Having 13 years of extensive experience is no easy task.

Shala Harger, the upcoming clinical outcomes manager at Madison Hospital said her experience has been more of a calling.

Harger has a broad-based background in performing administrative functions and providing evidence-based patient care.

“I will coordinate the areas of practice excellence/ education, quality management, infection control, case management, house supervisors and IT,” said Harger.

Harger said there was no specific reason or event in her life that led her to nursing. “I truly believe for me, nursing was a calling,” said Harger.

Originally from Fyffe, Harger has lived near Memphis, Tenn. where she received her master’s in nursing from the University of Memphis.

Harger has recently moved back home, and although she is new to the system, she has been rotating through the different areas and is learning about the hospital.

Although taking on a new responsibility in healthcare, Harger said she is constantly considering patients’ healthcare needs, personal concerns and safety. Harger said she possesses excellent planning, prioritizing and goal-setting abilities.

“I am looking forward to working effectively with an interdisciplinary team and providing a fostering positive environment for our patients,” said Harger.

Article published by The Madison County Record

As the new Madison Hospital opens, employees are proud to be taking action in helping.

Cheryl Neville is proud to be on board for making the hospital become a reality.

The majority of Neville’s time is currently spent at Huntsville Hospital.

“I spend lots of time in meetings putting together processes and concepts that will facilitate making the Madison Hospital ready,” said Neville.

Growing up, Neville spent most of her life in the Shoals area. She attended nursing school at Northwest in Phil Campbell. “I became nurse manager of a large pediatric clinic for about eight years,” she said.

Neville has also worked in the home health field taking care of pediatric patients for four years.

Neville said before moving to Huntsville where she became an orthopedic circulator in surgery at Huntsville Hospital, she spent seven years circulating/relief charge before taking the position as clinical manager of orthopedic surgery at Huntsville Hospital.

“I have spent the last two years in this role until accepting the position as operations manager of Madison Hospital,” said Neville.

Neville’s position at Madison Hospital will be the operations manager of surgical services, endoscopy, anesthesia and central supply.

“I will oversee the day-to-day operations of these departments to make sure they function efficiently while providing excellent care to the community in Madison,” Neville said.

Neville said she knew immediately that with the leadership team that was on board for the new hospital, she wanted to make sure she was a part of it as well.

“I currently reside in Hampton Cove with my husband, Bill. I am the proud mom of five children from ages 25 to 6 and one grandchild,” Neville said.

Neville says with five kids most of her free time is spent taking care of her children and traveling.

“We have a home in Park City, Utah, where we love to take our children skiing during the winter,” Neville said. As Neville prepares for her new role, she is looking forward to serving the Madison community.

Article published by The Madison County Record

Being a member of the medical community is something James Whitt takes seriously.

With more than 20 years in the medical field, he is bringing his talents to Madison Hospital this February as the clinical operations manager. He will be in charge of managing the intensive care unit, medical unit, surgical unit and physical therapy unit.

He is leaving his position at Huntsville Hospital as the neural intensive care night charge nurse.

There, he was responsible for 17 neural and neural trauma patients and seven to 10 nurses on every shift. “It was part of what prepared me for this position,” Whitt said.

“It helped me understand the hospital and the hospital system.”

Whitt has also worked as a paramedic, both in the field and as a supervisor. He played an integral part in setting up EMS sites in both Decatur and Gadsden. He also has 28 years experience in the Navy Reserves, where he worked in the healthcare sector.

He is currently the executive office of his unit. Initially, Whitt planned to attend medical school. Because of a lack of funds, he decided to enroll in the Reserves with plans to allow that program to pay for his education. He became a Corpsman, which is the equivalent of an Army medic.

He eventually became a paramedic. “I loved the paramedic program,” he said. “As I got older, I wanted to know my patients on a long term basis as opposed to only a few minutes or an hour. I really wanted to know what happened after they left us.”

This natural desire led him to his role at the hospital. “I find it very interesting to watch patients come in very sick and be involved with helping them get better over the next few weeks,” he said.

A “military brat,” Whitt said he attended 13 different schools before graduating high school. He’s from Idaho and has lived in Alabama since ’83. He currently resides in the Toney area. “I’m very excited to start at Madison hospital,” he said.

