Agreement results from close bond between Ballad Health, Sycamore Shoals Hospital and city leaders ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. — An agreement between Ballad Health and the city of Elizabethton will lead to the reopening of the former Franklin Fitness Center as a community center, the new home to the city Parks and Recreation Department and will facilitate the next phase of a vision to develop the surrounding property into basketball courts and other recreational opportunities for the community. The agreement was reached following discussions early last summer between Ballad Health Chairman and CEO, Alan Levine, Sycamore Shoals Hospital CEO Dwayne Taylor, Elizabethton City Manager Daniel Estes and Councilman Richard Barker. Local business leader and Bank of Tennessee Chairman Bill Greene helped facilitate the developing project. As part of the agreement, the city will acquire the facility, located on the Sycamore Shoals Hospital campus, for $500,000 – significantly below the market value of $900,000, which Ballad Health recognized…

Ballad Health is hosting a training seminar on Friday, Oct. 20, at Bristol Regional Medical Center on “Autism Recognition and Risk Management Training,” presented in a “Train the Trainer” format. Those who could benefit from this presentation include healthcare workers, behavioral health workers, hospital security, law enforcement, EMS and dispatchers. The event will be led by Dennis Debbaudt, internationally renowned author and trainer on the topic, and is sponsored by the Ballad Health Department of Safety, Security and Emergency Management. Two training sessions are offered on Oct. 20 – from 9 a.m. to noon and then from 3-6 p.m. – in Bristol Regional’s Monarch Auditorium. Participants can choose whichever session best fits their schedule. To register, email Security.Corporate@balladhealth.org. Note: Maximum capacity for the event is 297 per session. Debbaudt has written more than 60 books and articles, and his training curriculum, video products and resources have been adopted and used by policing and public safety…

LEBANON, Virginia – Ballad Health recently dedicated the Russell County Hospital board room in honor of the late Virginia Sen. Ben Chafin during the hospital board’s regularly scheduled meeting. Following his 2021 death, a generous gift was directed to Russell County Hospital’s foundation to honor Sen. Chafin’s legacy. This gift will be used to advance the foundation’s work to enhance hospital facilities and expand the hospital’s ability to serve the people of Russell County. “Sen. Chafin was a staunch advocate for promoting healthcare access in rural communities like ours. His dedication to improving the lives of our patients, as well as his support of Ballad Health’s mission, will be remembered fondly,” said Greta Morrison, administrator and chief nursing officer of Russell County Hospital. “Sen. Chafin understood that quality healthcare is not a luxury, but it is fundamental for a community like ours to thrive and prosper. The resources provided through his gift will enable us…

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – All three Ballad Health Every Step Joint Replacement Centers have now been recognized by The Joint Commission for achieving high clinical standards and serving patients with top-level quality care. Recently, Holston Valley Medical Center’s Every Step Joint Replacement Center earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Total Hip and Total Knee Joint Replacement Certification, demonstrating continuous compliance with the commission’s performance guidelines. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a commitment to providing safe and high-quality patient care. The same honor is held by Bristol Regional Medical Center and Johnson City Medical Center, with Bristol Regional being one of only three programs in Tennessee to also earn an Advanced Total Hip and Knee Replacement Certification. The certification also recognizes healthcare organizations that provide clinical programs across the continuum of care for knee and hip joint replacement procedures, and it evaluates how organizations use clinical outcomes and…

Donors earn special-edition T-shirt, 40-ounce tumbler KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Marsh Regional Blood Center’s Pink Out Day blood drive returns for its fourth year on Monday, Oct. 9, in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Donors can give from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Marsh Regional’s three donation centers in Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol. All donors will receive a 40-ounce special-edition tumbler and breast cancer awareness T-shirt while supplies last. “Blood donation is always a great way to support your community, and donating blood is a very special way for folks to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” said Steffanie Sukel, director of Marsh Regional. “Our blood and blood products aid thousands of cancer patients in the region every year, so a steady blood supply is critical for us. We encourage anyone who is looking to honor or memorialize someone who is battling or has battled breast cancer to consider donating blood.” All blood…

The annual Niswonger Children’s Hospital Spooky Trail is coming up on Halloween Day (Tuesday, Oct. 31), and Ballad Health team members are invited to dress up and participate, making it a fun holiday for some of our young patients. This is a safe, indoor event that gives our pediatric patients the opportunity to take part in trick-or-treating, even while they’re in the hospital. Team members dress in Halloween costumes and drop off treats to patients on several floors, who have a trick-or-treat bag hanging from their door. Treats include candy and other non-edible items. See the flyer below for more details on what is appropriate. If you’re interested, please RSVP to the Child Life team at Hannah.clancy@balladhealth.org by Monday, Oct. 23. Please include how many will be in your group and what you plan to dress as. Thank you to all team members who help make Halloween more fun for our pediatric patients!

