Loyola Medicine

Loyola Medicine's healthcare heroes have valiantly served their communities throughout the pandemic.

Snowdon
  • Jennifer Snowdon, MHM, CPHQ, MLS(ASCP)CM, is the regional manager of Laboratory Quality Assurance and Point of Care Testing at Loyola Medicine. Throughout the pandemic, she has gone the extra mile to ensure patients receive timely and accurate COVID-19 testing results. Snowdon has worked tirelessly to keep the laboratory up-to-date and manage the laboratory COVID supply chain.

Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood

  • The Care Management COVID Team: The individuals on this team were pulled from their normal daily assignments and moved to a different location to care for a unique patient population. Every day, they collaborate to ensure all COVID patients have safe care, learning about the virus as they go. They educate families on COVID care techniques and coordinate timely home oxygen studies. Before each COVID discharge, the team makes sure the patient can afford needed anti-coagulation medications to prevent readmission with a more serious complication. The team has shown tremendous teamwork and dedication.
  • Kambi Colvin, Pyxis Coordinator, has helped to meet patients' needs via Pyxis, an automated medication dispensing system. She has often come in early or stayed late to ensure nurses have needed COVID supplies. During the first surge, Colvin was largely doing the work of two people—all with a positive attitude.
  • Katherine (Katie) Cram, Manager MICU, COVID ICU and PCU Units, was instrumental in building and managing the new COVID unit, tackling many challenges along the way, from staffing to supplies. A true patient advocate, she also facilitated the development of new policies and procedures to ensure patients receive the best possible care.
  • The Facilities Team is made up of plumbers, electricians, zone mechanics, pipe fitters, carpenters and engineers. Every day, these individuals perform sensitive and critical work throughout the hospital. They keep the water flowing and the lights running—and so much more.
  • Alyssa Fitch, Service Coordinator, Catheterization Laboratory, jumped into action early to adapt for COVID patients. She learned quickly in a difficult environment, changing her schedule to suit the COVID floor. Fitch has routed many patient calls and taken the time to communicate with their loved ones. She kept the floor running behind the scenes with EVS, transport, FANS and more.
  • Patricia Grajales, Technical Specialist, heads COVID-19 testing in the microbiology lab. She has been a key player since day one, keeping staff up-to-date on all things COVID. Grajales is the first to notice a problem and try to solve it. She is incredibly adaptable and collaborative with other departments. During stressful times, Grajales makes sure patients receive test results in a timely manner.

MacNeal Hospital, Berwyn

  • Solina Agers and Carol Ross, Environmental Services Associates, work hard to keep the operating rooms (ORs) clean and sanitary. With the addition of COVID patients, it is more vital than ever to perform terminal cleaning on top of normal cleaning. The OR staff appreciates their attention to detail.
  • Susan Baker, RN, has never hesitated to pitch in wherever needed throughout the crisis. From the ICU to the lab department performing COVID tests, Baker has been a great asset to her colleagues and patients, always putting their needs first.
  • Karen Bucina and Sol Pacheco, Environmental Services Associates, meet the nonstop challenges of the emergency department every day. The nurses appreciate that Bucina and Pacheco are team players, always anticipating what nursing needs.
  • Renata Cholewasz, Evening Discharge Associate, spends her entire shift preparing and cleaning rooms for new COVID-19 patients. With a deadly virus like COVID, her work is often trying, but Cholewasz makes sanitation her priority.
  • Eileen Comrie, RN, Medical Surgical Nurse, is a dedicated bedside nurse who has never once hesitated to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 units. With compassion, strength and a team spirit, she treats her patients and peers like family. Comrie is a true role model.
  • Deborah Czekala, Environmental Services Associate, works in tandem with ICU nurses to quickly prepare rooms for critically ill patients. With COVID-19 patients filling up so much of the ICU, this is not easy work—but it is critical.

Loyola Medicine, based in Maywood, is an academic health system serving Cook, DuPage and Will counties. Loyola has three hospitals, a medical group and large ambulatory network of clinics.