Ozarks Healthcare earns multiple honors, including Becker’s 2025 “Great Community Hospitals,” 417 Magazine Top Doctors, Best Regional Hospital, and MHA Recognition

Ozarks Healthcare is proud to celebrate a landmark year of recognition from state and national organizations for its exceptional physicians, innovative care, and commitment to community health.

Most recently, Ozarks Healthcare was named one of Becker’s Hospital Review’s “100 Great Community Hospitals” for 2025 – a national distinction that highlights hospitals across the U.S. known for clinical excellence, personalized care, and strong patient outcomes. Becker’s selected hospitals based on their dedication to delivering high-quality, accessible care, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Ozarks Healthcare was recognized for its strong focus on whole-person care, innovation in rural health, and educational advancement in career introduction practices.

 “At Ozarks Healthcare, we’re proud of the strong partnerships we’ve built with organizations like Missouri State University – West Plains, Southern Missouri Technical Institute, and others to invest in the future of healthcare,” Josh Reeves, Vice President of Development and Advocacy at Ozarks Healthcare, said. “Programs like M*A*S*H [Medical Academy of Science and Health] Camp and Inside Track are not just opportunities - they’re pathways. By working together, we’re helping students explore careers in healthcare, gain hands-on experience, and build the confidence they need to succeed. These collaborations are shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals, right here in our own communities.”

“This recognition by Becker’s affirms our mission to provide high-quality, compassionate care close to home,” Lacey Carter, Chief Operating Officer at Ozarks Healthcare, said. “It speaks to the passion our entire team brings to making a difference in rural healthcare every day.”

In addition, several Ozarks Healthcare physicians have been named 2025 Top Doctors by 417 Magazine, an annual peer-selected list of physicians who exemplify excellence in their specialties. This year’s honored physicians include:

• Cardiovascular Disease: Dr. Hussain Ibrahim – Ozarks Healthcare Heart and Lung Center
• Dermatology: Dr. Leslie Marshall – Ozarks Healthcare Dermatology
• Emergency Medicine: Dr. Curtis Horstman and Dr. Korby Pogue – Ozarks Healthcare Emergency Department
• Endocrinology: Dr. Nashmia Riaz – Ozarks Healthcare Endocrinology
• Family Medicine: Dr. Shannon Marsden – Ozarks Healthcare Family Care
• General Orthopedic Surgery: Dr. Susan Jolly and Dr. Caleb Piatt – Ozarks Healthcare Orthopedics and Spine
• Hospitalist: Dr. Priscilla Frase – Ozarks Healthcare Hospitalist Team
• Infectious Disease: Dr. Ritu Kathuria – Ozarks Healthcare Hospitalist Team
• Neurology: Dr. Clara Applegate – Ozarks Healthcare Neurology
• Orthopedic Specialties (All at Ozarks Healthcare Orthopedics and Spine):
  • Hand Surgery: Dr. Caleb Piatt
  • Joint Replacement Surgery: Dr. Caleb Piatt
  • Spinal Surgery: Dr. Troy Caron
• Podiatry: Dr. Tyler “Rex” Goodman and Dr. David Lish – Ozarks Healthcare Podiatry
• Podiatric Surgery: Dr. Tyler “Rex” Goodman – Ozarks Healthcare Podiatry
• Psychiatry: Dr. Jesse Rhoads – Ozarks Healthcare Behavioral Health Center

“These honors represent the heart of who we are: a team of caregivers dedicated to providing the best care possible, close to home,” Jacob Petrus, Vice President of Physician Services and Operations at Ozarks Healthcare, said. “We are incredibly proud of our providers and staff for their continued excellence.”

In addition to individual physician recognition, Ozarks Healthcare was recently named Best Regional Hospital in the West Plains Daily Quill’s “Best of the Best” competition, reflecting the community’s trust and support of the health system’s comprehensive services and patient-focused approach.

Ozarks Healthcare Pharmacies were recognized among the community’s favorites, earning “Best of the Best” honors for their trusted service and commitment to care. This recognition is part of over 20 awards received by Ozarks Healthcare across a range of services, highlighting the system’s dedication to excellence. Known for offering convenient prescription services, expert guidance, and friendly support, Ozarks Healthcare’s Pharmacies in West Plains, Gainesville, Thayer, and Mountain Grove continue to make high-quality, community-centered care easily accessible across the region.

“From primary care to advanced specialties, we are honored Ozarks Healthcare is trusted by patients and communities across the region,” Melissa Stewart, Ozarks Healthcare Board Chair, said.

