Three Decades Of Service And Lasting Contributions

Cooperstown, N.Y. – A retirement celebration was held recently at Bassett Medical Center for Bonnie Kaido, honoring her years of service to the organization. Kaido came to Bassett in August of 1980 from Sharon Springs Central School where she was a business teacher. Kaido was looking for a career change and accepted a position as supervisor of The Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital’s Office of Services Department. Little did she know then that she would dedicate the next 30 years of her life to her new employer – and make lasting contributions to Bassett.

Within two and a half years of starting at Bassett, Kaido became coordinator of Medical Education. She spent 19 years in the department and went on to become administrative director. In those nearly two decades, Kaido helped take an underdeveloped medical education program to a much more visible level.

Dr. John Davis, director of Medical Education for 13 of the 19 years Bonnie was in the department, remembers, “Bonnie understood that Bassett couldn’t do it alone anymore. She ushered me into the national medical education scene, with its valuable networking and platform for understanding the emerging complex regulations and accreditation requirements. She became a rising star in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, a leader who helped to articulate the new national medical education agenda. I couldn't have dealt with these issues without her.”

Dr. Walter Franck, who succeeded Dr. Davis as director of Medical Education, says, "Bonnie has been a tremendous resource to residency programs in our region. Not only did she admirably support the residencies in Medicine and Surgery at Bassett, but she also provided her expert assistance to the family medicine program at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Utica in the mid 90s, enabling it to maintain its excellence.

Dr. William Streck, President of Bassett during most of Kaido’s tenure, commented that, “Bonnie’s contributions cover a wide range of areas at Bassett. She has always been a positive, forward looking individual whose commitment to making Bassett better is unquestioned. If Bonnie was in involved or in charge, we always knew we would get hard work and the best of products from her. Individuals like Bonnie provide much to an organization and their ideas and thoughts become a part of the history. We are very appreciative of her work.”

Most recently, Kaido’s role at Bassett has been in emergency preparedness. It was work that came naturally since she had, since the early 1970’s, volunteered as an EMS provider. While in the emergency preparedness role, Kaido convened a group of hospitals, county health departments and emergency managers in Otsego, Delaware and Schoharie counties to work together to plan for all hazards. This group became known as ODSHECC (the Otsego, Delaware, Schoharie Hospital Emergency Coordinating Council). She chaired the group. She also created the Incident Command Team at Bassett and the Drill and Exercise Committee to meet state regulations and sharpen staff emergency readiness skills.

Another lasting contribution was Kaido’s work helping Bassett to establish a heart alert program to speed the treatment of heart attack victims, work that included securing a grant to fund the purchase of heart monitors and defibrillators for volunteer EMS squads in the region.

Looking back on her more than three decades of service to Bassett, Kaido said, “After 31 years, it becomes a huge part of your life. Bassett was my life.”