“I love being involved in starting things from the ground up. I really love the concept of being more community based.” The learning experience is what Whitt said he would value most about his new venture. “I’ll be exposed to things I have not been exposed to before,” he said. “I will problem solve and make things better for patients, families and nursing staff.”

Article published by The Madison County Record, written by By Michael Hansberry

Dreams really do come true and Shari Crowe can tell you her story. Born in New England, Crowe has always wanted to be a nurse since she was a little girl, but she then began to consider other career possibilities when it was time to go to college.

“In the end, I arrived at the destination in a round about way,” said Crowe.

Crowe, currently the patient safety manager at Huntsville Hospital, has worked at Huntsville Hospital for a total of nearly 10 years. She started out as a labor and delivery nurse.

Later, she became the nurse educator for labor and delivery and antepartum at Women’s and Children’s. As Crowe transitions into her new role as clinical operations manager at the new Madison Hospital, her areas of responsibility are obstetrics as well as patient safety/risk management for the Madison Hospital.

“My job involves planning and directing the care on the unit, developing policies and assuring quality of care in those areas,” said Crowe. Crowe, who received a degree in biology, earned her master’s in public health from Emory University and worked at the Centers for Disease

Control. When it comes to the areas of patient safety and risk, Crowe will be responsible for working with the Madison team to create and maintain the systems and processes necessary to assure that their patients receive safe care throughout the Madison Hospital.

“My job focus is on setting up the unit and hiring employees to provide patient and family centered care to the families in our community,” she said.

Crowe said her new position in Madison gives her the ability to merge all of the roles she is passionate about: caring for new moms and families, supporting the clinicians that care for these patients and building processes that ensure that the right patient receives the right care that will optimize their health.

“Opening a new hospital is an incredible opportunity to set up processes that will ensure that our care meets the needs of each individual patient and their family,” she said.

Crowe said it is exciting to be able to start from the ground up and build these processes to ensure their patients have a great experience and receive safe and effective care.

Article published by The Madison County Record, written by Brittney Jones

Some people have a love for science and others have a passion for life.

Erica Perkins, however, is one who has always had a fascination for problem solving and the determination to know how to help her patients.

Perkins grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and attended Mississippi State University where she majored in medical technology. She received her clinical training to become certified as a MT in the medical technology program at North MS Medical Centern in Tupelo, Miss.

“I first developed an interest in pathology in high school when we read The Boy Who Felt No Pain, a collection of stories that told how medical “mysteries” were solved by the work of pathologists who relied on the combination of information from many different medical fields to determine how to help their patients,” Perkins said.

Perkins said she knew she would enjoy working in a field that combined her love of science and problem solving skills. Perkins has worked in all areas of the laboratory since she began as a generalist — a tech who works in all disciplines of the lab. She later worked as a microbiologist for three years then she was promoted in September to lead the Clinical Laboratory at Madison Hospital.

“I have been proud to be a part of the excellent laboratory at Huntsville Hospital, and look forward to continuing the laboratory’s high standards of quality and customer service in Madison,” said Perkins.

Perkins is married to Brian Perkins, a computer engineer. The Perkins family lives in Madison, and they have three children, aged 10, 7 and 4.

“Our family enjoys music, reading and sports — we spend a lot of time at Dublin and Palmer Park,” Perkins said. “During my transition, I have spent time working at Madison Urgent Care, becoming familiar with the staff and facilities there.

“I am currently working to plan the implementation of new staff, new equipment and processes for Madison Hospital Laboratory,” she added.

Perkins said she will enjoy working in a spacious, and thoughtfully designed lab space at Madison Hospital, which she knows will help her team keep pace with the needs of the new hospital and its patients.

“Once the hospital opens in February, I will be responsible for the daily operations of the lab, including all quality measures and management of the staff,” she said. “We are assembling a team of experienced and well trained MTs and MLTs who will help to make this lab and hospital successful.”

Article published by The Madison County Record, written by Brittney Jones

The new Madison Hospital has several roles that contribute to the hospital’s daily function and Christopher Strickland is one of many who make it happen.

Strickland is the Pharmacy Supervisor for Madison Hospital.

