Highpoint Health Honored for Innovation

Highpoint Health with Ascension Saint Thomas was honored recently by Lifepoint Health with the company’s first ever Innovation Award at an annual awards ceremony held in Dallas, Texas. The Lifepoint Health Innovation Award, which will be presented annually moving forward, recognizes a deserving hospital system that has demonstrated leveraging innovation as a key ingredient of its success.

Highpoint Health was recognized for its innovative new partnership with Ascension Saint Thomas to expand access to high quality care and services in the Northern Middle Tennessee region. The joint venture brings together the organizations’ clinical excellence, best practices, and caregivers to collaborate in new ways – and improve the lives of patients. Ascension Saint Thomas specialists now support several key clinical programs as well as expanded telemedicine capabilities for all three Highpoint facilities. 

Additionally, Highpoint Health – Sumner was highlighted for its use of data and analytics to address two focus areas - patient throughput and operating room (OR) schedule optimization. The hospital is using new technology that leverages artificial intelligence to provide leaders, physicians and staff greater visibility and access to data and accelerate decision-making that helps patients flow more seamlessly throughout the facility.

“Highpoint Health is proud to receive this award, which highlights our entire team’s commitment to continuous innovation as we work to provide a higher level of care for our patients in Northern Middle Tennessee,” said Rod Harkleroad; market president of Highpoint Health with Ascension Saint Thomas and chief executive officer of Highpoint Health – Sumner. “We are guided each and every day by our mission of making communities healthier, and we look forward to continuing this momentum into 2024 and beyond.”

The award was presented to the Highpoint Health leadership team including Harkleroad, Jennifer Holder, chief nursing officer and Matthew Seagroves, chief financial officer of Highpoint Health – Sumner; Carolyn Sparks, chief executive officer and Angela Pruett, chief nursing officer of Highpoint Health – Riverview and Highpoint Health – Trousdale. Fahad Tahir, CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas, joined the Highpoint team on stage to accept the award.

“Highpoint Health is always looking for new and better ways to make communities healthier – whether it is implementing cutting-edge technology to improve operations or establishing innovative partnerships,” said Jason Zachariah, EVP and chief operating officer at Lifepoint Health. “We are very proud to recognize the Highpoint team with this well-deserved award.”