Flaget Memorial Hospital Honors Outstanding Staff With Employee, Leader of the Year Awards

BARDSTOWN, Ky. (Feb. 11, 2020) – Flaget Memorial Hospital, part of CHI Saint Joseph Health, has announced the 2019 Employee of the Year and Leader of the Year award recipients. Hanna Tharp, medical assistant, Oncology, Flaget Memorial Hospital, was presented with the Employee of the Year award, and Margaret “Maggie” Smith, manager, Oncology, Flaget Memorial Hospital, earned the Leader of the Year award. Smith was also named the overall winner for CHI Saint Joseph Health Leader of the Year award.

Flaget Memorial Hospital annually recognizes one outstanding Employee of the Year who demonstrates the core values of reverence, integrity, compassion and excellence. This year’s recipient, Hanna Tharp, was nominated by Maggie Smith.

“Hanna has worked for Flaget Memorial Hospital for more than three years, and during that time, has been a role model for other team members,” said Smith. “She is a compassionate employee, continually helping patients to and from their cars, and offering encouragement to patients in the waiting room who aren’t feeling well. On one occasion, she noticed a patient in the Cancer Center who needed assistance. She went out of her way to find a room for the patient and immediately alerted a physician. As it turns out, the patient needed to be taken to the emergency department. She personally wheeled him to the ER and stayed with him until he was settled into a room. This is just one example of the outstanding work she performs daily.”

On three occasions, Tharp has been nominated by her peers for a ROSE Award, which honors non-nursing personnel who work tirelessly to promote the best possible service. She is involved in the Spirit Team and Communication Committee at Flaget Memorial Hospital. Tharp has also been recognized by patients on satisfaction surveys on several occasions.

Similarly, Flaget Memorial Hospital annually presents one employee serving in a managerial position with the Leader of the Year award. Selection criteria include an outstanding demonstration of leadership led by CHI Saint Joseph Health’s core values of reverence, integrity, compassion and excellence. This year’s recipient, Margaret “Maggie” Smith was nominated by multiple colleagues, including Kelly Boone, director, Radiology; Kristie Paris, MD; Lena Campbell, RN navigator; and Sara Gabehart, RN.

“In her role at the Cancer Center, Maggie and her fellow colleagues are often faced with patients who have grim diagnoses,” said Dr. Paris. “But when they get the opportunity to work with Maggie, it truly makes a difference for these patients. She is constantly encouraging them and their families through difficult chemo regimens, treats the patients like family, and is a breath of fresh air for anyone who encounters her. We are so lucky to have her on our team.”

Smith has worked at Flaget Memorial Hospital for more than three years. She has been mentioned numerous times in patient satisfaction surveys and has been recognized for her recruitment of donors for the Flaget Memorial Hospital Foundation. She has received her American College of Surgeons Excellence Accreditation, along with the Commission on Cancer Accreditation. She has also earned a Daisy Award, which honors nurses to demonstrate extraordinary clinical skills and compassionate care.

Both award winners were recognized during a special event at the hospital.

About CHI Saint Joseph Health
CHI Saint Joseph Health, part of Catholic Health Initiatives, is one of the largest and most comprehensive health systems in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with 135 locations in 20 counties, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes and home health agencies. In total, the health system serves patients in 35 counties statewide. CHI Saint Joseph Health is dedicated to building healthier communities by elevating patient care through an integrated physical and behavioral health delivery system. CHI Saint Joseph Health embodies a strong mission and faith-based heritage and works through local partnerships to expand access to care in the communities it serves.

About Flaget Memorial Hospital
Flaget Memorial Hospital, part of CHI Saint Joseph Health, is a 52-bed facility located in Bardstown, KY. Established in 1951 by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, the facility serves residents of Nelson, Hardin, Marion, Washington, Spencer, Bullitt and LaRue counties. The facility is also home to Nelson County’s first full-service cancer center.

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Mary Branham, Director, Communications
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