2019 Barb Gonnella Award recipient: Dennis Chen, MLS(ASCP)^CM

Dennis is a pleasant, intelligent, analytical, and motivated technologist who is an active leader and an engaged employee of NYP Weill Cornell Medical Center.  His friendly and affable demeanor allows him to be liked by all.

Although Dennis started in an entry level position as a medical laboratory scientist, he has steadily taken on increasing leadership roles in the lab, and is now one of the rising stars in his department.  He has expressed keen interest in transfusion medicine laboratory management and informatics.  He has welcomed new tasks and new responsibilities.  He was recently promoted to Quality and Information Specialist in Transfusion Medicine.  Dennis is not afraid to state his opinion in a pleasant and collaborative way, and has great ideas to improve patient care.  He stands out as exceptional, pleasant, and polite.

Dennis helped the laboratory management team validate a new web-based medical record.  He was asked specifically to lead this project because of his interest in and aptitude for informatics.  He immediately agreed and successfully validated the new system.  In fact, not only did he validate it, but he uncovered some major IT issues in the standard electronic medical record (EMR) system for his laboratory's results.  He went on to carefully analyze the problems, developed solutions, and worked with the EMR informatics specialist to resolve the issues.  This year, he was instrumental in bringing up the new Erytra analyzers including assisting with the IT portion of the interface, training, and competency of staff and guidance during the "go live" period of this new automation.

His ambition, dedication, and engagement will take him far in the field of Transfusion Medicine and Laboratory Medicine.