Judges choose 2011 Health Care Champions

Springfield Business Journal and the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce will recognize health care professionals in October at the joint 2011 Salute to Health Care event.

The chamber will honor three physicians with its Salute to Health Care award, and SBJ will recognize individuals in four categories: clinic administrator, EMT, nurse practitioner and patient advocate.

Chamber honorees were selected by a chamber committee, and Health Care Champions were chosen by an independent panel of judges: Dr. Nanette Crighton, Crighton Aesthetic Studio; Kevin Gipson, Springfield-Greene County Health Department; Stephen Hall, American Heart Association; Gordon Kinne, Med-Pay Inc.; and Robert Lunn, Ph.D., The Health Commission.

In alphabetical order and by category, the Health Care Champions honorees are:

• Clinic administrators: David Hart, Oncology-Hematology Associates of Springfield MD PC; Rhonda Robinson, CoxHealth Family Medical Care Center; and Matthew Stinson, Jordan Valley Community Health Center.

• EMTs: Susan Crum, Cox Air Care; David Hoover, CoxHealth EMS-Christian County; and Sam Schneider, Lebanon Fire Department/EMTs;

• Nurse practitioners: Leta Barnes and Beverly Jo Gann, Ozarks Community Hospital; and Catherine York, Springfield Nephrology Associates Inc.

• Patient Advocates: Dr. Kecia Leary, Jordan Valley Community Health Center; Dr. Marcus McCorcle, Primrose OB/GYN PC; and Dr. James Rogers, St. John’s Clinic.

• The Salute to Health Care award recipients are Dr. Ruth Grant, Oncology-Hematology Associates, semiretired; Dr. Gary Hoos, St. John’s; and Dr. Bharat Shah, St. John’s.

The 15 honorees will be celebrated at the Salute to Health Care banquet, which begins 6 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Doubletree Hotel, 2431 N. Glenstone Ave. Tickets are $40 apiece and available by calling the chamber at (417) 862-5567 or by visiting SpringfieldChamber.com.[[In-content Ad]]