His responsibilities include hiring and training the pharmacy staff, coordinating pharmacy services with other service lines, applying for and maintaining appropriate pharmacy licensures, developing workflow and departmental policies and procedures, as well as coordinating pharmacy clinical services.

Strickland was hired outside the Huntsville Hospital System in July 2011.

“I am fully engaged in making sure the pharmacy will be fully operational in time for our February 2012 opening,” Strickland said.

Strickland also oversees everything from staffing, licensure, departmental set-up and inventory planning.

“We are very fortunate to have the resources here on the Huntsville Campus, including Huntsville Hospital and Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children,” said Strickland.

Strickland said the entire Madison Hospital team is dedicated to providing the same level of quality care that Huntsville Hospital is known for while providing the excellent customer service that Madison deserves.

Strickland is a graduate from Auburn University’s Harrison School of Pharmacy.

He decided to pursue pharmacy as a profession because he was always fascinated by science, particularly chemistry and physiology.

“I also really enjoy the way pharmacists get to interact with patients and other health care providers,” said Strickland.

Strickland’s first job as a hospital pharmacist was at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Ga.

“I learned a great many things there, and was fortunate to be able to work with a staff with very diverse backgrounds,” said Strickland.

Strickland’s most recent job was working for Carolinas Health care System in Charlotte, N.C.

Strickland said he spent most of his time in a 30-bed medical ICU, and enjoyed being on the floor with nurses and doctors, he learned a lot about how pharmacy can contribute to a medical team.

Strickland is originally from Ozark. He moved to Huntsville in March 2011.

Just recently, he married his wife, Emma, a Scottsboro native who is also a pharmacist in the Huntsville Hospital system.

Strickland said in his free time, he enjoys outdoor activities including softball, flag football, and golf. He also enjoys playing guitar.

Strickland’s experience has prepared him for the upcoming year.

“I’m excited to be a part of this endeavor,” he said.

Article published by The Madison County Record, written by Brittney Jones

On Feb. 28, 2012 the Madison Urgent Care will become the Emergency Department of the new Madison Hospital and Audrey Osterndorf, the nurse manager of the Madison Urgent Care Center will be responsible for overseeing the transition.

The Urgent Care, is a satellite facility of Huntsville Hospital, it has been in existence since March 1, 2005.

Osterndorf says the Urgent Care Center scope of practice involves the evaluation and treatment of minor illnesses and injuries.

“I have chaired the Merit Award Program sponsored by the Community Woman’s Group and worked, over the years, with the National Military Family Association,” Osterndorf said.

Prior to Osterndorf’s new position, she volunteered at Army Community Services on Redstone working with the Mobilization and Deployment Program Director.

“Most recently, I was afforded the opportunity to become one of five Operations Mangers for the new Hospital,” she said.

Osterndorf said she excited about this position because it will expand her oversight responsibility to include ensuring the smooth opening and running of the pharmacy, lab, registration and imaging departments within the hospital.

These are all services that impact and play a vital role in supporting the emergency department.

Osterndorf grew up in a small town west of New York City and she has an “outstanding” work background in nursing.

“My decision to become a nurse is not a glorious or exciting story,” said Osterndorf.

Osterndorf said her decision was a practical one. Her choices after high school were to either pursue a teaching degree or nursing degree.

“I was offered a tuition free ride at the one and only nursing school I applied to and took it. I have never regretted that decision,” said Osterndorf.

Osterndorf received her Bachelor and Master degrees in Nursing, she was afforded the opportunity to serve as Chief Nurse in Germany, she has worked in a Family Practice Clinic and she has worked outpatient chemotherapy.

Osterndorf considers Madison to be her home, she has been living in the area since the summer of 2005. She is married with two daughters, one who is in her third year at Alabama studying international business. And the other daughter will graduate from Bob Jones in the spring and will also be off to Tuscaloosa focusing on healthcare.

As Osterndorf prepares for her transition she is looking forward to the opportunity of educating patients and family.

Article published by The Madison County Record, written by Brittney Jones

In a healthcare environment, cross contamination is the number one concern for the healthcare facility, caregivers, patients and their families, according to Mike Hoover.

Hoover will ease those concerns at Madison Hospital when he takes the position of environmental services coordinator. He will be responsible for providing infection prevention programs and products to address the disinfecting needs in the healthcare environment.

