Employee Recognition Awards
Congratulations to the following RUHS staff who are nominated in County of Riverside’s Employee Recognition Awards!
Medical Center Staff
Shivrang Shah, MD,
Cardiology
Category: Steller Customer Service
Dr. Shah's career in cardiology and public health began with his training at Shreveport Louisiana State University Medical Center. His time there laid the foundation for his successful career and showcased his exceptional skills and leadership qualities. During his fellowship training, he was recognized as the Fellow of the Year and served as the Chief Fellow in his final year. After completing his training, Dr. Shah briefly worked in private practice in Arizona and Hemet Valley. However, his passion for serving in an academic public health system led him to join RUHS (Riverside University Health System). At RUHS, he plays a crucial role in teaching and mentoring residents, leveraging his expertise and knowledge to benefit those eager to learn the art and science of medicine. One of Dr. Shah's primary research focuses is heart failure within the community, particularly among patients with substance abuse. Through his research, he aims to improve the understanding and management of heart failure in this specific population. He actively involves trainee physicians in this ongoing research project, fostering their engagement and growth in the field. Their recent presentation at the RUHS Research Symposium even won third place, highlighting the significance of their work. Dr. Shah's dedication and compassion for his patients are evident in his everyday interactions. His patients hold him in high regard, which speaks to his exceptional patient care and commitment to their well- being. With his expertise, teaching prowess, and patient-centered approach, Dr. Shah is an invaluable asset to the RUHS medical community and a respected figure in the fields of cardiology and public health.
Asher Falia
Environmental Services
Category: Essence of Leadership
Asher Falia, the team lead of the Environmental Services department, demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and skills during a recent flooding incident at the RUHS campus. His efforts to streamline workflows, improve policies, and implement efficient systems have not only benefited County customers but also proved invaluable during this emergency. When faced with unexpected difficulties during the repair process, Asher showcased his calm and adaptable nature as a leader. He effectively coordinated his team, ensuring they remained focused and composed even under high levels of stress. This ability to maintain composure and think clearly in challenging situations is a testament to his leadership skills. One of Asher's remarkable strengths was his quick-time problem-solving approach. He analyzed the specific requirements of the flooding incident and promptly adapted his team's emergency protocol to address the situation effectively. This flexibility and ability to think on his feet greatly aided the relief efforts and played a vital role in mitigating damages. Asher's dedication to his role and his team's success was evident as he returned home with his clothes soaked from the incident. His selfless commitment to ensuring the well-being of the RUHS campus and the gratitude expressed by the entire staff highlight his exceptional leadership and the positive impact he had on the situation. Overall, Asher Falia's ability to streamline workflows, improve policies, mitigate redundancies, implement new systems, and adapt his team's emergency protocols in high-stress situations demonstrates his exemplary leadership qualities. His efforts have not only improved the quality of services for County customers but also significantly contributed to the successful mitigation of damages during the flooding incident at the RUHS campus.
Behavioral Health Staff
Maria Moreno
Research and Technology
Category: Innovation
Since taking on her role as the Innovations Manager for Behavioral Health, Maria Moreno has been successful in launching several digital therapeutic applications under DHCS’ Help@Hand innovation project for the department. Most notably, was the work she did to conceptualize and pilot the state’s first ever county behavioral health peer chat application. This application allows community members to access behavioral health resources and services in a way that has previously not been available. This application proved to be so innovative that it was the recipient of the 2021 California State Association of Counties Challenge award. As news of the department’s peer chat app quickly spread, Maria was asked to assist other counties and government agencies in setting up their own version of the application. In addition, to the peer chat app, Maria has also been instrumental in launching a number of other digital therapeutic platforms in the county, including community resource kiosks, a Whole Person Health Score application, an auditory hallucination detection application, as well as multiple campaigns aimed at serious mental illness, suicide prevention, and digital literacy. Maria’s work on this innovation project has been instrumental in moving the department forward in having a digital and virtual footprint in California’s healthcare arena.
Ryan Torres
Quality Management/ELMR
Category: Lean Improvements
Ryan Torres has repeatedly demonstrated with his IT solutions and thoughtful workflows what it means to be a lean department. With no formal lean training or exposure prior to this year, Ryan has willingly taken on projects that have created value for our stakeholders while simultaneously eliminating redundancies and reducing burnout for staff. Since the implementation of our Electronic Health Record (ELMR), Ryan has been at the forefront of meetings with clinicians, office staff, administrators, and consumers, to define the solutions and products needed to improve patient care. One of Ryan’s initial collaborative projects that he was tasked with creating was an ancillary system that continuously extracts information from our electronic health record into a data repository. This system was needed to ensure during times of network downtime and interruptions, clinicians have access to vital consumer information like diagnoses, recent treatment history and medications. This has been instrumental in keeping staff productive and mitigating any negative effects of inappropriate treatment when the primary medical record is unable to be accessed. In addition to his work on contingency systems, Ryan has created other processes that facilitate the transfer of data between EHR forms and other applications. This process has allowed staff to work more efficiently by pulling and auto- populating information from existing assessments, care plans, and progress notes, thereby reducing the number of redundant questions staff need to ask consumers over the course of their treatment episodes. Not only is Ryan’s work key with regard to our clinical operations, but he has also helped set up administrative systems to better track and manage workflows, training, and travel requests for administrators. Ryan’s expertise in bridging the clinical, administrative, and IT worlds is something that keeps the department running efficiently during our day-to-day operations.
Melissa Noone
Behavioral Health Admin
Category: Exceptional Results Through Teamwork
Melissa Noone is a key and instrumental member the Behavioral Health Wellness Village implementation team and has demonstrated exceptional results through teamwork and initiative. She has virtually and literally worked this project from the ground up, partnering with both internal and external stakeholders. Throughout the project, she has worked expeditiously when problems arise to find solutions and communicates clearly to the RUHS leadership and partners involved. She also led the team and effort responsible for the largest grant awarded in the competitive grant opportunity known as the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program under Round 1 at nearly $80 million. Without Melissa and the incredible teamwork demonstrated, this would not have been possible. Her tireless efforts will result in new programming for those most in need of behavioral health care for years to come.