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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Ballad Health is proud to congratulate Ballad Health Academy and its academic partners for being named Secondary Program of the Year by the Tennessee Association for Career and Technical Education (TNACTE). Representatives from six local school district partners and the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology at Elizabethton and Morristown recently accepted the award in July at the organization’s annual summer conference. These outstanding leaders, with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, help provide classroom education, hands-on training and support mechanisms needed for high school students to navigate potential healthcare career pathways. We’re proud to congratulate our scholastic partners from: Ballad Health is also excited to expand its Ballad Health Academy program to Johnson County Schools in 2026-27, making it the seventh local school district to join the program. In just its first year, Ballad Health Academy enrolled more than 300 students in Northeast Tennessee, with more than 500 students projected to participate in…

Ballad Health team members are invited to have a little fun while exploring the Dynamic Health site on the intranet – with an opportunity to earn CE credits and win prizes throughout August. Team members can log into their Dynamic Health account and participate in the August Scavenger Hunt. While completing the scavenger hunt activities, team members can earn CE credits, discover valuable Dynamic Health resources and features and be entered for a chance to win a $15 Starbucks gift card. How it works One winner will be selected each week throughout August to receive a $15 Starbucks gift card. What is Dynamic Health? Dynamic Health is an online resource for healthcare professionals, offering reliable medical information on diseases, symptoms, diagnostic tests and treatment options. It also provides continuing education (CE) opportunities, allowing nursing and health professionals to earn contact hours through assessments – supporting continuous learning and professional growth. How to access EBSCO and…

If you’ve been involved in a performance improvement project at Ballad Health, now is your chance to be recognized. Submissions for the 2027 Ballad Health Excellence Awards are officially open! Last year, we received 102 entries from across the organization, 87 of which were eligible for judging – showcasing the innovation, dedication and excellence that our teams exhibit every day. We’re excited to build on that momentum and celebrate the impactful work happening throughout Ballad Health. Submission period *In order to ensure appropriate time for the judging of the projects, this is a firm deadline that will not be extended. Click here to access the submission form. Note: You must be on a Ballad Health network device to access the submission link. You can also find the submission form on the Ballad Health intranet main page under “Quick Links” or by clicking the Excellence Awards banner at the top of the page. There are also…

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Ballad Health Home Health Care Services in Abingdon and Norton, Virginia, have been recognized by U.S. News & World Report in its 2026-2027 Best Home Health ratings, placing both locations among the highest-performing home health agencies nationwide. Based on a review of more than 12,000 Medicare-certified home health agencies across the country, U.S. News rated both Ballad Health locations as high performers for patient care, outcomes and patient experience. The recognition underscores Ballad Health’s commitment to ensuring patients have access to high-quality care not only while in the hospital or clinical setting, but throughout their recovery journey after discharge. “This recognition reflects the professionalism and focus of our home health nurses, therapists and support staff in Abingdon and Norton,” said Candice Greenlee, assistant vice president of Ballad Health Home Health and Hospice. “At Ballad Health, we recognize that healing doesn’t end when a patient leaves the hospital. Home health services play…

BRISTOL, Tenn. – The next systemwide Grand Rounds, entitled “Beyond Thoughts and Prayers” and presented by Spiritual Health Services, will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at Bristol Regional Medical Center. Click here to register. The presentation, from noon to 1 p.m., will be held in the Monarch Auditorium but will also be available virtually on Microsoft Teams. It will provide education to team members on the modern evidence-based role of spiritual health and the strict boundaries regarding our scope of practice. CME and CNE credit is available. This panel discussion explores the modern, evidence-based role of spiritual care professionals in clinical environments, covering professional chaplaincy, research, clinical triggers and the strict boundaries regarding scope of practice. For more information, email Cecilia Machac at cecilia.machac@balladhealth.org. NOTE: Ballad Health is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Ballad Health designates this Enduring Material activity for a maximum of…

It may seem a little early to be talking about Christmas, but team members are invited to submit their own photos to be used as decorations for the Ballad Health community Christmas trees we sponsor and decorate each holiday season. This is a way to pay homage to the everyday heroes we have working in our hospitals and offices. We’re asking for photos of our team members that are NOT from the workplace, but instead are outside the work environment and show our team members doing various other activities – celebrating a milestone, running a 5K with a fellow team member, working in the garden, doing volunteer work, attending a parade or community event, etc. Ballad Health Christmas trees will be located in the following cities: *Rather than traditional live trees, the Believe in Bristol display will feature professionally installed “flagpole light trees” without ornaments, so no photo submissions are needed for that tree. The…

