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 sepsis during September, which is Sepsis Awareness Month. One of the key things you can do to help prevent sepsis is to prevent infections. Not all infections can be prevented, so not all cases of sepsis can be prevented. But by following some basic rules, you can decrease your risk. It’s also important to know the symptoms of sepsis and to act fast to get medical care if someone has an infection that is getting worse or is not getting better. About sepsis Sometimes incorrectly called blood poisoning, sepsis is the body’s potentially deadly response to infection or injury. Sepsis and septic shock can result from an infection anywhere in the body, such as pneumonia, influenza, or urinary tract infections. Worldwide, one-third of people who develop sepsis die. Many who…

As part of an effort to standardize chemistry equipment across Ballad Health, the laboratories at Norton Community Hospital, Dickenson Community Hospital, Indian Path Community Hospital and the Regional Cancer Center at Indian Path are transitioning on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 8 a.m. to the Ortho Vitros 7600 platform. For facilities that send chemistry testing to these four hospital labs, PLEASE BE AWARE of expected delays in turnaround time for test results. The transition period is expected to last 6 to 8 weeks. The new instruments have been set up in a temporary location separate from the main labs. This means a challenging interim stage that will result in longer turnaround times. Every attempt will be made to minimize delays, but an increase is unavoidable. Who and what will be affected? Laboratory teams at the impacted facilities will stop running specimens on their current chemistry equipment at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 19, and anticipate being back up…

ERWIN, Tenn. – Jennifer Harrah, a longstanding nursing leader with more than a decade of clinical experience, has been named as administrator of Unicoi County Hospital. Harrah succeeds Loveland Hobson, who was tapped to lead Ballad Health’s cardiovascular service line. Harrah will work as the hospital’s administrator and chief nursing officer. “This journey is an exciting step for me, and I’m honored to represent a team that provides excellent care every single day in Unicoi County,” Harrah said. “They have already invested so much in their community, and I’m confident that we will continue to do great things. I’m excited for the future of healthcare in Unicoi County.” “It was a terribly hard decision for me to leave Unicoi County Hospital, but I know I’m leaving this facility and its incredible team in the most capable hands,” Hobson said. “Those who know Jennifer know that her dedication to helping others is unmatched, and those who…

Ballad Health is offering an Academic and Research Summit – with a theme of “Creating a Path Forward” – scheduled for Friday, Oct. 6, at Bristol Regional Medical Center, starting at 9 a.m. It will take place in the Monarch Auditorium, located on the lower level next to the cafeteria. The event will be of interest to Ballad Health team members, academic partners and student learners in our facilities. Attendees can learn more about our academic and research programs and develop potential partnerships within our system. The event is free and lunch will be provided. Note: The maximum attendance is 297. Click here to register and for more information. Speakers and sessions include: “Engagement in a Digital Era” by Taylor Hamilton, Ballad Health Chief Consumer Officer – How do we encourage and recruit young adults to pursue careers in healthcare? Taylor Hamilton breaks down how to engage students and young professionals in a digital world….

We’re into football season now, and to celebrate, Ballad Health team members are now permitted to wear polo shirts with their favorite college, professional team branding on Fridays. Football Fridays will be in effect through the end of the week of the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday, Jan. 8. Remember, team members still need to follow our dress code and personal appearance policy. Western-style jeans of any color, blue or other color denim pants, and jerseys will not be allowed during Football Fridays. Polo or other collared shirts need to be in good condition (free of wrinkles, stains, tears, frays and rips) and appropriately sized and fitted to the wearer. If you have questions about the dress code or personal appearance policy, consult our Ballad Health dress code policy (located on the intranet) or email Human Resources at HR4U@balladhealth.org.

