Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center honored Monica Hutson of Nathrop as its 2016 TRAC STAR of the year at a hospital ceremony today. Hutson was selected in a staff-wide vote from a field of 11 TRAC STAR finalists.
TRAC STAR is an acronym for the core values that guide employee performance: teamwork, recognition, attitude, customer service, safety, talent, accountability and respect. The TRAC STAR award recognizes outstanding employees and is presented quarterly to three finalists. All of the 2016 finalists are eligible to be named TRAC STAR of the year provided they are still employed by HRRMC.
Hutson, a registrar in the hospital's Specialty Clinic, joined HRRMC in 2013. She was praised by the co-worker who nominated her for TRAC STAR for going above and beyond to do whatever is needed to assist patients and staff. "Monica makes patients feel welcome and comfortable," wrote her nominator. "It's evident that they enjoy interacting with her."
Hutson is frequently commended by patients for her customer-service skills and was also a nominee for 2015 TRAC STAR of the year.
CEO Bob Morasko presented Hutson with a $1,000 check and a certificate to be professionally photographed. A plaque with her photo will be displayed in the hospital café.
Morasko also recognized the two runners-up for TRAC STAR of the year, Vinnie Okada of Salida and Liz Krasnow, RN-CEFM, of Buena Vista. Each received a $250 check.
Okada, a systems analyst in the Information Systems Department since 2011, was praised by a co-worker for his "steady, calm demeanor" and for excelling "in the talent category-many times in ways that cannot even be described to folks outside of information systems. In general, Vinnie is innovative and creative with his wide breadth of technical knowledge."
Krasnow, a registered nurse in the Family Birthing Center who is certified in electronic fetal monitoring, has worked at HRRMC since 2009. According to the employee who nominated her, Krasnow is a team player who fills in for the department manager when she is gone and helped relieve "a staffing crunch due to the resignation of a night nurse by volunteering to give up her day shifts and do night shifts for a month to help get through that time."
During the hospital ceremony, Morasko acknowledged the other 2016 TRAC STAR of the year finalists: Tracey Banks, Annette Barela, Marcie Contreras, Lillie Jones, Sue Miller, Cindy Nachtrieb, Marybeth O'Brien and Dee-Ann Troutman.
HRRMC employees may nominate any of their colleagues for the TRAC STAR award. Each quarter, members of the hospital's Communications Team review the nominations, and then cast individual ballots to determine the TRAC STAR of the quarter and two additional finalists. Eleven nominees vied for this year's annual award because two quarterly finalists have since left HRRMC's employment and there was a tie vote in the fourth quarter, resulting in four finalists.
