Today we were proud to present our annual HCA Healthcare Awards of Distinction to the recipients at a ceremony in Nashville. The HCA Healthcare Awards of Distinction – which includes the Frist Humanitarian Awards, the Innovators Award and the Excellence in Nursing Awards – are the highest awards HCA Healthcare bestows on staff, physicians and volunteers.
The Frist Humanitarian Award recognizes excellence in service to others; the Innovators Award recognizes creative new ideas to improve the quality of care and efficiency; and the Excellence in Nursing Award recognizes the highest levels of achievement in the field of nursing.
“The HCA Healthcare Awards of Distinction celebrates the colleagues, physicians and volunteers who inspire us all. The recipients honored today exemplify HCA Healthcare’s mission and values as they continue to serve selflessly both inside and outside of our facilities.”
Sam Hazen, CEO, HCA Healthcare
Recipient of the Frist Humanitarian Award
The Frist Humanitarian Award recognizes members of the HCA Healthcare family whose work and lives embody the humanitarian principles on which our organization was founded. Established in 1971 and in honor of Dr. Named Thomas F. Frist, Sr. (1910-1998), the award honors individuals within our organization who raise the bar by demonstrating a level of dedication and caring that goes beyond everyday acts of kindness. and who inspire us with their compassion, devotion and spirit.
Staff and volunteer recipients of the Frist Humanitarian Award will receive a $10,000 cash gift and a $10,000 gift to a charity of their choice, while a physician recipient will receive a $20,000 gift to a charity of their choice .
Recipient of the 49thth Annual Frist Humanitarian Awards are:
“HCA Healthcare was founded on an unwavering commitment to caring for and improving human life,” said Hazen. “We are honored to present the Frist Humanitarian Award to this year’s distinguished recipients as they live the vision of our company’s founders.”
Diana Elizabeth Moll
Eastern Idaho Medical Center (Idaho Falls, Idaho)
Diana Elizabeth Moll is a Child Life Specialist in the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center’s Robust Pediatric Program.
Known throughout the Idaho Falls community as “the pulse of pediatrics,” Moll is a true patient advocate and an integral part of the hospital’s staff advisory group, actively leading projects to improve colleague morale.
Her support of a local food bank resulted in a $5,000 award for the department and a $10,000 national award. In addition, Moll is active with nonprofit organizations focused on resources for children, volunteering at Camp Magical Moments, a summer camp for children with cancer, for eight straight years, and with the Heartstone Children’s Grief Group for six straight years.
Emeka J. Nchekwube, MD
San Jose Regional Medical Center (San Jose, California)
Emeka J. Nchekwube, MD, a neurosurgeon at San Jose Regional Medical Center, has dedicated his life to providing quality, effective care to the most underserved communities in the Bay Area for more than 40 years.
Described not only as a healer but also as a comforter and compassionate neighbor.
dr Nchekwube is widely known for treating patients with Parkinson’s and cancer.
In addition to his medical expertise, he has successfully contributed to the development of agricultural pest control systems to address food insecurity in developing countries.
Jo Watson
TriStar NorthCrest Medical Center (Springfield, Tennessee)
Jo Watson set the record for volunteer hours at TriStar NorthCrest Medical Center in Springfield, Tennessee, at 41,000 in 27 years.
The 93-year-old works in two shifts a week at the information desk. She has also worked in the hospital surgery waiting room as a family liaison.
Widely known as the “Pink Lady” for taking great pride in wearing her pink volunteer coat, Watson has positively impacted countless patients, families and colleagues.
Watson brings a comforting presence to the hospital and often helps reassure patients’ families as she escorts them to their destinations.
Recipient of the HCA Healthcare Innovators Award
HCA Healthcare was born from the vision of founders Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Sr., Mr. Jack Massey and Dr. Founded by Thomas “Tommy” Frist, Jr., today HCA Healthcare is a learning healthcare system that serves more than 35 million people through patient encounters to advance science, improve patient care and save lives. Established in 2010, the Innovators Award recognizes the organization’s legacy of innovation by recognizing creative thinkers who develop new ways to improve patient experience and care. The recipient of the Innovators Award will receive a cash gift of US$10,000 and a donation of US$10,000 to a charity of their choice.
Nathan Watkins
Corporate Information Technology Group (Nashville, Tennessee)
This year’s Innovators Award recipient is Nathan Watkins, Manager, Software Engineering at Corporate Information Technology Group (ITG) in Nashville, Tennessee. Since joining HCA Healthcare as an intern more than six years ago, Watkins has consistently demonstrated a passion for innovation and collaboration to support patient care. He is recognized for developing, building and supporting the Next-Gen Analytics for Treatment and Efficiency (NATE) platform used daily by thousands of HCA Healthcare colleagues across the country.
Inspired by the needs of care teams during the pandemic, variations on NATE, such as For example, one that provides real-time analysis of medical documentation to better predict mortality is highly integrated into the workflows of multiple service lines, driving efficiency and better patient outcomes.
“Innovation is integral to fulfilling our mission at HCA Healthcare,” said Bill Rutherford, executive vice president and chief financial officer of HCA Healthcare. “Nathan has demonstrated tremendous ingenuity in developing critical support tools that are now being used to improve patient care across the organization.”
Recipient of the HCA Healthcare Excellence in Nursing Award
HCA Healthcare’s knowledgeable and compassionate nurses are on the front lines of patient care every day. The Excellence in Nursing Award was established in 2014 to recognize the intrinsic value of nursing practice in achieving HCA Healthcare’s goal of providing the highest quality of care to the patients and communities we serve. With categories for Professional Mentoring and Compassionate Nursing, Excellence in Nursing Award recipients will each receive a monetary gift of US$10,000 and a donation of US$10,000 to a charity of the recipient’s choice.
This year’s Excellence in Nursing Award recipients are:
- Sarah Nicole Romero, RN, BSN, CCRN, a registered nurse at Medical City Plano in Plano, Texas
- Nadia Gueorguieva, RN, Orthopedic Nurse at London Bridge Hospital in London, England, part of HCA Healthcare UK
“I’m incredibly proud of the way our nurses consistently go above and beyond to take care of their patients and each other. This year’s Excellence in Nursing Award recipients are remarkable individuals who have demonstrated compassionate care and leadership in their hospitals.”
Sammie Mosier, DHA, MA, BSN, NE-BC, Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive, HCA Healthcare
Sarah Nicole Romero, RN, BSN, CCRN
Medical City of Plano (Plano, Texas)
Sarah Nicole Romero, RN, BSN, CCRN, received the Excellence in Nursing Award in the Professional Mentoring category.
During the height of the pandemic, Romero spearheaded a number of impactful initiatives to encourage communication and connection between her fellow nurses, including the Nurse Connections Platform and the Nurse Connection Mentor Program.
Both initiatives proved crucial for retaining new employees and recent graduates.
Since the mentoring program began, Romero has assumed the role of Nurse Support Professional Development for Medical City Plano.
Nadia Gueorguieva, RN
London Bridge Hospital (London, England)
Nadia Gueorguieva, RN, received the Excellence in Nursing Award in the Compassionate Care category.
With more than 25 years of experience, she serves as a mentor to the junior nursing teams, sharing her immense knowledge and experience in caring for the needs of her patients and their families.
She does this while displaying a spirit of positivity and strength.
In addition to numerous DAISY Awards, Gueorguieva was invited as the guest of honor at a special ceremony at Windsor Castle in recognition of her compassionate care.
