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81st Medical Group selects 'Star Performers'

  • Published
  • By Steve Pivnick
  • 81st Medical Group Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  The Keesler Top III has selected Senior Airman Jeremy Blakey, 81st Medical Support Squadron, for their Airman category "Star Performer" Award for January-March 2012.

Master Sgts. Robert LeBlanc, 333rd Training Squadron and chairman of the Top III "Star Performer" program, and Mark Jegel, Mathes NCO Academy and the Top III recorder, presented the award to a surprised Blakey in the Keesler Hospital's Admissions and Disposition Office April 23.

Blakey had been nominated for the honor by Chief Master Sgt. Jeffrey Kahapea, superintendent of the 81st Medical Group's Safety and Facility Management Departments. He was cited for designing and implementing an environment of care customer checklist that summarized The Joint Commission's standards and their source document. He used the document while performing compliance inspections on 44 departments during which he identified 337 discrepancies. Blakey followed up by conducting quality assurance checks on 665 contractor repairs ensuring corrections returned the departments to meet compliance. By eliminating these potential findings before TJC's next inspection, he eliminated potential fines in excess of $1.4 million that would have negatively impacted hospital accreditation.

Blakey was also named the 81st MDG Top III "Star Performer."

The 81st MDG Top III named Staff Sgt. Sheri Samuels, 81st Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron, winner of their "Star Performer" Award in the NCO category. Master Sgt. Joshua Sigler, 81st MDG Education and Training Flight and acting Medical Group Top III vice president, presented the award to an unsuspecting Samuels in the 81st MDTS Pathology and Clinical Lab April 20.

Samuels earned the award for augmenting and stabilizing the Dermatology Clinic's Moh's surgery procedures during the deployment of the clinic's most valuable technician when there was no other viable option for this special training within the Keesler Hospital. Master Sgt. Camille Blackmon, who nominated Samuels, stated, "Samuels's enthusiasm and efforts allowed the Dermatology Clinic to continue performing Mohs surgery without a delay in patient treatment or care. This support prevented the medical group from losing revenue and maintained a liaison with Tulane University and Biloxi VA medical campus."