Huron, S.d. – Huron Regional Medical Center (HRMC) honored its January Exceptional Employee of the Month, Marilyn Yost, with a small department celebration earlier this month.
Yost, who has worked at HRMC for more than 27 years and currently works as a unit secretary on the medical floor, was nominated by a patient’s family members to receive the honor. According to a letter sent to HRMC, “Marilyn was nothing short of exceptional, especially on Halloween day, because October 31, 2020, was also my mother’s 89th birthday.
“My family wanted to find a way to see her and wish her a Happy Birthday, so I made a phone call to HRMC with an idea to be able to see her through the window while singing to her on the phone. Marilyn answered the phone and agreed to help,” the letter continued. “When we are on our way to the hospital, I talked to Marilyn again and she told me she had a better idea.”
Yost told the family to come to the south hospital entrance and she would wrap the patient in blankets and take her downstairs in a wheelchair just outside the door so that the family could sing to her in-person.
“We were so excited waiting in the parking lot for her to come to the door!” the letter continued. “We were able to talk to her, from a distance of course, and sing Happy Birthday to her. We were so appreciative to be allowed to do this!”
HRMC’s Exceptional Employee of the Month award recognizes an employee who goes above and beyond to demonstrate the hospital’s values of being accessible, helpful and knowledgeable. Employees can be nominated by other coworkers or by a patient or visitor who witnesses exceptional service. A committee of employees from various hospital departments chooses the employee on a monthly basis and an Exceptional Employee of the Year is chosen at year-end from the 12 monthly honorees.
As January exceptional employee, Yost received a flower bouquet, a meal certificate to a local restaurant, a professional photo session and portrait, $50, a lapel pin and a special parking place for a month.
Yost is not just great at helping staff and patients on the medical floor as the unit secretary, she also serves as Spanish language interpreter when needed. She learned Spanish while living in Mexico working with a missionary family for six years. Yost keeps her Spanish current by checking in on the workers at Fast Dairy where she also helps out with the billing and office work. In her spare time, Yost enjoys spending time outdoors and going for walks.
Patients or visitors can nominate an exceptional employee by calling 605 353-6539 for a nomination form or via e-mail at [email protected].
Photo Cutline: Dawn Allen, RN, vice president of patient services, Lindsey McCaskell Styer, RN, assistant director inpatient services, Yost and Erick Larson, president and CEO, pose for a photo after she was surprised with the honor.