ARHS Awards and Accolades

	Georgia Hospital of the Year Named 2011 Large Hospital of the Year by the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals
	Named One of America’s Best Ranked in the Top 100 hospitals in America for Patient Experience by WomenCertified®
	Top Performer Recognized by US News & World Report as High Performing in the specialty areas of Gastroenterology and Pulmonology
	#1 in Patient Safety The Deltat Group's CareChex® 2011 Quality Award for being #1 in Georgia for Patient Safety
	The only 3-star group in GA Athens Cardiovascular and Thoracic Associates, PC earns 3-star rating for Heart Surgery Groups in the state by Consumer Reports

2011: Athens Regional Medical Center named 2011 Large Hospital of the Year by the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals

2011: The Deltat Group's CareChex® 2011 Quality Award for being #1 in Georgia for Patient Safety

2011: US News & World Report Best Hospitals 2011-2012 for Gastroenterology and Pulmonology

2011: Athens Cardiovascular and Thoracic Associates, PC earns 3-star rating for Heart Surgery Groups in the state by Consumer Reports. The only 3-star group in Georgia.

2011: Named Top 100 Hospitals for Patient Experience by WomenCertified®

2011: Healthcare advertising excellence awards for the Pink Project, Interactive Map and I Am Athens Regional, including two Gold Aster Awards, two Silver Healthcare Marketing Report Awards, two Silver Target Awards and two Merit Healthcare Marketing Report Awards

2011: GHA/PHA Quality Honor Roll (Presidential category) in August, 2011

2011: Jim Pirkle, Associate Director Clinical Analytics, appointed Examiner for 2011 Malcom Baldrige National Quality Award

2011: Only hospital in Georgia to offer iCAD VividLook technology

2011: 2011 Gold Level Recipient of American Heart Association's Start! Fit Friendly Companies Recognition Program

2011: Mother Baby Unit wins Lactation Care Award from International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners and International Lactation Consultant Association. Only facility in Athens and one of six in Georgia.

2011: GHA/PHA Quality Honor Roll (Presidential category) in February, 2011

2011: Bernard Wheatley, VP of Operations, receives ACHE Regent's Senior Executive Award

2010: The Georgia Department of Community Health has designated Athens Regional as a Level II Trauma Center, one of only eight Level II centers in the state. Level II status is designated to those hospitals with a full spectrum of surgical and medical subspecialties who work within a system that includes pre-hospital care and transport, definitive surgical or critical care provided in concert with key ancillary departments and injury prevention.

2010: Athens Regional Medical Center is recognized by the Georgia Hospital Association as one of 80 hospitals in the state of Georgia to receive the association's top-quality patient care award for 2009.

2010: Athens Regional earned the Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission for Primary Stroke Centers.

2010: Athens Regional Medical Center was awarded a three-year term of accreditation for its PET/CT services in the areas of Neurology and Oncology as a result of a recent survey by the American College of Radiology (ACR).

2010: Athens Regional Medical Center received Gold Target Awards from the Georgia Society for Healthcare Marketing & Public Relations. Athens Regional won Gold Target Awards for its Hospital Tax Protest campaign in the categories of Social Marketing, Issues Management and Government Relations. The health system also earned a Gold Target Award in the category of overall Advertising Campaign for its Regional FirstCare campaign.

2010: Athens Regional Medical Center received the American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Bronze Performance Achievement Award, recognizing Athens Regional's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.

2010: Athens Regional Medical Center was named Best Hospital by Lake Oconee Living.

2010: Carolyn Chucci, RN, MSN, at Athens Regional Medical Center, was honored by the Atlanta Journal Constitution as a recipient of the Top 10 Nursing Excellence Award.

2010: Athens Regional Medical Center's General Surgery unit was named Runner-Up in ADVANCE for Nurses Best Nursing Awards.

2010: Athens Regional Home Health is a premier participant in the 2010-2011 Home Health Quality Improvement National Campaign.

2010: The Georgia Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, an agency of the Department of Defense, presented Athens Regional with an Above and Beyond Award in recognition of extraordinary support for employees who serve in the Georgia National Guard and Reserve.

2010: Athens Regional Medical Center's Rehabilitation Department was recognized by Georgia State University as the Outstanding Clinical Facility of 2010. The annual award is given to the facility that provides the most meaning internship experiences for Georgia State University students

2010: Health Plan Select received a Bronze Aster Award for the Health Matters campaign. Aster Awards are presented to recipients for excellence in medical marketing.

2010: Athens Regional Medical Center received a Bronze Level Partnership from the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia in recognition of the health system's efforts to operate more efficiently while protecting Georgia's natural resources.

2010: Advance for Nurses recognized Athens Regional Medical Center as one of only seventeen facilities in its Southeastern State region listed among Consumer Report's top-rated providers for heart bypass surgery.

2010: Dr. Brian Casazza, Medical Director of the Athens Regional Spine Institute, was selected to be included in The Best Doctors in America ® 2011-2012 Database.

2009: Athens Regional Medical Center was chosen as Best Hospital in the Readers' Choice Awards for Lake Oconee Living magazine.

2009: Linda Thompson, RN, coordinator for Accreditation and Regulatory Services at ARMC, was awarded the Georgia Hospital Association's Hospital Hero Award for her exemplary leadership and dedication.

2009: Ben Arrowood, RN, received the Nurse Hero award from the American Red Cross East Georgia chapter.

2009: Denise Lockamy, RN, received the Georgia Nurses Association's Staff Nurse Award. This award is given to a registered nurse who has made an outstanding contribution to nursing in Georgia.

2009: Dr. Brian Casazza was selected by his peers to be included in the Best Doctors in America 2009-2010 database.

