Judges choose SBJ’s Health Care Champions

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Health Care Champions

Judges choose SBJ’s Health Care Champions
by SBJ Staff · sbj@sbj.net

Springfield Business Journal will continue the tradition of naming the Queen City’s two Top Doctors during November’s Health Care Champions event.

The judges’ results are in and health care professionals will be recognized in four other fields: administrator, nurse, technician and therapist.

This year’s Top Doctor honors go to Dr. Albert Leonardo Jr., physician and medical director of Mercy Supportive and Palliative Care, and Dr. Tracy Davis, dentist and co-owner of Excel Dental.

The individual Health Care Champions, chosen by an independent panel of judges and in alphabetical order, are:

• Administrator: Amy Ford, hospice vice president of operations at Integrity Home Care + Hospice; Diane Meldi, executive director of medical services at Mercy Hospital Springfield; and Tressa Moyle, director of CoxHealth Center for Addictions.

• Nurse: Lana Garcia, urgent care and sexual assault nurse examiner at CoxHealth; Rebecca Humphreys, bedside nurse at CoxHealth; and Jennifer McTague, of Mercy’s neonatal intensive care unit nurse.

• Technician: Michael Gooch, advanced practice paramedic with CoxHealth; Jeff Hawkins, deputy chief of Taney County Ambulance District; and Freya Whalen, emergency medical technician and obstetrical technician at CoxHealth.

• Therapist: Matt Costley, behavioral health consultant and psychologist at CoxHealth; Michelle Parsons, site coordinator for the pediatric facility at Citizens Memorial Healthcare; and Carrie Thomas, a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Carrie Thomas LLC.

The Health Care Champions banquet starts at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 16, with networking followed by dinner at DoubleTree Hotel, 2431 N. Glenstone Ave. Tickets are $55 apiece and can be purchased at SBJ.net.

Originally started by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce decades ago, this year marks the eighth annual SBJ event.