Great Barrington — The first face you see when you enter Fairview Hospital will no longer be that of a greeter as hospital leadership decided to terminate that role.
According to an email by Fairview Chief Operating Officer Anthony Scibelli, which was sent to The Berkshire Edge via Director of Media Relations Michael Leary, the hospital’s greeter team consisted of three part-time employees and one person on a per diem basis.
Scibelli wrote that the role was added during the height of the pandemic in 2020. “These individuals offered part-time support for our information front desk staff at a time when additional procedures were needed to ensure all patients and visitors were following infection control guidelines,” Scibelli writes.
On February 4, Sheffield resident Kimberly Skorzanka wrote a Letter to the Editor to The Berkshire Edge criticizing the hospital’s decision to terminate the greeting team. “For those who are not familiar with these good folks, they are the welcoming faces you see when you walk through the main entrance of Fairview Hospital,” Skorzanka writes. “These employees have been on the front line of Fairview for years, when they were hired to help the hospital navigate the pandemic. They provide succor to those in need of support—a trip to the hospital typically entails some stress, regardless of the situation. The greeters are there to assuage that stress, and they are a beloved part of the Fairview family because of their vast knowledge of the hospital, kindness, compassion, and good humor.”
In his email, Scibelli defends the hospital’s decision. “With the COVID-19 pandemic and associated guidelines for visitors well behind us, our full-time Information front desk staff are equipped to welcome and assist visitors — they already do this today as the first face many guests see when they arrive at the main entrance,” he writes. “This is the same approach that Fairview Hospital followed before the height of the pandemic in 2020, and it is the approach currently in operation at our sister facilities, Berkshire Medical Center and North Adams Regional Hospital. We are grateful for the contributions of our greeters and acknowledge the important role they have played in helping create a welcoming environment for patients, families, and guests — particularly during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when constantly changing guidelines caused additional anxiety for those entering any public space and especially healthcare facilities.”
