GERMANTOWN, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Stehanie Dabulis, MD, chair of emergency medicine at CalvertHealth Medical Center in Prince Frederick, Md., was recently selected as one of five 2020 Facility Medical Directors of the Year by Alteon Health, the industry-leading national medical group that has managed the hospital’s emergency medicine program since 2007.
The award honors medical directors from across Alteon’s more than 125 clinical sites who exhibited exemplary leadership and professionalism in 2020, mentoring their physicians and advanced practice providers while improving department performance amid the challenges of COVID-19. In his nomination, Martin Brown, MD, FACEP, president of Alteon’s south division, noted that during her eight years in this position, Dabulis’ consistently positive attitude has helped her build a loyal, stable team that is dedicated to the hospital’s success. Under her direction, the CalvertHealth Emergency Department has achieved excellence in stroke care, implemented an effective program to reduce opioid prescriptions, and cut wait times to dramatically reduce the number of prospective patients who leave the department without being seen. Never has her strong leadership been as obvious as during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she maintained candid communication with the clinicians in her department, adjusted staffing regularly to accommodate fluctuating volumes and supported the hospital’s implementation of evolving safety and treatment protocols.
“Lots of people can lead in normal times, but Dr. Dabulis’ skills have really shined during the pressures of COVID,” Brown said. “Throughout the pandemic, Dr. Dabulis has embraced the leadership challenges in her roles as Emergency Department chair as well as a medical staff leader and hospital board member.”
Dabulis was one of five awardees selected by a panel of clinicians from Alteon’s executive leadership team. The four other facility medical directors recognized for their outstanding service were:
- Layhong Soth, MD, director of hospital medicine, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (Idaho Falls, Id.)
- Ahmed Kardar, MD, director of hospital medicine, Southside Regional Medical Center (Petersburg, Va.) and Rappahannock General Hospital (Kilmarnock, Va.)
- Michael Silverman, MD, FACEP, chair of emergency medicine, Virginia Hospital Center (Arlington, Va.)
- Mark Christensen, MD, director of emergency medicine, Cullman Regional Medical Center (Cullman, Al.) and Highlands Medical Center (Scottsboro, Al.)
“I am especially honored to have received the 2020 Alteon Facility Director of the Year Award during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic,” Dabulis said. “I am proud to share this award with my entire CalvertHealth team of physicians and APPs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, successful leadership occurred only through trust and compassion. My team supported my decisions, knowing that I had their best interests in mind. They understood the operational challenges and remained a flexible and patient-centric team.”
Dabulis earned her medical degree from the Penn State University College of Medicine and completed her emergency medicine residency at the Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Va. She joined Alteon Health in 2013. In addition to her role as chair of the Emergency Department, Dabulis serves on CalvertHealth’s board of directors. In 2020, her CalvertHealth colleagues affirmed their confidence in her leadership abilities by electing her vice-chief of the medical staff.
“I lead by ‘progress, not perfection,’” Dabulis said. “I truly feel that it is my job to elevate my team members to the next level. That next level can include attaining new clinical skills, leadership skills, emotional intelligence skills and efficiency skills. Leadership involves making changes to the department that create a more enjoyable shift environment, improve patient care, and ensure the physicians and APPs feel valued. Colleagues who feel valued deliver their best work every day.”
About Alteon Health
With more than 1,700 clinicians serving more than 125 practice locations nationwide, Alteon is a leading provider of emergency medicine, hospitalist medicine, critical care, post-acute care, and virtual and home health services. The physician-led practice is equipped with 50 years of experience in providing high-quality, industry-leading, and patient-focused care in diverse medical markets. For more information, visit alteonhealth.com.