NEWS BRIEFS
Atlanta Braves honor a real gem of a nurse
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Rose McKeever, a nurse navigator on the cancer support team at DeKalb Medical in Decatur, is one of four recipients of the Atlanta Braves Diamond of Hope Award.
The award recognizes people who have made exceptional contributions in the fight against breast cancer through volunteer efforts, advocacy and support of breast cancer education and research.
Special
Rose McKeever (center), flanked by John Smoltz and JaQuitta Williams, is one of this year’s winners of the Atlanta Braves Diamond of Hope Award.
McKeever was honored before a game at Turner Field on Sept. 6, which the Braves designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Day. The celebration of survivorship honored individuals who have battled breast cancer and raised funds to support research, education, advocacy and free services for cancer patients and their families throughout metro Atlanta.
WSB-TV anchor Monica Pearson, along with breast cancer survivor and former WSB-TV reporter JaQuitta Williams and Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz were on hand at a reception for the honorees.
As a nurse navigator, McKeever has offered guidance, clinical expertise and emotional support for breast cancer patients since she joined DeKalb Medical in 1978. She also facilitates a weekly support group for breast cancer patients.
In 1993, she founded the Tree House Gang, metro Atlanta’s first support group for children of cancer patients.
MOM-FRIENDLY EMPLOYERS: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and WellStar Health System in Marietta were named to Working Mother magazine’s 100 Best Companies list for 2008.
The magazine cited CHOA for its mom-friendly initiatives, including affordable child care through sliding-scale fees at day care centers and subsidized backup care; above average paid leave time for new parents; paid adoption assistance; quarterly baby showers; and work schedule flexibility.
Educational assistance, backup child care and parental leave for adoptive parents, fathers and grandfathers were highlighted as benefits at WellStar.
“The economy is not going to alter the commitment of WellStar Health System to working mothers, because they’ve made family-friendly policies a part of their corporate DNA,” said Carol Evans, CEO of Working Mother Media. “Supporting families is a vital part of their culture and not just an added benefit.”
LEAN AND MEAN: Piedmont Newnan Hospital won the 2008 VHA Inc. Georgia Regional Leadership Award in the Operational Excellence category for improvements that increased patient care and improved patient and physician satisfaction in the operating room.
Applying lean manufacturing principles that eliminate waste to its operating room operations, the hospital decreased OR turnaround times and increased the utilization of operating rooms by 10 percent.
GOLD STANDARD: WellStar Cobb Hospital earned the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission for Primary Stroke Centers in August. The Joint Commission, the nation’s oldest and largest standards setting and evaluation body in health care, evaluates and recognizes those that offer the highest quality of service.
“WellStar Cobb Hospital demonstrated that its stroke care program follows national standard and guidelines that can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients,” said Randy Cook, senior vice president and hospital administrator.
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