Methodist Fremont Health Staff Members Honored with Patriot Award for Support of Deployed Doctor

From left: Brett Richmond, president and CEO of Methodist Fremont Health; Dr. James Tiehen; Dr. Michele Williams, Emergency Department medical director; and Pat Callaway, director of Emergency and Outpatient Services

Three Methodist Fremont Health staff members were recently honored for their support of Emergency Department physician James Tiehen, MD, a captain in the Nebraska Army National Guard.

Brett Richmond, president and CEO; Michele Williams, MD, medical director of the Emergency Department; and Pat Callaway, MHA, BSN, CEN, NE-BC, director of Emergency and Outpatient Services, were presented with the Patriot Award by Nebraska Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) volunteers Steve Hokamp and Steve Tellatin. 

“On short notice for my deployment, my employer was able to locate and credential a new physician to fill in for me while I was away,” wrote Dr. Tiehen, who is also a physician with the Guard. “They were supportive of the time off I needed and were well prepared for my return to work. … There were no delays or issues with settling back into my role when I returned.”

“The Patriot Award was created by ESGR to publicly recognize individuals who provide outstanding support and cooperation to their employees who, like the citizen warriors before them, have answered their nation’s call to serve,” Hokamp said in his presentation. “Supportive supervisors are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation’s Guard and Reserve units, and it’s a pleasure for me to recognize Mr. Richmond, Dr. Williams and Mr. Callaway with this award.”

ESGR, a Department of Defense program, seeks to foster a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States. For more information about ESGR outreach programs or volunteer opportunities, visit www.ESGR.mil.