Displaying 12-24 of 56 Results

Time to get to know our 2023 Servant’s Heart Award winners — and nominate for 2024!

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be featuring this year’s winners of the Scott and Nikki Niswonger Servant’s Heart Award through videos, stories and photos — and we are opening the nomination process for the 2024 awards! This is Ballad Health’s highest honor, given to members of our team who have been recognized by their peers for displaying the heart of a servant by going above and beyond the normal call of duty in helping others at work and in the community. Nominate someone! Do you know someone who has the heart of a servant and deserves recognition for their great work? If so, nominate them for the 2024 Servant’s Heart Award! Click here to access the 2024 nomination form. More about the Servant’s Heart Award This award is named in honor of Scott and Nikki Niswonger, who have exemplified what it means to have the heart of a servant throughout their lives. The Niswongers were…

Use our ACTS of Service to recognize team members who deserve thanks for a job well done!

Did you know Ballad Health has a way for you to recognize fellow team members who do great work? It’s called ACTS of Service recognition, available on the Ballad Health intranet through our Human Resources and Organizational Development departments. It only takes a few minutes and you can send someone an eCard to show your appreciation for their dedication and hard work. If you’re a leader, you can nominate a team member for an award. Here’s how to use ACTS of Service: Go to the Ballad Health intranet. (NOTE: You must be on a Ballad Health network device to access the intranet.) Visit “Quick Links” on the left side. Click on “ACTS of Service Appreciation,” which will be the first link listed. Use your team member number as your username (no need to include the “u” as part of the number). If this is your first time using ACTS of Service, or if you’ve forgotten…

Franklin Woods Community Hospital’s Stephanie Cook honored by Tennessee Nurses Association

Stephanie Cook, chief nursing officer at Franklin Woods Community Hospital, was recently honored as the 2023 Tennessee Nurses Association District 5 Nurse of the Year. The honor recognizes an outstanding nurse who embodies excellence in the nursing profession. Cook, MSN, RN NE-BC, has served as Franklin Woods CNO since January 2020. A nurse for 40 years, she has spent her career largely in acute-care hospitals in positions including med-surg, labor and delivery, surgery, endoscopy, clinical education and wound care. She finished her MSN in Nursing Administration at Old Dominion University in 2009 and completed a Post Masters certificate in Executive Leadership at Milligan University in 2017. A passionate advocate for the nursing profession, Stephanie has been active in her local nursing organizations for many years. The Tennessee Nurses Association is divided into 12 districts. District 5 comprises 12 counties in Northeast Tennessee, ranging from Johnson County to Grainger County. Congratulations to Stephanie for a well-deserved…

Lynn Krutak receives more national recognition from Becker’s Healthcare Review

Lynn Krutak, executive vice president and chief financial officer for Ballad Health, has received more national recognition. She was recently named among “182 women hospital and health system CFOs to know” for 2023 by Becker’s Healthcare Review. Krutak was previously recognized by Becker’s as being one of the top health system “CFOs to know” in 2023, and she was also selected by Modern Healthcare in 2019 as being one of 10 “women leaders to watch” in healthcare – described as being accomplished rising executives who are advancing healthcare. The most recent Becker’s article noted that the number of women holding CFO positions at Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies has nearly doubled over the past decade; women made up 16% of CFOs in 2022. “Female CFOs of hospitals and health systems skillfully handle strategic financial planning, annual budgets, investments and more,” the article stated. The Becker’s list’s bio summary for Krutak reads: “Her role as executive…

Ballad Health chief information officer Pam Austin honored at statewide ‘ORBIE’ awards

Pam Austin, Ballad Health senior vice president and chief information officer (CIO), was recently recognized statewide as a finalist for the Tennessee CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards. Presented by TennesseeCIO, the ORBIE Awards honor chief information officers who have demonstrated excellence in technology leadership and are driving innovation and transforming Tennessee’s leading organizations. Austin was among five finalists in the Large Corporate category, which includes Tennessee organizations with up to $2.1 billion in annual revenue. “Whatever success I have is directly tied to our IT team,” she said. “I want to thank the team for doing the work that made my selection as a finalist possible. It’s all about our team!” Leading up to the awards banquet in Nashville, each finalist was asked to write a short summary for their bio. “I was promoted to CIO in February 2020 right before the pandemic hit,” Pam wrote. “Our charge was to implement Epic at 12…

Lisa Carter among Becker’s Hospital Review’s ‘women hospital presidents and CEOs to know’

Ballad Health has had another leader recognized nationally by Becker’s Hospital Review. Lisa Carter, president of Ballad Health’s Southern Region, has been named among Becker’s “177+ women hospital presidents and CEOs to know” for 2023. Becker’s is a leading health system news magazine that occasionally researches and recognizes standout members of the healthcare community. Ballad Health chief financial officer and executive vice president Lynn Krutak was also recently recognized by Becker’s as a “CFO to know.” Carter, who joined the system in 2001 at Niswonger Children’s Hospital, began her career in nursing and has served in various leadership positions during her time with Ballad Health, including as vice president and chief nursing officer at Niswonger Children’s and Johnson City Medical Center, and as CEO of Niswonger Children’s Hospital. As Southern Region president, she oversees operations at Johnson City Medical Center, Niswonger Children’s Hospital, Woodridge Hospital, Franklin Woods Community Hospital, Unicoi County Hospital, Sycamore Shoals Hospital,…