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Ballad Health Hospice will help those with hurting hearts on Saturday, Sept. 23, hosting the annual Camp Firefly for grieving children, teenagers and their families. The camp, which runs from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., will be held at Warriors’ Path State Park in Kingsport. This event is designed for children and teenagers who have experienced the death of a loved one. “If someone’s old enough to love, they’re old enough to grieve,” said Sarah Hale, volunteer and bereavement coordinator for Ballad Health Hospice. “Grieving can be an isolating experience, and this camp provides a safe and supportive environment for young people to come together, share their stories and find hope and healing.” During Camp Firefly, the hospice team offers a variety of interventions, so each child can find something that helps them heal. “We have one-on-one and group sessions; we have quiet times that allow for reflection and busy times…

As we approach the season when respiratory viral illnesses increase, we want to provide you with an update of what we are experiencing and how best to prepare for the months ahead. Our region, like the rest of the nation, is seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases. We are experiencing this in our Urgent Care clinics as well as in emergency rooms, and hospitalizations due to COVID are up. While this is nothing like the increases we had during the Delta and Omicron waves, it’s a definite uptick from what we were experiencing over the last few months, and it’s important that we’re aware of this increase and take the proper precautions. To provide context, during the summer, our infection prevention team would work, on average, 25 or fewer cases of COVID per day, with most of those being tested at our outpatient locations. Now we’re seeing 100-150 new cases per day, with an increase…

As we recognize Sepsis Awareness Month throughout September, we’ve put together a Q&A from Dr. Lauren Py, emergency room physician and system chair of Ballad Health’s sepsis committee. While it’s our clinical teams who deal with patients who develop sepsis, all Ballad Health team members should be aware of what sepsis is, why it is a critical issue and what part they can play to try to reduce the number of sepsis cases. Be sure to take a look at the info at the bottom of the Q&A, as well. Q: What is sepsis and why it is such a critical issue for Ballad Health? A: Sepsis is a medical emergency and the leading cause of death in hospitals. Sepsis and septic shock arise from the body’s overwhelming response to infection, which can lead to organ failure and even death. It is a critical issue not just for Ballad Health but for all of our community,…

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Marsh Regional Blood Center will host its annual 9/11 Memorial Blood Drive, giving community members the opportunity to honor the victims and heroes of Sept. 11, 2001. This year’s drive will be held from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. at Bristol Motor Speedway’s Dragway, which is accessible by taking Entrance 3 from Highway 394. Donations during the blood drive will honor individuals who lost their lives during the tragic events of 9/11 with a special name card given to each donor. All donors will also receive a snack and a special-edition T-shirt after donating, and the first 150 donors will receive a swag bag. “In the weeks after Sept. 11, 2001, people wanted to help in whatever way they could, so they came out in droves to give blood,” said Steffanie Sukel, director of Marsh Regional. “We wanted to honor that selflessness, so we began the 9/11 Memorial Blood Drive to give…

NOTE: Entries have closed for the Rhythm & Roots Reunion ticket giveaway. Thank you to everyone who entered! Please note, team members can still get a discounted ticket price on weekend festival passes through Thursday. Also, there was a temporary technical glitch when using the discount code to purchase tickets, but that has been fixed. Ballad Health is the presenting sponsor of the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival, coming up Sept. 8-10 in downtown Bristol, and our team members can benefit in a couple of ways: We’re giving away a limited number of festival tickets to team members who enter a prize drawing. Ballad Health team members who purchase tickets can use a discount code to get a $40 discount on a weekend festival pass. How to enter the drawing Fill out your information online to be entered for the free tickets. The drawing is for two festival passes per winner and will…

Dr. Quincy Byrdsong, an established executive with experience in academic medicine, research administration and clinical trial management, has joined Ballad Health to serve as its vice president of research operations. In his new position, Byrdsong will collaborate with academic and research teams to provide strategic, operational and programmatic oversight of all research efforts within Ballad Health. He will be responsible for the development and implementation of Ballad Health’s strategic research plan, “Vision for Excellence in Research,” in addition to overseeing research directors and fostering collaborations with regional academic institutions to strengthen Ballad Health’s research enterprise. “I am honored to join the clinical research team at Ballad Health in this critical role,” Byrdsong said. “I am excited about this opportunity to contribute to the advancement of research initiatives for the health system, and I look forward to collaborating with the exceptional team at Ballad Health to drive innovation, elevate research initiatives and make a positive impact…

September is Sepsis Awareness Month, so we’re going to be 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 is 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. So what is sepsis? Sepsis is the body’s overwhelming and life-threatening response to infection that can lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death. In other words, it’s your body’s overactive and toxic response to an infection. Sepsis can lead to severe sepsis…