Heywood Healthcare Honors Physicians during Annual Physician Recognition Event

GARDNER, Mass. - Dec. 10, 2014 - PRLog -- During its annual Physician Recognition Dinner, held December 2, members of the Heywood Healthcare medical staff were honored for their commitment to their patients and the Greater Athol and Gardner communities.

At the event, physicians were recognized for their life-long dedication to Heywood and Athol Hospitals, their community and the medical profession. Long-time area physicians lauded include: Dr. George Krasowski, a well-known and respected area surgeon and wound care specialist, and Dr. Nuzhat Farooqui, who has been on staff at Heywood Hospital in the Geriatric Psychiatric Unit for 20 years.

During the event, Elizabeth Nottleson, MD, of Tully Family Medicine in Phillipston, was presented with the prestigious James A. Faust Pillar Award for Physician Excellence, the highest honor the hospital bestows on its physicians. A well-known and beloved primary care provider, Dr. Nottleson has been a leader in Heywood Healthcare’s fight against the diabetes epidemic in the region.

“We are privileged to present Dr. Nottleson with this award recognizing her exceptional talent, compassion and expertise in primary care and in our fight against Diabetes. Her contribution to our hospitals, our patients and the health of our community is immeasurable,” said Dr. James Faust. “Dr. Nottleson spearheaded our campaign against Diabetes, helping create Diabetes Centers of Excellence at both Heywood and Athol Hospitals. Working with the Diabetes & Nutrition Department Staff, she has had a profound impact on our communities, helping to bring education to our inpatients, outpatient services and our area youth. Dr. Nottleson truly represents the spirit of patient care, which is the basis for this award.”

Recipients of the James A. Faust Pillar Award for Physician Excellence are highly respected members of the medical field and proven community leaders who best reflect the six Pillars – People, Quality, Service, Stewardship, Growth and Community – the core values of Heywood Hospital.

Previous physicians honored with this award include David Gill, MD, M. Sheila Donnelly, MD, David Havlin, MD, John Harrington, MD, John Skrzypczak, MD, Michele Parker, MD, John Mulqueen, MD and James Faust, MD, the original recipient for whom the award was named.

In total, 18 physicians were acknowledged for 5 – 15 years of service and seven physicians were recognized for 20 – 25 years of service to the hospitals and the communities they serve.

In addition, Heywood Healthcare welcomed 28 new physicians to the medical community: Infectious Disease Specialist; Orthopedic Physician Kelton M. Burbank, MD; Pediatrician Russell Coleman, MD; Infectious Disease Physician Imola Daniel, MD; Radiologist Joan C. DeSantis, MD; Emergency Medicine Phsyicians Donna Harkness, MD and Javad T. Hashmi, MD; Family Medicine Physicians Helen E. Heneghan, MD and Rebecca Jackson, MD; Otolaryngology Surgeon Timothy Jones, MD; Hospitalist Philip Klahr, MD; Emergency Medicine Physician Joshua C. Lerner, MD; Hospitalist Harold T. Mann, MD; Orthopedic Physician Andrew N. Markwith, MD; Pediatrician Chettupuzha J. Mathew, MD; Family Medicine Physicians Le Santha Naidoo, DO and Kwesi A. Ntiforo, MD; Hospitalists Gulam Sadiq Parihar, MD and Binu Pathrose, MD; Family Medicine Physician Victor Ruiz, MD; Emergency Medicine Physician Kevin Ryan, MD; Radiologist Catherine M. Shannon, MD; Vascular Surgeon Jessica P. Simons, MD; Emergency Medicine Physician Ajeet J. Singh, MD; Hospitalist Timothy Ta, MD; Family Medicine Physician Catherine Trinh, MD; Pediatrician Susan Voute, MD; and Anesthesiologist Alexander Zeidel, MD.

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About Heywood Healthcare
Heywood Healthcare is an independent, community-owned healthcare system located in the North Central region of Massachusetts. It is comprised of Heywood Hospital, a non-profit, 134-bed acute-care hospital in Gardner, MA; Athol Hospital, a 25 bed not-for-profit, Critical Access Hospital in Athol, MA; Heywood Medical Group with primary care physicians and specialists located throughout the region; and four satellite facilities -Winchendon Health Center and Murdock School-based Health Center in Winchendon, West River Health Center in Orange and Heywood Rehabilitation Center in Gardner; and an affiliate community service provider, the North Quabbin Community Coalition.

About Athol Hospital
A member of the Heywood Healthcare system, Athol Hospital is a 25-bed non-profit, acute care and outpatient facility serving the communities of the North Quabbin region of Massachusetts. It is designated as a Critical Access Hospital and Primary Stroke Center, licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and accredited by the Joint Commission.

About Heywood Hospital
A member of the Heywood Healthcare system, Heywood Hospital is a 134-bed acute care hospital in Gardner, MA, which provides a broad range of high quality medical, surgical, obstetrical, pediatric and behavioral health services on an inpatient and outpatient basis. The hospital’s Centers of Excellence include the Watkins Center for Emergency and Acute Care; the Center for Behavioral Health; the LaChance Maternity Center; the Diabetes Center; and the Heywood Heart Center, an affiliate of the Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence at UMass Memorial Health Care.