Bassett Caregivers Honored as Outstanding Health Care Professionals

Two Bassett Healthcare Network caregivers received Outstanding Health Care Professional Awards from the Genesis Group of the Mohawk Valley this year. Ben Vennero, MHA is the practice manager of Bassett’s health clinics in Clinton, Oneida, Sherburne, and Hamilton. The late Dr. Norman Freund served Little Falls Hospital as a hospitalist for 18 years. His wife, Dorothy, accepted the posthumous award on his behalf.

“I cannot begin to put into words how honored I am by this award, especially since I have no idea which one of my teams nominated me,” says Vennero. “The fact that I was even nominated is an honor in itself, but to be in a room filled with so many distinguished health care professionals was truly incredible.”

Friend and colleague Dr. Kai Mebust believes that Dr. Freund’s award was quite well-deserved. “What made Norm outstanding was how much he loved practicing a craft that helped make people better. He valued each patient as an individual. He saw each care team as an ensemble cast working together. As a result, he knew who his patients were, not just what they had. And he would praise everyone’s contributions to a successful outcome. I will always remember that joy Norm got from practicing medicine.

In total, the Genesis Group recognized fourteen individuals or teams at their 15th Annual Regional Healthcare Recognition in Whitesboro. Other recipients included doctors, nurses, administrators and technicians from a wide variety of health care organizations. To learn more about the Genesis Group, visit https://thegenesisgroup.org/.