Capella Health

Nashville, TN  (November 2, 2012) – Two River Park Hospital (RPH) associates were honored with Awards of Excellence at the Tennessee Hospital Association’s annual membership meeting on November 1 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, according to Tim McGill, RPH’s Chief Executive Officer.  Homer “Trey” Kirby III, DO, received the Healthcare Hero award while Heather George, RN, received the Nurse of Distinction award.

Dr. Kirby was honored for his heroic service as a primary care physician and his 14 years as an active member of the U.S. military.  Dr. Kirby most recently served a three-month deployment with the Tennessee National Guard earlier this year, stationed at a 40-bed mobile emergency room 75 miles from the Iranian border. In 2002, as a major in the Army, Dr. Kirby was a battalion surgeon on the front lines with the American troops who rolled through Baghdad and stormed the palace of Saddam Hussein.

He described the battlefield experience of being on the front lines as intense.  “I should have been killed four times, but I wasn’t,” he said.  His job on the battlefield was to keep wounded soldiers from dying, whatever that entailed.  “It was 24 hours a day of adrenaline,” he said.  ‘You didn’t know from one moment to the next if it was going to be your last moment or not, literally.”

Dr. Kirby has also gone above and beyond in his calling as a physician, according to McGill.  “As a member of our Physician Leadership Group, Dr. Kirby gives his time to help make our hospital better.  He also serves as the medical director for a local nursing home.  He is known for his dedication to the patients he serves and he has made a lasting impression on so many individuals.”

Heather George was recognized for her passion for patients, coworkers and the community as a registered nurse.  Working in RPH’s Intensive Care Unit, George is known for her leadership skills and her willingness to always lend a hand.  As a member of the hospital’s Nurse Practice Council, she headed a project to create an open visitation policy for all patient care areas.  She also serves as the Council’s treasurer and helps raise funds and awareness in the community for scholarships and education opportunities for fellow nurses.

Equally impressive is George’s dedication to supporting the community and bringing awareness to causes such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which she was diagnosed with in 2007.  After her diagnosis, she quickly became involved with fundraisers for MS research, including walks in Nashville and Murfreesboro for the MS Society.  In 2010, she began the process of coordinating a walk event for Warren County.  Under her leadership, the inaugural Warren County MS Walk raised over $30,000 and set a new record for the MS Society as the highest growing, first-time even held in the mid-south.

“Heather is a caring, compassionate individual who goes above and beyond the call of duty in whatever she does,” McGill said.  “Her nursing skills and her enthusiastic personality generate regular compliments from patients and their family members. She is a great asset to our hospital and our community.”

About River Park Hospital

River Park Hospital is a part of the Capella-Saint Thomas system of hospitals, a joint venture between Capella Healthcare and Saint Thomas Health, along with sister hospitals DeKalb Community Hospital, Highlands Medical Center in Sparta and Stones River Hospital in McMinnville. Located in McMinnville, TN, RPH is a 125-bed acute-care, full-service facility.  Founded in 1970, the hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission and employs nearly 400 people at its current modern facility, which was built in 1996. In addition to its accreditation from The Joint Commission, the hospital’s Chest Pain Center is accredited by the Society of Chest Pain Centers.  The hospital is one of the region’s largest employers and tax-payers.  For more information, visit the hospital’s website at www.RiverParkHospital.com

About Capella Healthcare

River Park Hospital is a part of Capella Healthcare, which partners with communities to build strong local healthcare systems that are known for quality patient care and exceptional service. Based in Franklin, Tenn., Capella owns and/or operates 13 general acute-care hospitals in seven states. With the philosophy that all healthcare is local, Capella collaborates with each hospital’s medical staff, board and community leadership to take care to the next level. The company has access to significant leadership and financial resources, investing in its family of hospitals to strengthen and expand services and facilities.  For more information, visit www.CapellaHealthcare.com