Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital Names 2023 Mercy Award Winner

Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital recently announced that Karen Upchurch, PTA, has been recognized as the facility’s 2023 Mercy Award winner. The Mercy Award recognizes one employee from each of Lifepoint Health’s facilities who profoundly touches the lives of others and best represents the spirit and values on which the company was founded.

The Mercy Award is an annual recognition program established in 2002 to honor the life and contributions of Scott Mercy, Lifepoint’s founding chairman and chief executive officer. The award is considered the highest honor a Lifepoint employee can receive.

“At Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital, we share Lifepoint’s commitment to making communities healthier, and we recognize this is supported by the good work and service of our employees on and off the job,” said Robert Parker, CEO of Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital. “Karen truly embodies what it means to be a compassionate team member who is always available to support LCRH’s team members, patients, and families. We are honored and privileged to work with her, and no one is more deserving of this recognition today.”

Karen is a dedicated, well-respected team member that has been a physical therapy assistant at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital (LCRH) for over thirty years. Throughout her career, Karen has led many initiatives, represented our company’s core values, and provided excellent care to our patients and community. In 2022, she went above and beyond caring for patients in specific instances, including handling a complicated out-of-state discharge, coordinating relief efforts during the devastating floods in Eastern Kentucky, and serving as a supervisor for students during clinical rotations.

Each hospital winner, including Karen, will be considered for Lifepoint’s 2023 companywide Mercy Award. The company-wide winner will be announced this summer and honored during a ceremony in Nashville, Tenn., in August, to which Karen and all hospital winners are invited to attend.