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Advent's ER chief wins first Pinnacle Physician Award

Dr. Courteney MacKuen, medical director of Advent Health's ER, accepts the inaugural Pinnacle Physician Award from Chief Medical Officer Byron Dixon and Advent CEO Brandon Nudd.

By Lightning Reports, Published: January 5, 2025

Dr. Courteney MacKuen, praised for her unwavering commitment to patient care and resilience under fire leading the emergency room as Hurricane Helene overwhelmed the region, was honored last month as the inaugural winner of the AdventHealth Pinnacle Physician Award.

The new award celebrates a physician 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,” said Byron Dixon, vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer at AdventHealth Hendersonville. “After reading the 92 nominations, I have no doubt that we are well on our way. 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 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 award was presented to Dr. MacKuen at the annual medical staff holiday dinner on Dec. 19. Medical director for AdventHealth’s emergency department, MacKuen coordinated the ER’s response during Helene, ensuring continuous care for patients under challenging conditions. MacKuen and her team worked tirelessly to manage a high number of patients, including many with storm-related injuries and others needing oxygen because of widespread 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.