UPDATE: Our giveaway for Bristol Motor Speedway tickets has now closed and we’re contacting all our winners. Thanks to everyone who participated! We’re giving away tickets to the upcoming races at Bristol Motor Speedway! Just send us a short example of how a fellow team member represents one or more of our Ballad Health values, and you and that team member could each win a ticket to one day of the races (you choose which day). DETAILS Ballad Health is the exclusive healthcare provider for races at Bristol Motor Speedway, and we have a limited number of grandstand tickets to give away for the upcoming spring races April 5-7. The weekend is highlighted by Friday’s Bush’s Beans Pole Day, Saturday’s Alsco 300 and Zombie Auto 150, and Sunday’s Food City 500. We’ll give them out to team members who email us with a short example of a fellow team members who demonstrates Ballad Health’s values…

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Run For Your Buns 5K in recognition of colorectal health awareness is coming up Friday, April 12, at Franklin Woods Community Hospital. Stroll, walk or run your way to a healthier colon! Visit www.runforyourbuns.com to register or for more information.

One of Ballad Health’s six values, as determined by team members, is faith. “We nurture the mind, body and spirit of each individual to inspire hope and improve the health and well-being of our community.” Our chaplains across the system guide us in this process, so we are featuring them in a series of profiles in Ballad Health News. Today we feature Gary Metcalf, corporate director of spiritual health services.   “Where are you from?” That’s a question patients or family members and even team members are likely to hear if they happen to meet Gary Metcalf, D.Min. BCC, corporate director of Spiritual Health Services for Ballad Health. “I don’t usually stay on religious topics. Knowing where someone is from gives me insight and provides a way for me to connect to them when they are in crisis,” he said. “If they are from the mountains, we have something in common. “If they say they…

Local youth and stars from Broadway converge on the NPAC stage GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On Sunday, March 24, “Broadway Comes to Greeneville” will showcase young talent from Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia performing with professional Broadway stars. The Broadway-style show, now in its eighth year, raises awareness for Niswonger Children’s Hospital. Broadway stars Jeannette Bayardelle (“Hair,” “The Color Purple”), Jay Armstrong Johnson (“Out of Town,” “Phantom of the Opera”), LaKisha Jones (“Dreamgirls,” “The Color Purple”), Gary Mauer (“Phantom of the Opera,” “Les Miserables”) and Elizabeth Southard (“Phantom of the Opera,” “The Sound of Music”) will travel to Greeneville to perform at Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) on March 24 at 3 p.m. “Broadway Comes to Greeneville” is presented by the Ballad Health Foundation and Consumer Credit Union. Tickets to the event are $25, $30 and $35, depending on the seating section. Lydia McCraw, last year’s talent search winner, said, “It’s so special to know that,…

Ballad Health’s corporate audit and compliance services will host a “Lunch & Learn” Webex on Thursday, March 28, at noon, covering HIPAA rules about “minimum necessary,” and social media and photography. Connect as a Webex by clicking here, or call in by phone using the info listed below.  

BRISTOL, Tenn. – The 17th annual Diabetes Symposium has been set for Friday, June 14, at Bristol Regional Medical Center. WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Any interested physicians, nurse practitioners, registered and licensed practical nurses, physical therapists, registered dietitians, pharmacists and other health professionals are encouraged to participate. DETAILS: The event will last from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. in the Monarch Auditorium with remote video conference locations to be determined. KEYNOTE SPEAKER: The keynote speaker will be Barb Bancroft, RN, MSN, NP, one of the leading speakers in the nation on diabetes. She has provided more than 2,800 continuing education events and has been described as fascinating, highly informative, dynamic and humorous in her presentations. She provides a wealth of clinical information that can be applied to everyday practice. MORE TO COME: Save the date for this symposium if you’re interested, and be on the lookout for program and registration information coming soon.

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Chuck Whitfield, chief executive officer at Laughlin Memorial Hospital, was honored with a retirement party and surprise dedication of the walking trail at a special celebration last month. Tammy Albright, chief executive officer for the Greene County market, announced that the trail will now be called the “Chuck Whitfield Wellness Walk.” Whitfield, who has served Laughlin and the Greeneville-Greene County community with dedication and distinction for the past 37 years, was surprised by the announcement. Albright thanked Whitfield for his numerous years of service before a crowd of team members, community members and Whitfield’s family. Whitfield started at Laughlin in accounting in 1980 and has held several key positions since then, including assistant administrator, administrator/chief operating officer and, most recently, CEO. Albright said she is “so grateful for Chuck’s vision, his leadership and his numerous contributions to healthcare in this area.” Whitfield also represented this area with excellence when he served as…

Julia Hopson named Greene County Outstanding Team Member Julia Hopson, a registered nurse in Laughlin Memorial Hospital’s (soon to be Greeneville Community Hospital East) radiation oncology department, has been recognized as the first Greene County Outstanding Team Member, a new bimonthly award honoring exceptional work. Julia is a consummate professional who serves in multiple roles, including the oncology-certified nurse representative and clinical research coordinator for the Laughlin Memorial cancer program. She recently was recognized during the radiation oncology department’s Commission on Cancer survey for exceeding requirements toward the standard for survivorship care plans. Julia also is one of the few nurses to obtain additional certification in radiation oncology. She has worked at Laughlin for more than 35 years. Congratulations, Julia! Linda Austin honored as Indian Path DAISY Award recipient KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Linda Austin, RN, 5th floor/PCU at Indian Path Community Hospital, is the latest recipient of the hospital’s DAISY Award. Nurses are selected for…

If you meet the criteria and have not been screened, consider having a screening for colorectal cancer. This is one cancer you can prevent! Ask your doctor whether it’s a good idea for you. It could save your life. This Ballad Health colorectal cancer awareness campaign coincides with Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month which is recognized in March, and stems from a grant from the Tennessee Cancer Coalition. For more information on screenings, contact Kathy Visneski, oncology clinical nurse specialist, at 423-224-5592 or kathryn.visneski@balladhealth.org

Registration deadline is nearing for the conference on highly infectious disease preparation, entitled “Disease X: Are you prepared?” Registration ends March 22 and the conference takes place March 26 at Bristol Regional Medical Center. Register today at balladhealth.org/disease-x-symposium.            

When you give to the Ballad Health Team Member Emergency Fund during our annual Team Member Giving Campaign, you help someone in real need, and that’s exactly what happened recently for one team member: “I was very anxious about using the emergency fund as I’m extremely reluctant to ask for help, so when I do ask, it means I’m in a desperate situation. The winter found me unable to pay my power bill, I could not pay my cellphone bill which was very necessary due to living alone, and I had no idea how I would get everything paid and still get groceries. The emergency fund saved me, and gave me some breathing room to do what I needed to do until I could get back on my feet. If anyone is hesitant about using this wonderful service we have through Ballad Health, don’t be. That is why it’s there – to help those of us in need. I am…