Bermudian chosen from 20,000 as finalist for international award

27 November 2016: A Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) staff member is in contention for an international service excellence award this week.

BHB Network Solutions Analyst Colin Outerbridge has been shortlisted from more than 20,000 nominees worldwide for a WOW! Award. Mr Outerbridge was nominated in the Going the Extra Mile category through BHB’s online RISE Awards programme, which allows individuals to recognise staff members who have gone above and beyond to deliver exemplary service.

Winners will be announced on Monday 28 November at the annual The WOW! Awards Gala. This year there are 75 finalists in 15 categories. Mr Outerbridge is currently in London, UK, to attend the ceremony.

In mid-September a panel of judges interviewed Mr Outerbridge via Skype, asking a series of questions about the events which inspired his nomination by Dean Parris, BHB’s disaster manager.

“During Hurricane Joaquin, Colin came in to access the ITS network before going home and ended up staying for the duration of the hurricane,” Mr Parris said in his RISE Award nomination. “He dealt with any IT and telephone issue that arose across the entire KEMH campus. In addition when the HICC [Hospital Incident Command Centre] started developing phone issues, Colin came up with a quick solution and then implemented it to make sure that our service did not go down. Colin is a true leader.”

Mr Outerbridge told the judges it was an IT issue in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), caused by power fluctuations, which made volunteering to stay in lockdown during the hurricane worthwhile. Had the issue not been resolved quickly and successfully, machines used to monitor patients could have been affected.

“At BHB, I’m here for the patients,” Mr Outerbridge told the panel. “Doing this sort of work gives me fulfilment and I like to help people. That night, it could have been a family member of mine in ICU. It could have been a coworker or even someone in this room.”

BHB CEO Venetta Symonds said, “We’re delighted Colin is being recognised for his contribution to our patients and colleagues. When a hurricane strikes Bermuda, several hundred BHB employees leave their families to stay in the hospitals for the duration, ensuring patient care continues uninterrupted. Colin will represent all those dedicated individuals at the awards ceremony in London.

“We are proud of Colin and all BHB staff members who go above and beyond every day to achieve our vision of Exceptional Care. Strong Partnerships. Healthy Community.”

BHB’s RISE Awards nominations are managed in association with UK-based The WOW! Awards and are evaluated based on BHB’s vision and values. Members of the public can recognise BHB staff members who demonstrate service excellence by visiting www.bdahospitaldev.wpengine.com and going to About BHB > Our Team > BHB Staff RISE Awards. Nominations are listed on the BHB website.

Notes to Editors
The Bermuda Hospitals Board is a quango (quasi autonomous non-governmental organisation) established under the Bermuda Hospitals Board Act, 1970. It has a Bermuda Government-approved Board and a Chief Executive Officer, responsible for King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute. At the heart of both organisations is high quality care to all patients.

With approximately 1,700 employees, the Bermuda Hospitals Board is Bermuda’s second largest employer. King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute are the only healthcare organisations in Bermuda accredited by Accreditation Canada, an independent organisation whose role is to help hospitals examine and improve the quality of care and service they provide to their clients. In addition to providing an extensive list of services for the community, the Bermuda Hospitals Board is part of a referral network that includes some of the world’s leading specialist hospitals.

For more information, please visit www.bdahospitaldev.wpengine.com or contact the Bermuda Hospitals Board Public Relations Department at publicrelations@bhb.bm.

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