News-Topic Staff

Guerra wins NCAFP Community Teaching Award

Caldwell Memorial Hospital and Caldwell Physicians congratulate Dr. Marc Guerra of Hallmark Family Physicians for being named recipient of the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians (NCAFP) Community Teaching Award.

In her notification letter to Dr. Guerra, NCAFP Foundation President Dr. Maureen E. Murphy wrote, "We are very fortunate to have family physicians such as you in the state of North Carolina."

Dr. Guerra will receive public recognition and his commemorative award plaque at the NCAFP State-of-the-Academy awards luncheon in Asheville this December. Dr. Guerra also recently was appointed as a Clinical Professor of Community and Family Medicine at Duke University.

Hallmark Family Physicians and Caldwell Physicians are divisions of Caldwell Memorial Hospital.

Kimball joins CMH

Caldwell Memorial Hospital welcomed Sharon Kimball, BSN, MBA, RN as chief nursing officer and vice president. Kimball comes to Caldwell Memorial from All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., where she served as vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer.

She is a member of American Organization of Nurse Executives, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Sigma Theta Tau, American College of Healthcare Executives, American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nurses, St Raphael's Council of Catholic Women and American Heart Association.

Kimball received her diploma in Nursing from Quincy City Hospital and her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Northeastern University. She continued her education, earning a Master of Science Degree in Nursing Administration from Boston University and an Executive Master of Business Administration Degree from Jacksonville University. Most recently, Kimball completed the esteemed Johnson & Johnson/Wharton Fellowship for Nurse Executives. In 1989 she served as a nurse consultant in Krakow, Poland; and in 1987 she served as a nurse consultant as part of Project Hope in Shanghai, China.

Kimball grew up in Boston, the oldest of six children. She moved to Lenoir with her husband Brad, a computer software consultant, and their two dogs, Emma and Patches.

Vascular surgeon becomes member of society

Dr. Peter Purcell, who practices with Horizon Surgical Specialists, became a member of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) in June 2009 during its Vascular Annual Meeting in Denver. With 3,000 members, the SVS is the largest professional society dedicated to the advancement of excellence and innovation in vascular health through education, advocacy, research and public awareness.

Dr. Purcell is the endovascular surgeon at Horizon Surgical Specialists and a member of the Active Medical Staff of Caldwell Memorial Hospital. He performs endovascular surgery for acutely ischemic limbs (AIL), aortic aneurisms, carotid artery stenting (CAS), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), peripheral artery disease (PAD) and more.

Caldwell Memorial Hospital is one of only 23 hospitals in North Carolina that is CMS-approved for carotid artery stenting. And Dr. Purcell and Caldwell Memorial Hospital beat the published national average (3-7 percent) for major complications in carotid artery stenting with an average of less than 1 percent.

Founded in 1947, membership in the SVS is recognized in the vascular community as a mark of professional achievement. Acceptance as a SVS member demonstrates its recognition of Dr. Peter Purcell's achievements in advancing vascular health by providing a high standard of medical treatments, and his commitment to research and continued education in new science, medical procedures and surgery.

Vascular surgeons are the only physicians treating vascular disease today who can provide all the treatment options available. SVS members are the leaders in vascular health who provide the most comprehensive diagnosis and treatment.

To learn more about vascular health, visit www.CaldwellMemorial.org or www.VascularWeb.org.

Dr. Peter Purcell accepts referrals to his practice at Horizon Surgical Specialists. Referrals may be made by calling 758-5501.