Here are the finalists in the 2015 Health Care Heroes Executive category.

Honors an individual whose job performance is considered exemplary by people within their organizations, peers and community members.

Mary Ellen Bonczek

TITLE: Senior vice president and chief nurse executive

ORGANIZATION: New Hanover Regional Medical Center

WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “In 14 years as New Hanover Regional Medical Center’s chief nurse, Mary Ellen Bonczek has made a profound impact on the quality of patient care and the culture in which that care is delivered, the basis for our nomination of her for the Health Care Executive award.

In 2013 Ms. Bonczek was given the task of redefining the basic patient care model to deliver more effective and efficient care that would allow nurses to move away from a ‘task-driven’ model to one that allows them to work at the top of their license.

After putting together multi-disciplinary teams that included doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and many other clinical specialties – as well as patients – she led the introduction of the SharedCare model, now practiced on almost every hospital inpatient floor.

Ms. Bonczek and her team have been invited around the nation to present this model, and last November it won the N.C. Nurses Association ‘Caring for Others’ Best Practice Award. Summaries of the program have been published in nursing journals.”

-Scott Whisnant, New Hanover Regional Medical Center administrator, community relations

 

Melissa Odom

TITLE: Director of strategic innovations

ORGANIZATION: Wilmington Health

WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Melissa has a strong background in healthcare that includes over 12 years of experience in practice  management, data analytics, business applications, population health management, and finance.  

Her love of statistics and numbers, combined with her ability to utilize analytics tools and create collaborative solutions have led to success in her previous roles with our Southeast Area Health Education Center (SEAHEC).

Her role with Wilmington Health – our region’s first and only accountable care organization – are groundbreaking.

However, one of the greatest assets I have witnessed in Melissa’s leadership style and role is her ability to mentor.

Melissa is able to see the bigger picture when it comes to healthcare. She works with individuals from many levels of healthcare and serves as mentor and a change agent.

In addition to her role at Wilmington Health, Melissa serves our healthcare community at large through her various roles with community boards and organizations, as well as her collaboration with established and up and coming entrepreneurs.”

-Hunter Crumpton, Coastal Carolinas Health Alliance quality and education specialist

 

Shelbourn Stevens

TITLE: President

ORGANIZATION: Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center

WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Shelbourn is a clinician first and a healthcare executive second. On a daily basis, physicians and staff find Shelbourn talking and working directly with patients.

Shelbourn was integral in the formation of the Novant Health Foundation Brunswick Medical Center. He helped lead the creation of the Foundation’s women’s and children’s wellness outreach initiative to target childhood  obesity, decrease smoking during pregnancy and increase breastfeeding rates in the Brunswick community. He  also helped lead the Foundation’s effort to bring mobile mammography services back to the community.

Within Novant Health, he successfully presented to the Novant Health executive team in 2006 on behalf of the corporate diversity council to gain approval for same sex domestic partner benefits, served as a co-chair for the United Way campaign and has been integral in the implementation of the electronic medical record.

He is also an active member of many community boards, including the Brunswick Community College Foundation, Brunswick County Economic Development Foundation and the Brunswick County Arts Council.”

-Amy Myers, Novant Health marketing director