Debra Hamilton, Director of Cardiovascular Services and Imaging at Baptist Health System, recently received the Meritorious Service Award for a Department Head, at the annual Tennessee Hospital Association (THA) meeting in Nashville. 
She was recognized for her leadership and guidance of the Baptist Heart Institute, which has established itself as a leader in cardiovascular services at the local, regional and national levels.  The independent group Solucient has named the Baptist Heart Institute at Baptist Hospital of East Tennessee as one of the 100 Top Hospitals for cardiovascular care for five consecutive years.
“We are very proud of Debra and think she is very deserving of this award,” said Dale Collins, President and CEO of Baptist Health System. “She is a role model in the truest sense and we are privileged to have her at Baptist Health System.”
Hamilton started at Baptist 22 years ago as an entry-level radiological technologist and quickly moved up the ranks until she was named head of the Baptist Heart Institute, cardiovascular and medicine services and medical imaging services.  Always striving to improve the quality of care for patients, Hamilton formed the Heart Emergency Network to include rural counties and establish protocols in hospital emergency rooms for acute myocardial infarctions.  Playing a vital role in implementing a number of new services, she developed and implemented East Tennessee’s first angioplasty program.  She also developed the state’s first transmyocardial revascularization service at Baptist and cardiovascular clinical research program. 
Recognizing the need for more comprehensive patient services, Hamilton led the effort to establish the Vascular Center at the Baptist Heart Institute.  Working with multiple groups of physicians to establish new clinical services for treating peripheral vascular disease, the center has become another center of excellence at Baptist.
Hamilton is a licensed radiological technologist and holds a degree from the University of Tennessee. Debra and her husband Trent live in Seymour with their two sons, Jared and Jordan.  They all traveled to the THA awards ceremony in Nashville, along with Trent’s parents, Burness and Charles Hamilton, to see her accept the award.

… read the rest of the story by Subscribing now.

... read the rest of the story by Subscribing now.