AdventHealth announces the inaugural winner of Pinnacle Physician Award

December 19, 2024 — AdventHealth announces the inaugural winner of Pinnacle Physician Award

HENDERSONVILLE, NC, December 19, 2024 – AdventHealth is proud to announce the inaugural winner of the AdventHealth Pinnacle Physician Award, Courteney MacKuen, MD, MPH. This prestigious award celebrates physicians who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to caring for patients and team members with uncommon compassion.

"We are on a journey to becoming a preeminent faith-based clinical care company that prioritizes the whole care experience. After reading the 92 nominations, I have no doubt that we are well on our way,” said Byron Dixon, MD, MBA, FACHE, Vice President of Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer at AdventHealth Hendersonville. “It is truly inspiring to see the incredible work that our physicians are doing at AdventHealth. The love and compassion that they show our patients, our team, and our community is truly remarkable. I am blessed to work with such an outstanding group of physicians."

The AdventHealth Pinnacle Physician Award recognizes physicians who excel in the following areas:

Business & Quality: Exemplary EMR practices, process improvements, and team engagement.

Culture: High standards for medical ethics, communication, and collegiality.

Resilience: Support for others' well-being, personal engagement, and spirituality as a sacred part of their work.

Peer Review: Assisting colleagues, fostering a growth mindset, and continuous leadership development.

The inaugural AdventHealth Pinnacle Physician Award was presented to Dr. MacKuen at the annual medical staff holiday dinner. Dr. MacKuen, who serves as Medical Director for the AdventHealth Emergency Department, was selected for her outstanding contributions in these areas and her unwavering dedication to providing exceptional care. A foundation that prepared her to demonstrate extraordinary resilience and leadership when Hurricane Helene hit our mountains.

Despite the storm's unexpected impact, she coordinated the emergency department's response, ensuring continuous care for patients under challenging conditions. Dr. MacKuen and her team worked tirelessly to manage a high volume of patients, including those with storm-related injuries and those needing oxygen due to power outages. Her efforts were instrumental in setting up an Oxygen Observation Unit, which provided critical support to patients who could not use their oxygen concentrators at home.

AdventHealth has a mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ and is committed to recognizing and celebrating the extraordinary efforts of our physicians to fulfill that mission. We are grateful for the dedication and compassion that Dr. MacKuen and all our nominees bring to their work every day.

For more information about the exceptional physicians caring for people at AdventHealth Hendersonville, please visit AdventHealthNC.com.