CANANDAIGUA – UR Medicine Thompson Health Director of Facility Services/Safety Officer James Dietz received the Facility Hero Award on Oct. 14 at the New York State Healthcare Facilities Conference in Verona.
The Genesee Valley Regional Association for Healthcare Engineers nominated Dietz for the award, which acknowledged his efforts “for ensuring the highest levels of facility operations and emergency preparedness for the people you serve.” A resident of Marion in Wayne County, he first joined Thompson in 2014 and has been in his current role since 2016.
The nomination noted that during the pandemic, Dietz quickly organized a COVID-19 swabbing clinic for patients arriving at the Emergency Department, helped ensure Thompson’s new ICU opened ahead of schedule so it was ready to handle the influx of critically ill patients, and initiated asymptomatic swabbing at Thompson’s Canandaigua Medical Group. He also learned to operate the mobile UV-C light that sterilizes rooms so he could assist Environmental Services, volunteered to screen visitors at the door, and helped the Linen Department team when they were in need of extra hands.
In addition, the nomination said, Dietz’s leadership during the flooding that hit Canandaigua – including the hospital – in July 2023 meant there was an immediate response, clean-up, and reconstruction so essential services were restored with minimal disruption.
“Jim has performed at this exceptional level for over a decade, consistently demonstrating his unwavering commitment and dedication to our organization and community,” said Thompson Health Executive Vice President/COO Kurt Koczent. “He embodies the spirit of this award, consistently being his best when it matters the most.”