HEALTH CARE HEROES 2026 AWARDS
Health Care Administrator: Elizabeth Russell, Saint Elizabeth Community administrator
What led you to choose health care as your profession? My father was a physician and during summer breaks, I used to work in his office. As a result, I was really drawn to health care, and I especially enjoyed working with the elderly.
How have you helped boost the quality of or access to health care? Even during the most challenging times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, I have remained committed to maintaining high standards of care while supporting staff and residents through uncertainty and stress. After the COVID-19 pandemic, I was able to help staff refocus on quality and standards of care by creating a supportive environment for staff. By focusing on communication, teamwork and education, we were able to improve quality and resident satisfaction. My mission has always been to advocate for the residents, support staff and ensure that every individual in our community receives the compassionate and dignified care they deserve. I am very proud of the wonderful care that the staff at Saint Elizabeth Home provides the residents.
What is the biggest challenge you and your organization are facing this year? Staffing is our biggest challenge. Over the last few years, so many nurses have left long-term care nursing. There are so many other career opportunities for nurses. Unfortunately, nursing homes can’t always compete with the pay offered by some of these other industries. We are limited by the reimbursement we receive from the insurance companies and Medicaid. As we all know, the cost of living has increased significantly and it’s understandable that nurses choose to work in industries where they can receive greater pay. Working in long-term care is very rewarding and the nurses who choose to work in long-term care do so because they love the relationships with the residents and the other team members.
What more do you feel the state can do to help further support the health care sector in Rhode Island? The state needs to improve reimbursement to nursing homes for both Medicaid and managed care insurances. In addition, the process and the length of time it takes for someone to be approved for Medicaid is too long and cumbersome. While waiting for approval, it’s the nursing homes that are not getting fully paid for the care they are providing.