Ozarks Healthcare also earned top honors from the Missouri Hospital Association (MHA) during National Nurses Week and Hospital Week, receiving two prestigious statewide awards:

Nurse Champion – Danielle Lind, RN

Danielle was honored for going above and beyond in her care for an ICU patient nearing the end of her life. When the patient’s granddaughter asked that her grandmother’s toenails be painted one last time - a simple gesture filled with meaning - Danielle acted immediately. After rallying coworkers and even arranging a nail polish delivery at 4 a.m., she ensured the patient’s dignity and final wish were honored. Her compassion moved not only the family, but everyone around her: a true reminder of what it means to be a nurse.

Nursing Team Champions – Ozarks Healthcare SANE Team

Ozarks Healthcare’s Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) team was recognized for their vital, trauma-informed care of survivors of sexual violence. Once forced to travel nearly 100 miles for services, local survivors now have access to expert, around-the-clock support thanks to this team’s efforts. Beyond bedside care, the SANE team collaborates across eight counties with law enforcement, advocacy groups, and social services, ensuring survivors are heard, supported, and empowered. Their work exemplifies the courage, empathy, and transformative power of nursing.

“These statewide recognitions highlight the extraordinary impact our nurses have on patients and the broader community,” Christen Weaver, Chief Nursing Officer at Ozarks Healthcare, said. “From quiet moments of dignity to groundbreaking care models, our team’s compassion and innovation continue to shine.”

Additionally, Ozarks Healthcare is proud to share that Dr. Priscilla Frase, Chief Medical Information Officer and Interim Director of IT, has been named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s 2025 “100+ Women in Health IT to Know” list. Frase is a national leader in health IT innovation, driving the transformation of Ozarks Healthcare’s entire system - from unifying all specialties into one electronic health record to expanding behavioral health services through the opening of a new crisis stabilization center. Under her guidance, Ozarks Healthcare also earned the 2024 KLAS Arch Collaborative “EHR Breakthrough Award” for excellence in EHR support and training.

Ozarks Healthcare was also recently recognized with the Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke SILVER PLUS with Target: Stroke Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Achievement Award for 2025 by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. This national recognition highlights Ozarks Healthcare’s continued success in applying the latest, evidence-based stroke and diabetes care through the Get With The Guidelines® program - improving patient outcomes and saving lives across its region.

Ozarks Healthcare maintains three Joint Commission accreditations:

• Ozarks Healthcare (hospital-wide)
• Behavioral Health
• Home Health and Hospice

These accreditations reflect the organization’s commitment to the highest standards of quality, safety, and performance improvement across its continuum of care.

In addition to celebrating current recognitions, Ozarks Healthcare is looking boldly to the future. As part of its continued growth and investment in rural health access, the health system is welcoming several new physicians across multiple specialties in 2025:

• Dr. Andrea Moyer, cardiologist – Ozarks Healthcare Heart and Lung Center
• Dr. Kamel Gharaibeh, interventional pulmonologist – Ozarks Healthcare Pulmonology
• Dr. Phool Iqbal, hospitalist – Ozarks Healthcare Hospitalist Team
• Dr. Jordan Lane, dermatologist – Ozarks Healthcare Dermatology
• Dr. Jose Crespo, OB/GYN – Ozarks Healthcare Women’s Health
• Dr. Thomas Harbert – orthopedic surgeon – Ozarks Healthcare Orthopedics and Spine
• Dr. Lori MacPherson – family medicine physician – Ozarks Healthcare West Plains Family Medicine
• Dr. Dushyant Verma – oncologist – Ozarks Healthcare Cancer Treatment Center
• Dr. Jiantao Ding – oncologist – Ozarks Healthcare Cancer Treatment Center

Ozarks Healthcare was also honored to welcome Dr. Jen Lambert (Ozarks Healthcare West Plains Family Medicine), Dr. Ryan Roberts (Ozarks Healthcare Pain Management), and Dr. Muhannad Khan (Ozarks Healthcare Heart and Lung Center) back to its health system this year.

Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) who have joined Ozarks Healthcare in 2025 include Paydan Clayton (Ozarks Healthcare Pulmonology), Vanessa Fowler (Ozarks Healthcare Pain Management), Maria Eskandar, Hilda Newell, and Laura Williams (Ozarks Healthcare West Plains Family Medicine), and Alice Mills (Ozarks Healthcare Cancer Treatment Center).

To learn more about Ozarks Healthcare’s award-winning services and providers, visit www.OzarksHealthcare.com.

Ozarks Healthcare is a not-for-profit health system that serves more than 160,000 residents across south-central Missouri and northern Arkansas. With its main campus residing in West Plains, Missouri, the health system offers a full spectrum of healthcare for all ages through its 114-bed hospital, behavioral health, therapies, pharmacies, rehabilitation, and home care services, along with specialty and family medicine clinics. Ozarks Healthcare has rural locations across an eight-county service area and is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.