Dr. Ahmed Kardar of Southside Regional Medical Center and Rappahannock General Hospital honored as Alteon Health Facility Medical Director of the Year

Ahmed Kardar, MD, director of hospital medicine at Southside Regional Medical Center in Petersburg, Va., and Rappahannock General Hospital in Kilmarnock, Va., 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 these Bon Secours Mercy Health programs since April and December 2019, respectively.

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. Kardar transitioned into his roles in the midst of the pandemic, becoming medical director at Rappahannock and Southside, which had the highest volume of COVID-positive patients in Central Virginia, in July 2020.

In her nomination, Tina Latimer, MD, MPH, MBA, FACEP, regional medical director for Alteon's Bon Secours Mercy Health Virginia programs, noted that at both hospitals, Kardar worked with his colleagues in other departments to enhance communications and improve overall quality of care and efficiency despite the challenges of high volume and acuity. Both Alteon and hospital leadership have applauded his exceptionally positive attitude, which allowed him to model empathy and motivate his teams through the toughest months of the pandemic. No physicians or APPs left his programs in 2020.

"Dr. Kardar's leadership has embodied a commitment to patients and his team of providers," Latimer said. "His ?can-do' attitude has proven an invaluable beacon for his team."

Kardar 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.)
• Stephanie Dabulis, MD, chair of emergency medicine, CalvertHealth Medical Center (Prince Frederick, Md.)
• 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 deeply honored and humbled to receive this recognition and would like to specifically thank our physicians, APPs, nursing staff, administrative support staff, and the Alteon executive leadership, without whom providing quality care to our patients would not have been possible during these challenging times," Kardar said.

Kardar earned his medical degree from the Aga Khan University Medical College in Karachi, Pakistan, and completed his Internal Medicine residency at the Northwell Health Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, New York. He began working at Southside Regional Medical Center in the fall of 2017 and transitioned to Alteon when it assumed management of the program in April 2019. He is highly engaged in both hospitals' operations, serving on eight committees between the two facilities.

"Dr. Kardar is adept at communicating with physicians, patients, and hospital leadership?and he does this at not just one site but two," said Joyce Kennedy, Alteon's regional vice president of operations. "He constantly steps up to new challenges and cares deeply about the success of his team."

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.