2021 Year End WOW Award Winner – Dr. Michael Lemon

Our WOW Patient Experience Initiative was first launched in October 2018 and focuses on developing a staff-led environment that fosters patient-centered care that rewards employees for exceeding patient and family expectations. Employees are nominated who exemplify the values of Wood County Hospital in ways that provided a “WOW” experience to our patients, family and visitors. One winner is chosen on a monthly basis and is then eligible to be selected as the year end WOW award winner.

In November 2021, employees had the opportunity to vote for who they felt should be selected as the year-end WOW award winner. Dr. Michael Lemon, a pediatrician with Wood County Medical Associates and Medical Director of Wood Health Company, was recognized for his compassion and for exhibiting exemplary service. In May of this year, an employee received a phone call while at work and learned their child had a very serious diagnosis. Understandably, the employee was devastated. Dr. Lemon was on-site and was getting ready to leave for a meeting when he learned the employee was extremely upset after receiving the news. He stopped what he was doing and brought the employee into his office to clarify what was going on, ultimately missing his meeting. Dr. Lemon proceeded to contact all the physicians involved in the child’s care, coordinated the needed tests and obtained an estimate on when the results would be received. The employee then left for home but called Dr. Lemon when they arrived and asked if he would be willing to assist in giving the diagnosis to the child. Dr. Lemon did not hesitate, wrote down the employee’s address and told the employee he would be there in five minutes.