The Peru Gazette

PLATTSBURGH, NY (7/3/2025) – It was a perfect storm of sickness. The flu and COVID-19 ran through the team like a wildfire as the clinic was at its busiest caring for patients fighting the same bugs.

The front desk and call center staff were particularly hard hit. This group is vital to making sure everything runs smoothly so patients can be seen in a timely manner. “In February, we went through an extremely rough two weeks,” explains Deborah DiRito, who was practice supervisor at University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital’s (CVPH) Family Medicine Clinic at the time. “There were days we only had two out of the nine front desk and call center staff at work.” Candace Leduc was one of those staff members who was at the clinic.

“Any time there was a question, Candace was there with a smile to answer it,” DiRito recalls. “Never did Candace show that she was stressed. She managed the situation with ease and with that infectious smile. Watching her and hearing from other staff about the impact she had that week made me incredibly proud of her.”

She notes Leduc helped in a variety of ways to keep things moving. She trained staff filling in from other clinics get familiarized with their processes, showed nursing staff how to log on to phones in the call center to answer questions from patients, helped with checking patients in and out in a timely manner and answered many phone calls.

DiRito says it was a team effort spearheaded by Leduc. “I don’t know that Family Med would have made it through those two weeks as well as we did if it wasn’t for Candace’s positive attitude,” she adds. DiRito nominated Leduc for the hospital’s BEE (Beyond Exceptional Everyday) Award, and she was presented with the honor during a surprise ceremony with her colleagues at the Family Medicine Center. During the award presentation, she was presented with a certificate commending her for her extraordinary work. Leduc, like all honorees, also received a BEE Award pin, a beautiful and meaningful sculpture and a basket filled with bee-themed gifts.

All CVPH employees who support patient care by working together with physicians and registered nurses to improve the physical, emotional and spiritual health of patients and their loved ones are eligible for the BEE Award. Nomination forms and boxes are located at each of the hospital’s main entrances and on the CVPH website. Support staff may be nominated by patients, families and colleagues. A committee reviews nominations and awards a deserving employee each quarter.