Evolve Behavioral Health Services
Healthy Connections
My Kids Pediatric Clinic

CALL US: 888.710.8220

Evolve Behavioral Health Services
Healthy Connections
My Kids Pediatric Clinic

CALL US: 888.710.8220

March Employees of the Month

Congratulations to our Healthy Connections Shining STAR Employees of the Month for March:

(DRUMROLL)

WEST: DEVIN GAGE

EAST: KIM BROWN

Each month across the Healthy Connections Community Health Network, exemplary employees are nominated for this award for representing our Three Pillars: Excellence, Compassion, and Community. These pillars are considered heavily when choosing winners.

As winners of this Shining STAR award, Devin and Kim are winners of a $50 gift card to the HC Hub Company Store.

Devin is a Registered Nurse at the Mena clinic. He joined Healthy Connections in 2019. Kim is a Patient Care Coordinator at the Little Rock Midtown clinic. She joined Healthy Connections in 2022. In their nominations, this is some of what their co-workers said about them:

  • “Devin is great with the patients. He also is wonderful at training others. He has a lot of patience.”
  • “Kim is kindhearted, calm, and respectful. When patients come in or even call, she does anything she can to help them the best she can.”
  • “Devin is very helpful and patient. He ensures that the patients are taken care of. He takes the time to speak to them and answer all the questions that they ask.”
  • “When it comes to helping patients Kim goes above and beyond. She takes her time and will not end a call until the issue has been resolved. She shows care with dealing with the patients and is very empathetic to their situations.”

Congratulations to both Devin and Kim.

Thanks again this month to everyone who nominated an employee. There were a lot of great nominations. Do you know who should be our next employees to be recognized? You can nominate them by visiting https://www.healthy-connections.org/nominate.

 

Celebrating Phyllis Cuningham

Healthy Connections, Inc., held a special event on Tuesday to celebrate the retirement of Director of Nursing Phyllis Cunningham.

She has spent the past 14 years with Healthy Connections and the past 32 years in nursing. She has been an amazing leader to us all and we wish her the best in the next chapter of her life.

“Kindness is so critical to our success and to making our workplace happy. I love Maya Angelou’s quote: ‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ I’ve always tried to live by that,” Cunningham said. “I don’t know that I bring a lot of skill but I do try to bring that. Being kind and loving people and caring about people makes all of our work every day so much easier.”

Cunningham has been a part of tremendous growth for Healthy Connections in her 14 years with the organization. When she started, Healthy Connections had just two clinics – Mena and Mt. Ida. There are now 13 clinics in nine communities stretched from Little Rock to De Queen.

“From the staff and everyone at Healthy Connections, we want to let Phyllis know how much we appreciate you,” said Tony Calandro, CEO of Healthy Connections, Inc. “I think everyone is aware of how large we have gotten and Phyllis has gone along with the paces the entire time. In everything we have done, she has stepped up.”

Cunningham is known for her sense of humor and sayings that bring smiles to the faces of her co-workers. One of her favorites is, “We choose our attitude every single day.”

“This has been a great place. There are so many opportunities here,” Cunningham said.

Thanks, Phyllis for all you’ve done for our patients, co-workers, and communities.

Cardiology Services Update

Jennifer Kesterson, APRN; Zachary Geiling, APRN, and Dr. Jeffrey Tauth to see cardiology patients

Healthy Connections Specialty will continue to offer cardiology and cardiovascular disease services in 2023.

Dr. Vito Calandro is leaving Healthy Connections Specialty in January 2023. His patients will now be seen by nurse practitioners Jennifer Kesterson, APRN, and Zachary Geiling, APRN, in collaboration with Dr. Jeffrey Tauth from Hot Springs Heart and Vascular. This will continue at the Healthy Connections clinics in Mena, Hot Springs, and Hot Springs Village.

Kesterson is a nurse practitioner based in Mena (136 Health Park Lane) and joined Healthy Connections in 2021. She sees patient for primary care/family medicine, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction, cardiology and cardiovascular diseases, and more.

Geiling is a nurse practitioner based in Hot Springs (208 McAuley Ct., Suite B) and Hot Springs Village (4585 AR-7 Suite 11). He joined Healthy Connections this year and sees patients for primary care/family medicine and cardiology and cardiovascular diseases.

