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 requirements regarding animal visitation in Ballad Health hospitals. There are specific guidelines to help prevent spread of illness. If you have questions or want more information, please reach out to your infection preventionist. Click here to see the flier below in PDF format.

Early voting is underway for state and county primary elections in Tennessee. Ballad Health encourages every eligible team member to get out and vote! Every vote counts, so let your voice be heard through the ballot. Early voting lasts through April 30, with Election Day for the primaries set for Tuesday, May 5. If you have additional questions, contact the Ballad Health Office of Community & Government Relations at 423-844-2821 or lori.stout@balladhealth.org.

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Ballad Health Medical Associates has selected Loree Ching as its new chief financial officer. She will oversee financial planning and ensure resources are aligned to support high‑quality patient care across the organization’s multistate network. Ching brings 26 years of healthcare finance experience, including senior leadership roles within large physician groups and integrated health systems. Most recently, she served as vice president of finance for Acclaim Physician Group in Fort Worth, Texas, where she led financial operations for a $200 million, 500‑provider network. During her tenure, she implemented a more collaborative, operations‑driven budgeting model and strengthened financial and productivity reporting to provide clinical leaders clearer insight into practice performance. Her background also includes senior finance leadership positions across health systems in Oklahoma, Texas and Kentucky, where she supported physician enterprises, hospital operations and value‑based care initiatives. “Loree has extensive experience leading finance teams for large physician groups and health systems,” said Dr. Mark Patterson, president of Ballad Health Medical…

Article summary Read the full article Dear Colleague, The Team Member Pulse Survey is open, and team members should receive an email from Press Ganey today (Monday, April 20) containing their individual link to the survey. Administered by Press Ganey, the survey will be conducted from April 20 to May 4 and consists of 16 questions that can be completed in less than 10 minutes Since the full survey last year, many action plans and initiatives have been implemented and no doubt many of you assisted in identifying opportunities for improvement for your departments. Your continued input will provide us with updated information and help steer the direction of future initiatives. It’s important to track our progress and review against the previous surveys and national benchmark data. All survey responses will go directly to Press Ganey. No one at Ballad Health will have access to your individual responses. You should feel comfortable answering truthfully, as…

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Patients facing complex abdominal cancers now have new hope close to home as Ballad Health expands access to advanced, life-extending treatments at Johnson City Medical Center. In February, surgical oncology teams performed the first hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) procedure, followed by the first hepatic artery infusion (HAI) in March. These therapies expand treatment options for patients with complex abdominal cancers.  Both procedures were led by Dr. Jennifer Whittington of ETSU Health. The HAI procedure, specifically, is performed by the teams of Dr. Whittington and Dr. Trevy Ramos, as well as a specialized operating room staff trained to perform these complex procedures. “Some patients with extensive disease might have only weeks or months to live. With these advanced procedures, we’re often able to extend our patients’ lives by years.” – Dr. Jennifer Whittington “Some patients with extensive disease might have only weeks or months to live,” Dr. Whittington said. “With these advanced procedures, we’re often able to extend our patients’ lives by years.”  …

The Appalachian Highlands Care Network, a collaboration between Ballad Health and regional partners, recognized as one of Modern Healthcare’s 2026 Innovators Awards honorees Article summary Read the full article JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – National publication Modern Healthcare recognized Ballad Health’s Appalachian Highlands Care Network with its annual Innovators Award, which “recognizes leaders and organizations driving innovation that improves care, achieves measurable results and contributes to clinical and financial goals.” Launched in 2021 as a population health initiative by Ballad Health, the Appalachian Highlands Care Network works to connect uninsured patients with a wide array of healthcare, social services and support at reduced or no cost. The network relies on partner organizations across the Ballad Health service area in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia to meet patients’ needs regardless of their ability to pay. “The work of Appalachian Highlands Care Network is a powerful example of what happens when people and organizations come together to meet…

Award highlights efforts to make healthcare costs easier to understand and navigate for patients Article summary Read the full article JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Patients across the Appalachian Highlands are experiencing clearer bills, faster insurance decisions and easier access to financial assistance — and that progress has earned Ballad Health national recognition from the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). Ballad Health has been named a recipient of the HFMA’s 2026 MAP Award for High Performance in Revenue Cycle, its fourth time receiving the honor. This award recognizes U.S. healthcare organizations that excel across HFMA’s MAP Keys benchmarks, implement patient-centered financial communication practices and demonstrate innovation in revenue cycle processes. “We are honored to receive the 2026 MAP Award,” said Alan Levine, chairman and CEO of Ballad Health. “For our patients, this means clearer information about the cost of care, faster answers and fewer delays related to insurance or billing. We are focused on making healthcare…

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Mahoney’s Outfitters is once again holding “Ballad Days,” an employee appreciation event on Friday, April 10, with proceeds benefiting the Ballad Health Auxiliary. The event at Mahoney’s, located at 830 Sunset Drive, will take place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Ballad Health team members receive 10% off regular-priced clothing and footwear by showing their Ballad Health ID badge. The proceeds from the Mahoney’s event are stewarded by the Auxiliary to benefit patients and families across Ballad Health. Mahoney’s offers merchandise and apparel for outdoor adventures, ranging from hunting, fishing and archery to hiking, climbing, camping and paddling.

Article summary Read the full article NOTE: The following message was emailed to Ballad Health team members from HR on Thursday, April 9. Dear Colleague, We are pleased to announce that we are again partnering with Press Ganey to administer the Team Member Pulse Survey. This will be conducted from April 20 to May 4 and will consist of 16 questions that can be completed in less than 10 minutes. Since the full survey last year, many action plans and initiatives have been implemented and no doubt many of you assisted in identifying opportunities for improvement for your departments. Your continued input will provide us with updated information and help steer the direction of future initiatives. It’s important to track our progress and review against the previous surveys and national benchmark data. All survey responses will go directly to Press Ganey. No one at Ballad Health will have access to your individual responses. You should…

Ballad Health will host a Systemwide Grand Rounds presentation Tuesday, April 28, from noon to 1 p.m., with a topic of “Sepsis Awareness.” It will cover how pediatric and obstetric sepsis are different from adult sepsis, and is worth 1 CME/CNE credit. Register now for this free, one-hour virtual seminar, accessible on Microsoft Teams. The host site will be Johnson City Medical Center in Auditorium 3. Click here for more information or to register for the event. This presentation will be a two-parter, with Part 1 covering how pediatric sepsis is different than adult sepsis, and Part 2 covering how OB sepsis is different than adult sepsis. ACCME Statement: Ballad Health is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide CME for physicians and designates this activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Ballad Health is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American…

This week, team members across the system will receive a short HealthStream CBL (computer-based learning) assignment in their Outlook email, with information about how to be a hand hygiene observer. More about this initiative To meet minimum hand hygiene observation requirements from LeapFrog – a hospital safety and quality ratings system – our acute care facilities will be partnering with various team members to assist in the data collection. This CBL presents education on correct hand hygiene and instruction on how to observe and record hand hygiene for the LeapFrog initiative, and requires an attestation that the team member has completed the CBL. What should you do next? Hand hygiene is the foundation of infection prevention and the No. 1 way to prevent the transmission of organisms. It is the responsibility of all team members. Thank you for completing the CBL and for keeping our facilities as safe as possible by practicing proper hand hygiene!