PLANO, Texas, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Community
Hospital Corporation (CHC) is proud to announce Ruth M. Dela Cruz of Geary Community Hospital as
the winner of the 2021 Dan Wilford Award for Compassion and
Community Service. Dela Cruz is the
Laboratory Director for Geary Community Hospital, a 49-bed hospital
located in Junction City, Kansas,
and managed by CHC.
"During this unprecedented pandemic year when many healthcare
professional heroes stood out, Ruth demonstrated steadfast
dedication and spearheaded COVID testing for their entire
community," said Jim Kendrick,
president and CEO for CHC. "Ruth's level of commitment to community
service and the hospital, beyond daily concerns and ongoing
operations, has been truly outstanding." She was chosen among 15
nominees. The award, named after Dan
Wilford, a founding CHC board member and retired CEO of
Memorial Hermann Healthcare System of Houston, Texas, represents outstanding care
and remarkable concern for a community and its local hospital.
Dela Cruz was nominated for this
prestigious, annual award by Kaye
Marantette, MSN, RN, HACP, Chief Nursing Officer for Geary
Community Hospital. Marantette shared, "Ruth often forsakes her own
needs to help make our hospital and community a healthier and safer
place to live and work. During this challenging year when we were
all faced with more distractions, anxieties and stressors than
usual, she demonstrated exemplary leadership, motivational skills,
and implemented extraordinary solutions."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dela
Cruz accepted oversight of the laboratory's response for
detecting COVID-19 infections. In March of 2020, the hospital
collected its first COVID-19 specimen. In April of 2020, the
hospital had a telephone hotline, drive-through testing, and
multiple testing platforms. Throughout the pandemic, the hospital
had ample testing supplies, reagents, testing platforms and
personal protective equipment.
When several employees were absent, Dela
Cruz personally prepared and delivered fresh meals for their
families that often were large enough to last several days. She
also assisted the Health Department, local businesses, detention
facilities, nursing homes and pharmacies in their COVID-19 testing
efforts.
Dela Cruz has served at Geary
Community Hospital for 19 years and holds certification in Medical
Technology (MT) through American Medical Technologists, a
professional association.
Final nominees for the national 2021 Dan Wilford Award include
diverse and highly qualified healthcare leaders:
- Sheila Schoolfield, Director of
Medical Records, Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas, Beaumont, Texas
- Amy Efird, Discharge
Coordinator, Carolinas ContinueCARE Hospital at Pineville, Charlotte, North Carolina
- Linda Fox, Unit Secretary,
ContinueCARE Hospital at Baptist Health Corbin, Corbin, Kentucky
- John Jones, RN, CEO/CNO,
ContinueCARE Hospital at Baptist Health Madisonville, Madisonville, Kentucky
- Mindy Holster, RRT, Director of
Quality Management, ContinueCARE Hospital at Hendrick Medical
Center, Abilene, Texas
- Sanjuanna Barrios, RN, Registered Nurse, ContinueCARE Hospital
at Medical Center, Odessa,
Texas
- Sharmeen Hussain, Certified
Surgical Technologist, Operating Room, Huntsville Memorial
Hospital, Huntsville, Texas
- Leeann Theel, RN, Registered
Nurse, Emergency Department, Montrose Memorial Hospital,
Montrose, Colorado
- Stacie Miller, RN, Registered
Nurse, ICU, North Texas Medical Center, Gainesville, Texas
- Kelsey Gilbert, PharmD,
Pharmacist, Southwest Health System, Cortez, New Mexico
- Ashley Havel, R.T.
(R)(N)(CT)(ARRT), Director of Imaging, St. Mark's Medical Center,
La Grange, Texas
- Jocelynn Carroll, RN, Registered
Nurse, Charge Nurse, Tyler ContinueCARE Hospital, Tyler, Texas
- Holly Haas, RN, APRN, FNP-C,
Family Nurse Practitioner, Yoakum Family Practice, Yoakum Community
Hospital, Yoakum, Texas
- Stephanie Lerch, RN, BSN,
Program Director, New Horizons, Yoakum Community
Hospital, Yoakum, Texas
About Community Hospital Corporation – HELP WHERE HOSPITALS
NEED IT®
Community Hospital Corporation owns,
manages and consults with hospitals through CHC Hospitals, CHC
Consulting and CHC ContinueCARE, with the purpose to guide, support
and enhance the mission of community hospitals and healthcare
providers. Based in Plano, Texas,
CHC provides the resources and experience community hospitals need
to improve quality outcomes, patient satisfaction and financial
performance. For more information about CHC, please
visit http://communityhospitalcorp.com.
CONTACT: Anne Block
311635@email4pr.com
972-943-6470
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SOURCE Community Hospital Corporation