All hospital-based Ballad Health team members who interact with patients – including, but not limited to, nursing, respiratory, dietary, EVS, occupational and physical therapy, facilities and case management – will be required to complete a hand hygiene training session during the month of October. The one-hour sessions, which consist of breakouts on hand hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE) use, will be held in-person across Ballad Health. Registration for the sessions is now open in HealthStream, and team members can choose the session that best fits their schedules. With more than 400 sessions scheduled, everyone should be able to attend a session that best suits their needs. These trainings will provide a dedicated time to review processes, best practices, questions and concerns regarding hand hygiene and hospital-acquired infection (HAI) prevention. Please speak with your supervisor with any concerns or scheduling difficulties. Click here to log in to HealthStream and sign up for a session.

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Ballad Health and local orthopedic surgeon group Southern Appalachian Medical Management (SAMM) have teamed up to make a collective $50,000 donation to Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee This is the second year in a row the health system has partnered with SAMM, which represents local practices, to make a significant donation to Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee to help fight hunger in the Appalachian Highlands. Leaders from SAMM and Ballad Health jointly serve on the Orthopedic Executive Committee (OEC), which has a unified goal of coordinating community initiatives and improving quality and value of care for patients in the region. “Through the combined efforts and dedication of our team, this donation is a testament to the remarkable impact we can achieve by working together. It symbolizes the invaluable partnership of the OEC, as well as the profound community service provided by Second Harvest,” said Brad Price, who,…

September is Sepsis Awareness Month, so throughout the month we’ve been spreading the word to our team members and to the public about sepsis – what is it, why is it a critical issue, what do you need to know about it, and much more. This condition is deadly serious and it’s important that team members and the public are aware of it. Ballad Health has made sepsis prevention a major focus, due to the fact that it creates so many serious issues with our patients. Sepsis can lead to worse outcomes, longer and more expensive treatments and more readmissions. If we decrease the number of sepsis cases, we’ll see better patient outcomes. In recognition of our collective learning about sepsis this month, we have organized a drawing for some cool Ballad Health swag. By completing a sepsis quiz in Survey Monkey, you could win a backpack, lunch tote, umbrella, water bottle or other items,…

Sepsis is a medical condition that can cause death or serious long-term effects. The impact is so great that we’re putting a special focus on it during September, which is Sepsis Awareness Month. Caused by the body’s response to infection, sepsis remains a significant healthcare challenge. It is responsible for many deaths in all age ranges – from infants to elderly patients. Serious cases of sepsis can require a long stay in the hospital, often in the intensive care unit, and then a long recovery period. This can be difficult for the patient, both physically and emotionally, and tough on the person’s caregivers and loved ones. Integrating palliative care into sepsis treatment There is increasing support for the integration of palliative medicine into sepsis care. For patients facing this serious illness, palliative care offers a holistic approach to pain management and relief from other symptoms – with the aim of honoring the unique values and…

Attention, Ballad Health nurses — a fun day of education and inspiration is coming Nov. 2-3 at Bristol Regional Medical Center! All Ballad Health RNs and LPNs are invited to a nursing symposium called “Reignite, Renew, and Recognize,” set for Thursday and Friday, Nov. 2-3, at Bristol Regional’s Monarch Auditorium. For nurses, this will be a fun day of education to reignite your passion for the nursing profession! Attendees will hear from nursing experts on national and international levels. NOTE: This is a one-day event, with the same program being given both days to give nurses two options to attend. The event does not include contract nurses. Online registration is required, with a registration deadline of Oct. 20. Registration fee is $10 and lunch is provided. Click here to register, or use the QR code in the flyer below. Check-in starts at 8 a.m. with the program opening at 8:30 a.m. and lasting until 3…

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Ballad Health Niswonger Children’s Network has received a $250,000 grant that will help ensure smoother transitions for children and teenagers moving from pediatric to adult healthcare services. The Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), amounting to $50,000 annually over five years, will fund the appointment of a transitions coordinator who will augment an existing team that consists of a registered nurse care navigator and a community health navigator. Their role will be pivotal in guiding adolescents through their healthcare journey, aiding them in securing primary and subspecialty care as they mature into adulthood. “For our region to thrive, we need to build on our existing foundation of world-class children’s care,” said Chris Jett, chief executive officer of the Niswonger Children’s Network. “This grant will facilitate quality, accessible healthcare for those transitioning from pediatric to adult care, meeting the needs of patients…