Ballad Health is rolling out new Epic Rover devices this week to frontline licensed clinicians across all acute care hospitals, with the go-live on Monday, July 27. This technology enhancement is designed to make bedside care more efficient, improve documentation and strengthen patient safety by giving team members secure, real-time access to Epic wherever they are caring for patients. The rollout impacts: (Certified nursing assistants received Rover devices during last year’s successful implementation.) What is Epic Rover? Epic Rover is a secure mobile application that allows authorized clinical team members to access Epic from a handheld device. Instead of returning to a workstation throughout the shift, they can complete many everyday tasks right at the patient’s bedside. With Rover, clinicians can: Based on team member feedback, the new Rover devices feature a smaller, lighter design with slim, protective cases that easily fit into the pocket. The longer battery life provides better support for the entire…

UNICOI, Tenn. – Ballad Health has officially acquired the property that will become the future home of the new Unicoi County Hospital, marking a major milestone in its commitment to restoring inpatient care for the community. The property acquisition clears the way for construction to begin on the replacement hospital, which will replace the previous facility that was rendered unsafe after catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Ballad Health also announced it will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the hospital site near Interstate 26 off Zane Whitson Drive in Erwin, behind the Tinker Road Walmart. A community picnic will immediately follow from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event is open to community members, local leaders and project partners. Ballad Health will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 10 a.m. to 11…

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Ballad Health has been named the East Tennessee Area Health Education Center (AHEC), which will allow undergraduate and graduate-level health professions students to expand their clinical experience and training opportunities. The initiative is made possible through a federally supported program managed by Meharry Medical College and funded through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). As part of the designation, Ballad Health is recruiting a new cohort of health professions students for the Tennessee AHEC Scholars Program. The two-year program is designed to prepare future healthcare professionals to deliver high-quality, culturally competent care to rural and underserved communities across Tennessee. Team members are encouraged to spread the word about this opportunity for aspiring healthcare professionals. If you know someone who might be interested, let them know about this program. Application deadline for this fall’s cohort is Sept. 14. The program seeks to recruit 15 students currently enrolled in eligible health professions…

New treatment option can reduce risk of tumor recurrence, lessen side effects JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Ballad Health recently began offering GammaTile radiation therapy at Johnson City Medical Center, a treatment option that reduces risk of tumor recurrence and can lessen side effects for some brain cancer patients. GammaTile is about the size of a postage stamp and is implanted in the brain during surgery. After removing the brain tumor, a surgeon places a radiation-embedded tile in the tumor cavity, where it begins working immediately to destroy remaining cancer cells. “GammaTile is significant because with traditional radiation, patients must wait up to six weeks to recover from surgery before beginning radiation treatment,” said Alessandra Cathel, DO, who performed the region’s first GammaTile procedure with her team. “This can be a great option for patients with brain cancer, which has been historically difficult to treat. That two-to-six-week lapse in traditional radiation treatment following surgery gives any…

Did you know there are more than 1,400 known species of human pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa? Each month, our Ballad Health infection prevention team is highlighting one of those pathogens, or something important in how we deal with those pathogens, that you might encounter in your work. See what you know, or can learn, about these “bugs” through our “Bug of the Month” series, and about how we can prevent spread! This month, we’re spotlighting one we’ve all heard of — measles. This highly contagious virus lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person. It can spread to others through coughing and sneezing. If you have questions or want more information, please reach out to your infection preventionist.

BRISTOL – Ballad Health team members once again can get a good deal on tickets to the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, set for Sept. 11-13 in downtown Bristol. By using the code BALLAD45 when purchasing tickets online, team members can save $45 on the cost of a three-day, general admission ticket package. The discount is good until midnight on Sept. 10. Click here to purchase tickets. Headliners for this year’s festival include St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Sierra Ferrell, Old Crow Medicine Show and Los Lobos. Ballad Health is once again a sponsor for the Rhythm & Roots Reunion. For more information about the festival, including music lineup and FAQs, visit https://bristolrhythm.com/.

Thousands of Ballad Health team members use the Ballad Teams mobile app, designed specifically for them. The app offers important system news and easy access to a range of useful resources, such as your pay statements, PTO balance, team member discounts, IT support, benefits and a link to log into Smart Square scheduling – all right from your phone. We continue to add new features to the Ballad Teams mobile app. Check out some of the latest updates: If you don’t have Ballad Teams downloaded to your phone, or if you’ve changed phones or lost access, here’s a quick guide on how to reinstall it. Ballad Teams is free and available exclusively to Ballad Health team members. If you have questions or problems with the app, reach out to balladteams@balladhealth.org. FAQs