Here are some of our latest clinicians to join Ballad Health: Sai Karthik Kommineni, MD, joins Ballad Health CVA Heart Institute – Johnson City JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Sai Karthik Kommineni, MD, has joined Ballad Health CVA Heart Institute – Johnson City, a department of Johnson City Medical Center, where he will specialize in cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Kommineni’s services include preventive cardiology; treatment of acute coronary syndrome, arrhythmias and rhythm disorders, coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypertension and valvular heart disease; dyslipidemia management; and cardiac imaging interpretation and consultation. “I believe in delivering evidence-based, compassionate care while treating every patient with respect and individuality,” he said. “My goal is to ensure patients feel heard, informed and confident in their care every step of the way.” Dr. Kommineni earned his medical degree from Siddhartha Medical College in Vijayawada, India. He completed an internal medicine residency and a fellowship in adult cardiovascular diseases at Quillen College of…

Hospital among first 60 in the nation to offer Edwards SAPIEN M3 system KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Patients across Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia now have access to one of the newest treatments for heart valve disease without having to travel far from home. On Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, interventional cardiologist Dr. Gaurav Rana, cardiac surgeon Dr. Stanley Gall and non-invasive cardiologist Dr. Anjali Sharma performed the first procedure using the Edwards SAPIEN M3™ system at Holston Valley Medical Center, making the hospital among the first 60 hospitals nationwide to offer this technology. The procedure offers a new way to replace a damaged mitral heart valve without open-heart surgery. The Edwards SAPIEN M3™ system is designed for patients with a wide range of mitral valve disease, including mitral regurgitation, a condition in which one of the heart’s valves does not close properly, and mitral valve stenosis, a condition in which the mitral valve does not open…

Commemorative Dolly T-shirts are still available for purchase online and in our gift shops, in honor of Dolly Parton’s remarkable legacy. All proceeds support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library through The Dollywood Foundation, helping inspire a love of reading among children across the Appalachian Highlands. To further support the mission of Imagination Library, Ballad Health will also match proceeds from the shirt sale up to $25,000. Important updates Ballad Health’s Dolly Parton tribute T-shirts feature a special design celebrating her legacy of caring, creativity and faith on the back. The T-shirt design has been approved by The Dollywood Foundation and Dolly Parton’s estate in support of Imagination Library. T-shirts are available in both short- and long-sleeve styles and are approved for team members to wear on Fridays. Due to popular demand, youth sizes of the Dolly T-shirt are now available to order online in short- and long-sleeve styles. Youth short-sleeve T-shirts will also be available in…

Workplace violence continues to affect healthcare workers across the country and here at Ballad Health. In 2025, reported workplace violence incidents at Ballad Health increased nearly 19%. Creating a safe environment for our patients and team members takes all of us. Ballad Health is partnering with the Tennessee Hospital Association to conduct the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSPOS). The survey is open Oct. 1-31 and takes just 10-15 minutes to complete. Your feedback will help identify what we’re doing well and where we can strengthen patient and team member safety. Please complete the survey by Oct. 31 — and encourage your direct reports and fellow team members to participate. Strong participation is critical to giving us an accurate picture of our safety culture. Scan the QR code or visit the link below to take the survey. Take the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture 2.0 and Workplace…

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — We’re giving away tickets to the East Tennessee State University volleyball match on Tuesday, Oct. 6, against Greensboro. Team members can request up to four free tickets by filling out the entry form below: Click here to enter The Lady Bucs will take on Southern Conference rival UNC Greensboro in Brooks Gym on the ETSU campus, starting at 6 p.m. We will be highlighting Breast Cancer Awareness Month, recognized each October. It also serves as Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night, as well as ETSU Student-Athlete Night. The tickets are first-come, first-served, until all are claimed. The names of those receiving tickets will be provided to ETSU at the will-call gate at the game. Come out and support the Lady Bucs!

It’s that time of year again – the annual Spooky Trail Halloween celebration is set for Friday, Oct. 30. Team members are invited to participate in group-themed costumes in a reverse trick-or-treat event that helps bring the Halloween spirit to our patients. Time slots for the event are available from 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Please visit this link to register your team for the event. Since some patients might not be able to have candy, teams are encouraged to bring other treats like stickers, pencils, coloring books, bubbles, activities and Play-Doh. Any candy or other edible treat should be store-bought and individually wrapped from the manufacturer. When arriving for the event, teams should check in at the table that will be in front of Timmy’s Playroom at the first floor. The trail starts in the St. Jude Tri-Cities Affiliate Clinic, then moves up to the pediatric floor and ends in the PICU. Patients will…

Early voting has begun in Virginia and it will begin soon in Tennessee for the State and Federal General Election, which is coming up Nov. 3. Ballad Health encourages every eligible team member to get out and vote! Virginia Tennessee Questions? If you have additional questions, contact the Ballad Health Office of Community & Government Relations at lori.stout@balladhealth.org. Every vote counts, so let your voice be heard through the ballot!

New forensic imaging equipment builds on years of regional collaboration to expand access, strengthen documentation and support forensic nursing care in rural communities JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Ballad Health patients receiving forensic nursing care now have greater access to specialized imaging technology through seven new Cortexflo forensic imaging systems deployed across the health system. Ballad Health launched the new technology in mid-August, marking the culmination of a multiyear effort to identify and implement an imaging system designed for the clinical, security and documentation needs of forensic healthcare. Ballad Health provides 24/7 forensic nursing coverage across 18 facilities and performs more than 300 forensic medical examinations annually for patients affected by sexual assault, intimate partner violence, strangulation, child abuse and other forms of violence. “This has been a long-term goal and seeing it become a reality is incredibly meaningful,” said Ashleigh McMahan, director of forensic nursing for Ballad Health. “Cortexflo gives our nurses another tool to…

Becomes first integrated health system in Tennessee to receive national distinction The Big Picture: Ballad Health has been recognized as a Dr. Lorna Breen Wellbeing First Champion for 2026 by the Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation. This designation recognizes healthcare organizations that support their clinicians’ mental well-being at a high level by eliminating intrusive mental health questions and stigmatizing language from licensing and credentialing applications. While a handful of freestanding facilities have received this distinction, Ballad Health is the first integrated health system in Tennessee to be recognized by the foundation. The background By the numbers Why it matters What leaders are saying “This achievement reflects the outstanding work of our Medical Staff Services team in partnership with the Medical Staff Services Committee of the Ballad Health Clinical Council,” said Dr. Amit Vashist, Ballad Health’s chief clinical officer. “Their thoughtful modernization of our credentialing processes supports both clinician well-being and patient safety. As a board-certified psychiatrist,…