Lynn Krutak named ‘CFO to Know’ by Becker’s Hospital Review

Lynn Krutak has just been dubbed one of the top health system “CFO’s to know” in 2023, according to Becker’s Hospital Review, a leading health system news magazine that occasionally researches and recognizes standout members of the healthcare community. Krutak, executive vice president and chief financial officer, has served with Ballad Health and its legacy systems for more than 25 years. She started with Mountain States Health Alliance as a chief financial officer for Johnson City Specialty Hospital. She is responsible for overseeing financial operations throughout the whole Ballad Health system, and she has proved an invaluable part of our healthcare family. Becker’s Hospital Review says that Krutak is “instrumental in leading long-term financial sustainability efforts, including identifying growth opportunities, assessing healthcare trends and regulatory changes, and driving innovative business models.” To read the full article, click here.

Eric Deaton elected board chair for Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association

Ballad Health’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, Eric Deaton, has been selected as chair of the Board of Directors for the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) for 2023-2024. Deaton was elected during the VHHA’s annual Spring Meeting this week in Richmond. The board comprises leaders from hospitals and health systems across the Commonwealth. Click here to read the VHHA’s full press release, including a listing of all the newly elected VHHA board members. Deaton, MHA, MBA, FACHE, has served in hospital leadership roles in Tennessee, Virginia and South Carolina for several decades, including a previous role as executive vice president and chief operating officer at Wellmont Health. He also previously served as market president for Lifepoint Health, a role in which he oversaw operations at Danville Regional Medical Center and Memorial Hospital of Martinsville (hospitals now known as Sovah Health – Danville, and Sovah Health – Martinsville, respectively). Deaton is a Fellow…

On National Doctors’ Day, we thank our physicians for all they do

Take time today to thank a doctor in your life in honor of National Doctors’ Day. These life-saving heroes put their expertise and compassion into action, serving patients across the Appalachian Highlands. You may notice various celebrations being held at facilities across Ballad Health, just small tokens of gratitude to our doctors for their dedication and for the difference they make in the lives of people in our communities. We are grateful for their hard work — today and every day — to help us lead healthier, stronger lives.

Lee County Community Hospital celebrates ‘no harm, no foul’ since opening day!

PENNINGTON GAP, Virginia – Lee County Community Hospital recently celebrated a tremendous achievement – no injury-related falls or hospital-acquired infections since the hospital opened on July 1, 2021! Hospital team members held a celebration of their “no harm, no foul” achievement on Day No. 617 of keeping the patients of the community safe and working diligently to maintain a safe environment. The hospital had been closed in 2013 before being reopened in 2021. This includes a range of infections the hospital has avoided: CLABSI – Central line-associated bloodstream infection CAUTI – Catheter-associated urinary tract infections VAP – Ventilator-associated pneumonia MRSA – Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (a cause of staph infection) C Diff – Clostridioides difficile (a germ that can cause diarrhea and colitis) GNR – Gram-negative bacteremia (frequent cause of sepsis) CRE – Carbapenem-resistant enterobacterales (resistant to antibiotics) VRE – Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus “I think more than 600 days without a hospital-acquired infection is a tremendous accomplishment…

40 Under Forty: Ballad Health’s Brooke Davis, Dr. Pavan Annamaraju honored

For 30 years, The Business Journal of Tri-Cities TN/VA, alongside many esteemed partners, has honored the best and brightest young professionals in the Tri-Cities region. These young professionals are judged based on their business success and their achievements as an active member of the community. Ballad Health is proud to have two team members receive well-deserved recognition during the 30th annual 40 Under Forty event this year. Brooke Davis, MBA – Brooke is assistant chief financial officer for Ballad Health’s Southern Region, serving Franklin Woods Community Hospital, Unicoi County Hospital and Johnson County Community Hospital. Pavan Kumar Annamaraju Venkata, MD – Dr. Annamaraju is a nephrologist based at Johnston Memorial Hospital. He has led a systemwide initiative to help preserve the veins of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. By preserving their veins, doctors can ensure patients undergoing dialysis don’t have to resort to using a dialysis catheter. Join us in congratulating these rising stars…

Spotlight on our medical staff services team

How do you know the practitioners you work with have the right education, training and certification? Thanks to Ballad Health’s medical staff services team, our team members and patients can be assured all physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants who practice at Ballad Health are appropriately educated, licensed and trained in their specialty. The work our med staff services team does affects everyone who seeks medical care, and their contribution and dedication aids the quality and safety of patient care. “Their role is pivotal and integral to Ballad Health’s quest to be a zero-harm and a nationally recognized top-decile health system,” said Dr. Amit Vashist, Ballad Health’s chief clinical officer. “I could not be prouder of the work of our entire medical staff services team under very trying circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic.” The medical staff services team is dedicated to thoroughly investigating and verifying the credentials of the healthcare practitioners our team members work…