Windsor, VT – Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC), a Dartmouth Health member, has named Joe Higginbotham, a pharmacy and supply chain technician, the hospital’s Employee of the Month for September 2024. The hospital recognizes employees who consistently exceed expectations with reliability and daily dedication to their work.
In his role, Higginbotham assists the pharmacy and materials departments. He performs routine and specialized technical and clerical duties for drug distribution to patients, procurement functions and the receipt, storage and distribution of materials. He joined MAHHC in January 2021, and Lori Perron and his supervisors, Nicholas Dumont and Martha Colburn, nominated him for this recognition.
“Joe is such an easy-going employee; he never complains . . . he jumps right in and does an amazing job. He sure is an asset to our hospital, and he treats everyone with the utmost respect,” said Dumont and Colburn. “Joe was also our first pharmacy employee from Mt. Ascutney to attend Dartmouth’s Workforce Readiness Institute, where he went through a comprehensive 8-week Pharmacy Technician program, passed his nationally recognized certification exam and has been an invaluable member of our team since.”
Higginbotham’s nominators added, “He’s a quick study and conscientious worker who often has his ever-growing notepad of tips, tricks and processes close at hand. Joe has been a great addition to both departments, and his willingness to take on this position, evolve with it, and be willing to flex between departments based on staffing needs has been greatly appreciated!”
About Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center
Founded in 1933, Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC) is a not-for-profit community hospital network in Vermont, including the critical access-designated Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Historic Homes of Runnemede, a senior residential care campus, in Windsor, as well as the Ottauquechee Health Center in Woodstock. A member of the Dartmouth Health system, MAHHC provides primary care and a comprehensive suite of specialty services, along with 25 inpatient beds, a therapeutic pool and an acclaimed, fully modernized 10-bed Acute Rehabilitation Center. Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center is dedicated to improving the lives of those it serves and is at the hub of a wide network of community resources that have partnered to cover gaps in services and improve overall population health. One of the largest employers in the area, MAHHC acknowledges its employees as its greatest asset and has been recognized by the Governor's Office with an Excellence in Worksite Wellness award.
Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), is a recent recipient of Best Practice recognition by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) for health care quality, and is recognized by the American Hospital Association (AHA) as one of the "Most Wired" hospitals for integration of technology to boost clinical performance. The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has awarded MAHHC with Level 3 status, the highest level of medical home designation.