Award Winning Employees

Quarter 3- Amber Hendrix, Respiratory Therapist

Quarter 4- Ben Parker, Patient Care Technician

The Lifepoint Mercy Award

Once a year, each Lifepoint Health facility recognizes one employee who profoundly touches the lives of others and best represents the spirit and values on which the company was founded. The Mercy Award is an annual recognition program that honors the life and contributions of Scott Mercy, Lifepoint’s founding chairman, and chief executive officer. The award is considered the highest honor a Lifepoint employee can receive.

Highpoint Health – Sumner 2024 Winner

Stephanie Rutledge

Stephanie in so many ways excels and embraces those around her in a selfless manner, generously sharing her time, energy, and spirit with everyone she comes in to contact with.  She has a humanitarian heart, a giving spirit, and shows compassion to those around her, as well as to those who are not aware she is praying for them.  Stephanie has a deep sense of compassion and connection with people regardless of their socio-economic background and feels humble and grateful to be a part of someone else’s life-journey – she shows them respect, appreciation, empathy, and kindness.  She conducts herself with the utmost integrity, focused on doing the right thing and making excellence a top priority in everything she does.  Not only does she dedicate herself to being a good steward of her time and energy while at Highpoint Health – Sumner, she makes her church and the community a high priority in her life as well.  She has a passion for serving others – she sits on the Health Information Advisory Board at Vol State University and is heavily involved with many initiatives at First Baptist Church [Chairperson of Sister2Sister Women’s Ministry and an active member of Women Lifting Women, Bereavement Ministry, Volunteer Stay Warm Shelter, & Volunteer Feed Sumner Food Drives]

Stephanie naturally has a giving, encouraging, and forgiving nature towards everyone she knows as well as to strangers she meets daily, while at work and while living her life outside of work. We see this Spirit of Mercy daily within our hospital through her actions and interactions, and we witness her unwavering support and encouragement to her family and church members.  Her dedication to excellence and doing the right thing for our hospital and the community serves as an example for those around her and further highlights her thoughtfulness, her selflessness, her compassion, and her integrity.

Highpoint Health – Riverview 2024 Winner

Morgan Cooper

Morgan Cooper truly embodies the spirit of a Mercy Award Winner. This is evidenced by her daily contributions to our facility and our local community. Within Highpoint Health-Riverview, Morgan demonstrates a sincere desire to positively impact the culture of our facility, quality, and patient safety. Although her personal attributes, leadership qualities, and adoption of all core values are recognizable during her daily responsibilities as a Labor and Delivery Registered Nurse, her commitment spans far beyond her basic job description. Most recently, she volunteered to be a champion for various recruitment efforts, participated in multiple process improvements, was elected as a nursing council member, and served as the organizer for upcoming Nurse’s Week events. To Morgan, patient safety and culture are not simply a responsibility but a passion.
In addition to these extraordinary efforts, Morgan recently demonstrated fiscal responsibility and initiative. Through coordination, Morgan identified an opportunity for a CuddleCot and secured grant funding. Recently, I witnessed the “maiden voyage” of the CuddleCot. Although deeply saddened for a young couple’s loss, there was a moment of personal peace. It was because of Morgan’s efforts; this patient and family were able to grieve without time constraints. Morgan gifted them with irreplaceable closure and memories.
Furthermore, Morgan consistently participates in community events to market services, promote health equity, and support local agencies. This includes attending an annual Gala, organizing/participating in multiple Community Baby Showers, and providing EMS with education for maternal/neonatal emergencies.

Highpoint Health – Trousdale 2024 Winner

Vicki Harper

Vicki is a very kind, caring and thoughtful person who works in our dietary department. She is always attempting to meet the needs of our patients and staff by going above and beyond her duties to please everyone. She is a team player both in her department and other departments if needed. She never complains about working or helping those in need. She is reliable, dedicated to her duties on the job, dependable and quiet but very friendly if spoken to. She is a mother who is very dedicated to her children, God children and grandchildren. Vicki is a hard worker who is always on time for her shift. Not to mention, her food is great!

She volunteers at her church functions along with her family. She spends her time off making crafts such as t-shirts, key chains, and more to sell in craft fairs, along with organizing and participating in fundraising which is a benefit to her church.