Trident Health Recognizes Outstanding Individuals with HCA Awards of Distinction

CHARLESTON, SC – Trident Health recently recognized nine individuals with the annual HCA Awards of Distinction both at Trident and Summerville Medical Centers. Six outstanding individuals earned the Frist Humanitarian Award, and three dedicated nurses were honored with the Excellence in Nursing Award. These awards are the highest honors given to employees, volunteers and physicians within the Corporation.

“One of the greatest assets we have at Trident Health is our talented team of people who carry out our daily mission of creating a caring environment where healing occurs,” said Trident Health Chief Executive Officer Todd Gallati. “Our patients are at the center of everything we do, and outstanding individuals like these are the reason Trident Health continues to rank among the nation’s top performing hospitals.”

The Frist Humanitarian Awards are given annually in recognition of the humanitarian spirit and philanthropic work of the late Thomas F. Frist, Sr., M.D., co-founder of HCA. Established in 1971, the awards honor outstanding individuals for their benevolent and volunteer activities. Employees, volunteers and medical staff who demonstrate commitment and dedication to providing outstanding care and humanitarianism are selected from around the country, and honorees are recognized at the local level. The recipients at Trident and Summerville Medical Centers were selected from more than 30 nominees.

The Frist Humanitarian Award recipients include Trident Medical Center’s volunteer Karl Naugle, physical therapist Allison Dworschak, and physician Thomas Litton, M.D., and Summerville Medical Center’s coordinator of patient care Nancy Stone, volunteer Greg Johnson and physician Melissa Pearce, M.D.

Chief Executive Officer of Trident Health Todd Gallati (center) congratulates the HCA Awards of Distinction recipients at a ceremony recently. From left: Karl Naugle, Allison Dworschak, Todd Gallati, Dr. Thomas Litton and Jodi Neumayer.

Recognizing the intrinsic value of nursing practice in accomplishing the HCA mission of providing the highest quality of care to patients and communities, the HCA Excellence in Nursing Award recipients include Trident Medical Center’s Jodi Neumayer, RN, and Summerville Medical Center’s Diane Hagensick, RN, and Rhonda Sizemore, RN.

Award recipients each received recognition at a hospital awards ceremony, along with a commemorative plaque and bouquet of flowers.

Trident Health is a 407-bed HCA hospital system comprised of two acute care hospitals – Trident Medical Center and Summerville Medical Center – as well as two free standing emergency departments- Centre Pointe Emergency and Moncks Corner Medical Center. The Joint Commission recently named Trident Health as one of the nation’s top hospitals for quality and safety for the fourth year in a row. Other noteworthy services include a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence, an award-winning Heart Center, the Trident Breast Care Center, and the South Carolina Institute for Robotic Surgery. Together, Summerville and Trident Medical Centers welcome more babies than any other hospital in the Lowcountry. Accredited by The Commission, Trident Health is committed to providing quality health services along with wellness information and opportunities to the communities it serves. For more information about Trident Health, visit www.tridenthealthsystem.com or call 843.797.7000.