Stephen Muehlenbein, MD, was recently named Physician of the Year at Wallace Thomson Hospital. This award is given annually to one outstanding physician.

Wallace Thomson Hospital CEO, Bill Leonard presented the award during the Hospital Week kick-off celebration on May 11. Leonard read a few comments from the nominations, which cited reasons for his selection. These included: "Dr. Muehlenbein always has an open door policy; he takes time to talk to staff, doctors and patients whenever asked. He shows loyalty to the hospital and his patients by his continued interest in bettering the quality of care, by implementing new procedures and diligently seeking ways to obtain upgraded equipment and technology. He shows compassion and understands that when a patient has a radiological procedure performed, they want immediate results and he strives to make that happen."

Leonard said that when asking a nurse about the promptness of Dr. Muehlenbein's work, he received the following reply: "we had a patient's results on our computer before the patient could take the elevator ride back up to the first floor."

Dr. Muehlenbein said of the award, "This award was quite a surprise to me. I would like to acknowledge that this award is a reflection of the teamwork within our hospital. The entire radiology department deserves this award; without their support and dedication, I could not even begin to do my job. They make it easy for me. It is an honor to work with my excellent team and an honor to serve this community."

"Dr. Stephen Muehlenbein has provided a standard of care surpassing that of many other radiologists,” Leonard said. “He has improved patient care by having 98 percent of his radiological reports returned to physicians the very next day, less than 24 hours; at many hospitals, patients may wait days to receive their results. His consistent excellence and professional demeanor have had a very positive impact on our hospital.”

"This is well deserved recognition for Dr. Muehlenbein,” said Edward Bolds, director, Cardiopulmonary & Imaging Services. “He is the total package of skill, leadership and personality, and I congratulate him."