandemic. As Director of Infection Prevention and Control, Pearl helped clinical teams adapt quickly to new regulations and testing requirements. This effort resulted in a significant drop in hospitalization rates that allowed the hospital to accommodate more non-COVID patients as the crisis stabilized in the region.
Pearl’s expertise and professionalism established her as a thought-leader in the community and as a local expert for news media during the pandemic. Her expertise and calming presence were instrumental in educating decision-makers and the Central New York community in a time of uncertainty.
The Excellence in Healthcare Awards honor the region's top individuals and organizations that make a positive impact on healthcare services. The ceremony will be held virtually on October 22, 2020.
About St. Joseph’s Health
“St. Joseph’s Health is a regional non-profit health care system based in Syracuse, NY. St. Joseph’s has been an innovative leader in health care since our founding in 1869 as the first hospital open to the public in the city of Syracuse. Offering primary, specialty and home care, a Magnet-recognized hospital, and collaboration with community partners, St. Joseph's Health advances the well-being of the communities we serve through an expanding range of services to ensure our patients achieve optimum long-term health. St. Joseph’s is the only hospital in Syracuse to hold the LeapFrog ‘A’ safety rating, ranked by Consumer Reports among the top 15 heart surgery centers in the country, a designated Stroke Center and a U.S. News “Best Regional Hospital.” The St. Joseph’s Health Hospital NICU was the first in Syracuse and is celebrating its 50th Anniversary throughout 2020. St. Joseph’s Health is affiliated with St. Joseph’s Physicians, and is a member of Trinity Health.For more information, visit www.sjhsyr.org/legacy.”