“Our primary function is to ensure infection control,” Hoover said. “Medicare reimbursement is based on how well we rate based on controlling infections, it can actually cost us money.”

He said the most rampant infections in hospitals are staphylococcus infections.

Hoover said he has known hospital President Mary Lynne Wright since childhood.

“I know how passionate she is about making this the best Hospital in the country,” he said. “I want to be a part of making Mary Lynne’s challenge a success.”

Hoover said the convenience of having a healthcare facility located in Madison will alleviate a lot of anxiety and stress for patients, as well as their family members.

“Anyone who has had to make the drive to Huntsville Hospital main campus to visit a loved one worries about coming home late at night by themselves, and the hospitalized family member worries about their family member getting home safely,” he said. “We can treat patients more quickly because of the proximity to the Madison community.”

Before taking on the role of ESC, Hoover spent the majority of his career in the defense and nuclear industries.

“I have always been fascinated by the healthcare industry,” he said. “The appeal of opening a new hospital was very intriguing. Very few people have such an opportunity.”

Originally from Monrovia, spent 17 years in Florida working for Lockheed Martin.

Article published by The Madison County Record, written by Michael Hansberry

Betty Madison believes a community the size of Madison needs and deserves its own hospital.

Madison said this is imperative because citizens of Madison and other surrounding areas will be able to receive the healthcare they need close to home.

Although not an employee of Huntsville Hospital prior to being hired as Madison Hospital President Mary Lynn Wright’s executive assistant, Madison has been an integral part of the process since the beginning.

“I had followed the progress from being awarded the Certificate of Need to build the hospital up to the actual beginning of the construction,” Madison said. “I knew it would be both exciting and challenging to be a part of that process.”

Madison said when she learned that Wright would be the president of the hospital, she knew she wanted to be a part of it.

“Having worked for another North Alabama community hospital for 26 years, I felt that my experience there could be a benefit as to how a smaller hospital operates, as well as how it is viewed by the community it serves,” she said.

When her position becomes effective in February, Madison said she is looking forward to being a member of a team of employees who will strive everyday to provide the best care available to the patients.

“The patient focused philosophy is very important and something I strongly believe in,” she said. “If you do what is right for the patient, you can’t go wrong.

That is not always possible at a larger facility,” she said. “I hope and believe this experience will be an asset to Madison Hospital.”

Madison hails from San Antonio, Tx. She has lived in several parts of the United States. Her father served in the Air Force. Both her parents are Alabama natives.

She has been a Hartselle resident since 1974. She graduated from Morgan County High School and attended the University of North Alabama.

She said of the great things about the hospital being a part of the Huntsville Hospital System is that Madison can draw from the wealth of resources available at Huntsville Hospital when necessary, as well as be an asset to the entire system.

Madison’s experience in working at a smaller facility gave her the opportunity to become familiar with most, if not all, areas of the hospital sector.

Article published by The Madison County Record, written by Michael Hansberry.

Melissa Taylor has been a nurse at Huntsville Hospital for more than 25 years. Starting in February, she will serve Madison Hospital as director of clinical operations. Her role is to provide support for employees, the medical staff and volunteers.

“I wanted to be part of Madison Hospital because I believed it would offer the best of all worlds,” Taylor said. “Madison Hospital is a community hospital focused on patient centered care, quality and best practice but also linked to a large health system for support.”

Taylor has been a nurse at Huntsville Hospital for the past 25 years working primarily in obstetrics.

“I’ve seen a lot of babies born and was always honored to share that unforgettable time with new families,” she said. “I began my career working on the night shift in L&D and was the L&D nurse manager prior to being offered this opportunity.”

Taylor said she has always been drawn to the health care field.

“I enjoyed science and was fascinated by how the body worked,” she said. “There were so many career choices in health care and I thought about several but I must admit, I was influenced by my grandmother. She had wanted to be a nurse as a young girl and did not get the chance. She loved nurses and made me talk about my classes in detail.”

Taylor is from Jackson County, but has lived in the Monrovia area for the past 15 years. She had two children and two grandchildren.

Article published by The Madison County Record, written by Michael Hansberry.