Dear Dr. Davis:

Thursday, July 10, 2008, I underwent mitral valve repair surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center. I am writing from my home, recuperating after the successful surgery. The surgeon, Dr. David H. Adams, and his staff, and the staff of the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit far exceeded my expectations in terms of their professionalism, competence, attentiveness, and humanism. I am 68 years of age and have been hospitalized a few times in my life thus far, but none of the previous hospital stays could compare positively to this one. While I am sure that there are many people who contributed to my successful hospital stay that I never met face-to-face, I would like to specifically bring to your attention some members of the medical and hospital staff that I did experience personally who, I feel, maximized the positive result of my surgery.

First is Dr. David H. Adams, Chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, whose skills, professionalism, and extraordinarily positive and confident attitude were very important in my deciding to have the surgery done and to have it done specifically at Mount Sinai. Dr. Adams' staff was extremely helpful to me and my wife in planning for the necessary pre­operative tests as well as for the hospital stay; they helped us find a local hotel where my wife stayed while I was confined in the hospital. Specific people who were helpful in that regard included Ms. Teresa Keams, Dr. Ada111s' ·assistant, and Ms. Therese (Terry) King, CTS Admission Coordinator who coordinated the admission process. Other members of Dr. Adams' cardiothoracic medical team that were informative, kind, and helpful included Dr. Gregory W. Fisher, who was the anesthesiologist for the operation, and Dr. Joanna Chikwe who assisted Dr. Adams during the operation. Both of these busy, highly trained doctors spoke to me while I was on the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit and answered my questions while giving me the reassurance I needed. Also, Dr. George Babarian and Hetal Shah, PA added to my positive experience by explaining the recovery process, my medications, my care, etc. 

Finally, Dr. Corey Scurlock, the Director of the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, and his extraordinarily committed and professional staff were attentive and supportive so that I never felt abandoned during the four days I spent on that unit. It was a time during my life that I felt more helpless than I have ever felt before. Yet, the nurses and PA' s of the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit responded to my needs in a humane and caring way and never made me feel like I was a burden to them. Some of the nurses on the unit who stand out specifically are: Ignatius Low, Cora, C.C., Irma, Erna, Luva, and Felicia (I never got their last names). Two PA's on the unit that I recall as being helpful were Damien and Chris. 

I'm not someone who typically writes letters such as this. I'm sure that most people don't, even if they are deserved. I'm doing this because of the overwhelmingly positive experience I had at the Mount Sinai Medical Center and the need that I feel to identify those important people who contributed to my experience. I am requesting that you more accurately identify the nurses and PA's that helped me during my stay at the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit and include this letter in the personnel folders of all of the people I identified. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. 

Very Truly Yours,

Edwin R.