Merit Health Madison Names Employees of the Year

1/20/2020

Top employee and managers of the year at Merit Health Madison were recently announced by hospital leadership. Sheree Givens, a computed tomography technician in radiology, was named Employee of the Year. Kelly Spell, director of health information management, was named Non-Clinical Manager of the Year. Darrell Emerson, director of respiratory, was named Clinical Manager of the Year. Merit Health Madison chief executive officer Brit Phelps said the awards are the highest annual honor bestowed on outstanding employees.

“Sheree, Kelly and Darrell exemplify the high caliber of professionalism that is evident throughout Merit Health Madison," said Phelps. "I am delighted that their many contributions to our hospital and more importantly, to our patients, has been recognized with this prestigious award."

Sheree Givens, 2019 Employee of the Year

Givens, of Canton, joined Merit Health Madison in 2015. Her role in the radiology department is to obtain thorough diagnostic CT scans while meeting the diverse needs of patients. Co-workers and supervisors describe her approach to every situation as “glass half full.” She possesses a strong passion for her field, but even more notable, makes patients feel as if their needs are top priority. In particular, she has a passion for women’s health and wellness and has taken steps to become a certified mammography technician in addition to her regular duties. Her most recent accomplishment was to implement lumbar puncture procedures, a multi-faceted process that has resulted in increases in emergency, surgery and laboratory services.

Kelly Spell, 2019 Non-Clinical Manager of the Year

As director of health information management, Spell is responsible for facility-wide oversight of the compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards, many of which are related to Joint Commission. She also played a key role in the hospital’s joint venture with University of Mississippi Medical Center. Not only has she proven herself as a leader during this and other transitional periods, but shown by example how change can actually be beneficial for all. Spell, of Flora, has earned UMMC physicians’ trust as well as others’ due to her expertise and positive “can do” attitude. In addition to her regular duties, Spell is a valued member of several hospital committees.

Darrell Emerson, 2019 Clinical Manager of the Year

Emerson is the director of respiratory therapy and has been employed at Merit Health Madison since 2014. In addition to managing the department and juggling a multitude of regulatory and budgetary responsibilities, the Livingston resident makes time to serve on the front lines alongside his employees whenever possible, especially to allow staff time away from the job. He chooses to lead by example and in fact, has been called a “servant leader” by those with whom he works. He is praised for his positive attitude and ability to lift others up with his ready smile. His ability to integrate seamlessly with his staff results in his leadership qualities sometimes being over looked. However, those that work closely with him say his dependability and strong work ethic and ability to lead are evident on a daily basis. In short, he is the epitome of a “working manager.”

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