The Waterbury Regional Chamber’s Health Care Council celebrated the 2024 Health Care Hero Awards during their 19th Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony on August 20. The Health Care Council works to support and address the healthcare concerns of businesses and residents in greater Waterbury. Each year the Health Care Council solicits nominees for four award categories: Leadership, Organizational Excellence, Unsung Hero and Health Advocate Awards.
Bernard D’Souza, M.D., Academic Hospitalist at Saint Mary’s was honored by the Waterbury Chamber’s Health Care Council.
This year, Saint Mary’s Hospital’s Bernard D’Souza, M.D., Academic Hospitalist was selected as an Unsung Hero. The description for the Unsung Hero Award reads, “this award is presented to a health care practitioner who has distinguished himself or herself by providing exceptional care, compassion and commitment in their daily work. They have dedicated themselves to working behind the scenes in a hands-on capacity, making a difference in the lives of those they serve.”
Dr. D’Souza was selected for working quietly behind the scenes to provide his patients with the highest quality care in every encounter. Patients benefit from his clinical acumen and his compassionate approach, as he treats them with the respect and kindness he would show to members of his own family. Dr. D’Souza is passionate about the accuracy of medication in patient medical records because having all the correct information is not only paramount in dispensing appropriate care, but it also prevents potentially life-threating mistakes. He does not seek the limelight, or acknowledgement in anyway – instead Dr. D’Souza simply performs his life’s calling of caring for people.
The Leadership Award was presented to Aisling McGuckin, RN, MSN-MPH, director of public health, City of Waterbury; the Health Advocate Award was presented to Barbara Dublin, Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries; the Organizational Excellence was given to the Behavioral Health, Addiction Services and Crisis Intervention team at Waterbury HEALTH; and the Unsung Hero Award was given to both Dr. D’Souza and Marc Raad, M.D., Alliance Medical Group.
Dr. David Ferreira, Provost at Charter Oak State College, an industry leader in applying AI in business and education, provided the keynote address.