Celebrating achievements and milestones is an important part of the culture at Capella Healthcare. During the annual Leadership Conference awards banquet in August, a number of hospitals and individuals were recognized for their achievements during the last year.
Mike Wiechart, President & CEO (right), and Mark Medley, EVP, President of Hospital Operations (left) present the Hospital STAR Award to the team from Willamette Valley Medical Center, including (from left): CQO Carolyn Lash, CNO Connie Pullen, CFO Meredith Nelson and CEO Peter Hofstetter.
Hospitals were recognized for their 2014 achievements in Capella’s five operating pillars: Quality, Service, People, Growth and Finance. The top honor – the Hospital STAR Award – recognizes overall outstanding achievement in all five pillars. That award went to Willamette Valley Medical Center (WVMC) in McMinnville, OR. WVMC was also honored for top achievements in four of the company’s five pillars, including awards for quality, inpatient satisfaction and employee retention.
It is their outstanding quality achievements that set this hospital apart. They’ve taken Capella’s top quality award four out of the last five years; twice been named one of the nation’s top hospitals by iVantage Health Analytics; and they’re one of just 147 hospitals in the nation to have been named a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures by The Joint Commission for four consecutive years.
But while keeping quality care and service to patients their first priority, WVMC employees also give to their community. They’ve initiated a community service committee that’s involved with numerous community events, including Stuff the Bus for the local food bank. Ten years ago, the hospital launched a Cancer Foundation that supports patients throughout their care. Employees are involved in numerous activities to support the Foundation, including the Barium Cup Golf Classic.
Seventeen awards were presented for outstanding achievement in individual pillars. The following hospitals were recognized.
Hospital Pillar Awards
Quality
- Best Overall – Quality Measures: Willamette Valley Medical Center (OR)
- Best Overall – Patient Safety: Southwestern Medical Center (OK)
- Best CRIMSON Quality Initiative Project: Southwestern Medical Center (OK)
- Best Overall – Infection Prevention: TIE – Capital Medical Center (WA), Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center (AR)
Service
- Best Overall – Inpatient Satisfaction: Willamette Valley Medical Center (OR)
- Best Overall – ED Satisfaction: Southwestern Medical Center (OK)
- Best Overall – Outpatient Satisfaction: National Park Medical Center (AR)
- Best Overall – Physician Satisfaction: National Park Medical Center (AR)
People
- Highest Achievement – Employee Satisfaction: Southwestern Medical Center (OK)
- Best Overall – Employee Retention: Willamette Valley Medical Center (OR)
Growth
- Greatest Achievement – Admissions Growth: EASTAR Health System (OK)
- Greatest Achievement – Overall Volume Growth: Southwestern Medical Center (OK)
- Best Overall – Medical Staff Retention: Capital Medical Center (WA)
- Best Overall – Physician Recruitment: EASTAR Health System (OK)
Finance
- Best Overall – Net Revenue per Adjusted Admission: EASTAR Health System (OK)
- Best Overall – Expense Management Improvement: National Park Medical Center (AR)
- Highest Achievement – EBDITA Goal: Willamette Valley Medical Center (OR)
Leadership Awards
Individual leadership awards were presented in several categories as well. At the hospital level, the CEO, COO and CNO Leadership awards went to National Park Medical Center in Hot Springs, AR, with Jerry Mabry, Brian Bell and Patsy Crumpton (respectively) being honored. The Chief Financial Officer Leadership Award went to Meredith Nelson of Willamette Valley Medical Center, McMinnville, OR, and the Chief Quality Officer Leadership Award went to Dinah Lazarte of Southwestern Medical Center, Lawton, OK.
Hospital Leadership Awards
Corporate Pillar Awards
At the corporate office, awards were presented in each of the five pillars with the following individuals recognized: Gail Hollabaugh for the Quality Pillar, Peggy Richardson for the Service Pillar, Brent Jean for the People Pillar, Ben Ross for the Growth Pillar and Lori Wooten for the Finance Pillar.
Founder’s Leadership Award
In another one of our new traditions, we honored Andy Slusser, EVP, Chief Development
Officer, with the Founder’s Leadership Award, created in 2014 in honor of Dan Slipkovich, Founder and Board Chair. Andy’s work in development, mergers and acquisitions has been vital since Capella was founded in 2005.
Employee STAR Award
The national Employee STAR Award recipient was also honored at the Leadership Banquet: Belinda Farmer, Director of Oncology Services and Radiation Therapy at EASTAR Health System in Muskogee, OK.