2009: Dr. Elizabeth Nevil, ARMC Auxiliary, was elected President of the GHA Council on Auxiliaries/Volunteers at its annual conference.

2009: The Athens Healthcare Laundry became one of the first laundries in the country to become accredited by the Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council.

2009: Dr. Barry M. Wolk was selected by his peers to be included in the 2009-2010 Best Doctors in America database.

2009: Athens Regional Medical Center won gold and silver honors at the healthcare public relations and marketing annual conference of the Georgia Society for Healthcare Marketing & Public Relations.

2009: Athens Regional Medical Center Chaplain Mark A. LaRocca-Pitts, PhD, BCC, received the Outstanding Local Leadership Award from the Association of Professional Chaplains.

2009: Athens Regional Home Health underwent a two-day state re-certification survey that resulted in a rare deficiency-free final report.

2009: Maria Seo, RN, BS, was one of 10 healthcare providers who received an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Nursing Excellence award.

2009: Advance for Nurses named ARMC's Ambulatory Treatment Center the Outstanding Nursing Team in Adaptability for the Southeast. 

2008: Athens Regional Medical Center and its Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support were honored with the Chairman's Citation Award by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

2008: Athens Regional Medical Center received VHA's Leadership Award for Operational Excellence by improving process flows in its Labor and Delivery unit.

2008: ARMC volunteer Chet Malanoski received the Senior Citizens Inspiration Award from the Athens Community Council on Aging.

2008: Grant Tribble, FACHE, vice president of Finance and CFO at ARMC, and Sherry A. Schacke, FACHE, director of Women and Children Services at Athens Regional, became Fellows of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the nation's leading professional society for healthcare leaders. They joined John A. Drew, FACHE, CEO, Athens Regional Medical Center, and Bernard Wheatley, FACHE, vice president of Operations at Athens Regional, in earning this distinction of board certification in healthcare management.

2008: Liz Bilinski, RN,BS, was one of 10 healthcare providers who received an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Nursing Excellence award.

2008: John A. Drew, FACHE, president and CEO of Athens Regional Medical Services, was named a representative of the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education.

2008: Norma Kamphaus, director of Volunteer Services, was selected President of the Georgia Hospital Association's (GHA) Georgia Society of Directors of Volunteer Services (GSDVS).

2008: Athens Regional Medical Center won the Athens Banner- Herald's award for Best Employer in Athens.

2008: Susie Smith, RN, BSE, CDE, Diabetes Educator, and Ann Malanoski, RN, BS, Manager of Staff Development, were nominated for Nursing Excellence Awards by Nursing Spectrum Magazine. 

2008: Mollie Morris, RN, BS, Home Health, received the Hall of Honor award for Clinical Nursing Practice from Georgia Baptist College of Nursing in recognition of her 18 years in the Home Health Care field.

2008: Don Cargile, director of Emergency Medical Services at ARMC, received the Governor's Public Safety Award for contributions to the Public Safety profession.

2008: Athens Regional Breast Health Center recognized by Imaging and Technology News magazine as one of the nation's five "Most Influential Women's Centers of 2008."

2007 and 2008: ARMC named a Distinguished Hospital in Patient Safety by Health Grades.

2007: ARMC became the first medical center in northeast Georgia to be awarded a three-year term of accreditation in ultrasound by the American College of Radiology.

2007: Vice President of Patient Care Services Martin Sparks, RN, MSN, (retired) named one of 10 Georgia Hospital Heroes by Georgia Hospital Association.

2007: Auxiliary honored by Georgia Hospital Association Council on Auxiliaries/Volunteers with the Community of Conscience Award for its five-year commitment and generous contributions to the Athens Regional Breast Health Center.

2007: American Hospital Association named ARMC President and CEO John Drew its representative to the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education.

2007: Advance for Nurses named ARMC one of its "top hospitals" in the magazine's first Reader's Choice survey by RN readers. ARMC ranked highest nationally in organizational culture.

2007: Director of Outpatient Oncology Mona Taylor, LCSW, named Georgia Social Worker of the Year in recognition of her leadership and commitment to social work.

2007: Manager of Health Education Shelby Lacy, RN, MSN, received John Tyler Mauldin Award given to an older individual in Georgia who exemplifies a positive role model for outstanding achievement in the field of aging.

2007: An Athens Regional employee named as one of the top three honorees in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Nursing Excellence program.

2006: Home Health named to 2006 Home Care Elite, a review that names agencies among the top 25 percent of Home Health providers in the nation.

2006: Red Cross presents ARMC the Circle of Humanitarian Award for successful fund raising campaign for hurricane relief efforts (employees raised $56,163.35).

2006: Home Health recognized for achieving "statistically significant improvement" in its work with transferring patients by the Georgia Medical Care Foundation.

2006: Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons granted Three-Year Approval with Commendation for our cancer program (those recognized comply with all standards and receive a commendation rating for one or more standards).

2006: Manager of Health Education Shelby Lacy received the Georgia Hospital Association Lifetime Heroic Achievement Award.

2005: Medical College of Georgia presented Manager of Health Education Shelby Lacy the E. Louis Grant Award for Nursing Excellence, an award for an alumnus who shows exemplary dedication to the profession and has distinguished themselves through their work.

2005: Georgia Partnership for Health and Accountability recognized ARMC as among the top hospitals for three-year scores (2002-2004) on the Relative Quality Index.

2004: ARMC President and CEO John Drew received the Georgia Hospital Association Chairman's Award for his work at the local, state and national level.

2003 and 2006: ARMC awarded first place in Quality and Patient Safety by the Georgia Partnership for Health and Accountability. In 2005, ARMC was awarded second place. (Recognition given for achievement in patient safety and medical outcomes.)

1997-Present: Diabetes Self Management Education program has received recognition from the American Diabetes Association (ADA).