Dr. Tauth sees patients for the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular disease. He also offers nuclear cardiac testing, cardiac catheterization, coronary artery intervention and stenting, peripheral vascular angiography and intervention, pacemaker evaluation and implantation, cardiac arrhythmia diagnoses and treatment, and comprehensive treatment of hypertension and hyperlipidemia.

Call 888-710-8220 to schedule appointments with Healthy Connections. Learn more at www.healthy-connections.org.

Jennifer Kesterson, APRN

Jennifer Kesterson, APRN

Primary Care, Cardiology, Vascular

Zachary Geiling, APRN

Zachary Geiling, APRN

Primary Care, Cardiology, Vascular

2022 Employee Awards

Healthy Connections Community Health Network is excited to announce our 2022 Employee Award winners.

These employees exemplified our three pillars of Community, Compassion, and Excellence throughout the year. Check back each day as we announce the winners in all 10 categories.

Rookies of the Year
  • Linda Lee, Assistant Director of Nursing
  • Tyrontala Walker, Medical Assistant at the Malvern Teeter Plaza Clinic
  • Eric Luster, APRN PMHNP, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner based at the Little Rock Midtown, West Central Health Clinic, and Malvern Teeter Plaza clinic.
Customer Service Award
  • Tracey Price, Dental, Mena
  • Grace Hill, Patient Care Coordinator, Little Rock Midtown
Rising Star Award
  • Christi Martin, Patient Care Coordinator, Mena
  • Erica Manley, Lead in Medical Records in Mena
  • Kim Carson, Lead Patient Care Coordinator at Mena
  • Allie Anderson, 340B coordinator
 Support Staff Super Star Award
  • Andrea Pilcher, Lead Nurse at Hot Springs Central/My Kids Pediatric Clinic
  • Misty Morris, Medical Assistant at Little Rock Midtown clinic
  • Krystal Lenard, Referral Coordinator, remote
  • Connie Case, Lab Manager in Mena
Game Changer Award
  • Tina Allison, Director of Ancillary Services
  • Janet Dean, Human Resources Generalist, Mena
  • Chris Masters, Network Administrator, Mena
Monday, December 19 – Behind the Scenes Hero Award
  • Debbie Welch, Billing Clerk, Remote
  • Amanda Dunn, Accounting Manager, Remote
  • Misty Surber, Program Manager Healthy Families Arkansas Polk and Garland Counties.
Providers of the Year
  • Melanie Newman, APRN, Hot Springs Central and My Kids Pediatric Clinic
  • Terri Barrada, APRN, Mena
Distinguished Leadership Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
Employee of the Year

 

2022 Healthy Connections Employee Award Winners

Game Changer Award

Cunningham Wins Lifetime Achievement Award

Healthy Connections, Inc., is proud to announce the winner of the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award is Phyllis Cunningham.

Cunningham is the Director of Nursing for Healthy Connections, Inc., and has been with the organization since 2009. She is set to retire in 2023.

“Several years ago we began recognizing those members of the Healthy Connections team who have dedicated their efforts to the improvement and advancement of our company. Phyllis is an advocate for Healthy Connections and delivers our Mission and Vision on a daily basis,” said Tony Calandro, CEO of Healthy Connections. “She has been an inspiration to others and helped to shape Healthy Connections.”

See the complete list of 2022 Healthy Connections award winners at: www.healthy-connections.org/awards22.

Singleton Wins Distinguished Leadership Award

Healthy Connections, Inc., is proud to announce the winner of the 2022 Distinguished Leadership Award is Susan Singleton.

Singleton is the Chief Financial Officer of Healthy Connections and joined the organization in 2019. Since then, she has been heavily involved in many areas and has proven to be a prominent leader.

“Susan is someone who has made an impact from the start and continues to make and influence every day,” said Tony Calandro, CEO of Healthy Connections. “She has stepped in where assistance and help is needed and provided guidance and direction for staff, managers, and the entire company. She has been instrumental in the continued development of Healthy Connections.”

See the complete list of 2022 Healthy Connections award winners at: www.healthy-connections.org/awards22.