NorthShore Health celebrates its employees with a festive twist with their Boo at the Blue event

On Friday, Oct. 30, NorthShore Health gave employees the opportunity to celebrate Halloween a day early with “Boo at the Blue” at Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City. Employees were able to dress in their best costumes, mingle with each other, enjoy lunch, win raffle prizes, and more.

The afternoon began with attendees checking out various booths from businesses and organizations, while mingling with one another before lunch was served. Many attendees showed off in their best Halloween costumes, getting in the festive spirit for the Halloween weekend. From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Batman and Wonder Woman, attendees came dressed for the occasion.

As lunch was served for the hour, guests listened to a panel from several executives at NorthShore Health. The panel reflected on the great work NorthShore Health employees have done over the years and what the future holds for them. NorthShore Health’s mission is to provide the most comprehensive and quality healthcare, without exclusion, to everyone, every time, and the panel and guests reflected that.

“Our responsibility does extend beyond providing healthcare services,” said Chief Operating Officer Rachel Sanchez. “We pride ourselves on creating access, removing barriers when we can, and ensuring that our patients feel welcome, respected, and supported.”

With the healthcare industry constantly changing and new challenges arising, NorthShore continues to work hard to ensure the best for not only its patients but also its employees. When the summer derecho storms occurred in the Region, NorthShore stepped up for the community and each other.

“Despite challenges we were experiencing personally, we stepped forward to ensure that our patients continued to receive care, medications, and the support they needed. During these storm efforts, we served 825 patients and filled nearly 1,400 prescriptions while operating on only emergency generators,” said Chief Quality Officer Alaina Albanese. “While those numbers are impressive, they only tell part of the story. What they truly represent is a passion and dedication to our mission. They represent employees who went above and beyond to meet people where they were.”

Following lunch were raffle drawings, with employees winning Apple AirPods, speakers, gift cards, and more. Raffle items were donated by vendors who were present during breaks to talk to attendees about community resources and existing partnerships.

The afternoon concluded with breakout sessions, where guests could choose from several panels to participate in, including talks about mental health and breaking barriers within the industry. One breakout session focused on mental health and burnout, where employees could learn more about protecting not only their patients’ mental health, but also their own. The session was not only informative, but fun as well, with employees playing a game of jeopardy against each other.

NorthShore Health continues to foster a positive environment for both patients and employees. Boo at the Blue celebrated the dedication, love, and passion NorthShore Health employees put toward their work and community every day. From employees who have been with the organization for six months to those who have worked there for more than 20 years, NorthShore celebrated all of those who continue making the place great.

“Thank you for your resilience, teamwork, and commitment to our mission,” said Sanchez.

To learn more about NorthShore Health, visit northshorehealth.org.