Greenbriar Nursing Center Welcomes Sam Patterson, PTA

We are happy to announce the hiring of our new full-time Physical Therapy Assistant, Sam Patterson, PTA. He serves at Greenbriar Nursing Center.

Sam received his Associate of Arts from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. He obtained his Associate in Applied Science Degree as a Physical Therapy Assistant from Kilgore College. In addition, Sam is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

Sam is married to Brooke, and they have two children: Evie, 8 years old, and Nate, 4 years old. The family has recently moved back to the Mississippi Gulf Coast from Texas, where they have spent the last 12 years. Sam became a PTA because of a strong desire to help people improve their quality of life and achieve their goals. He is especially interested in working with the geriatric population to positively impact their quality of life, helping them age gracefully while preserving their value, dignity, and sense of purpose.

During Sam’s time off, he enjoys hunting, hiking, fishing, kayaking, and other outdoor hobbies.

We are excited to welcome Sam to our therapy team at Greenbriar Nursing Center. We are confident he is ready to take on the physical therapy needs. We look forward to seeing patients’ recovery journeys.

Yalobusha General Hospital and Mid South hosted an Open House event for the residents and family members at Magnolia Commons

Magnolia at Oxford Commons - Oxford, MS

I am excited to share that on Tuesday, April 29, Yalobusha General Hospital and Mid South hosted an Open House event for the residents and family members at Magnolia Commons—one of our new and stunning Assisted Living communities located in Oxford. Jessica Embry, CEO of Yalobusha General Hospital, and her husband were also in attendance. 

Natasha Hamlin, JR, and Lewis did a first-class job coordinating the event. The food was excellent, the flowers were beautiful, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. The event drew an impressive turnout of approximately 75–100 individuals. It was a wonderful time engaging with the residents and their family members. 

Vanessa Morgan, the Executive Director, opened the event by emphasizing the importance of our partnership and invited me to provide an overview of our collaboration and the services we offer. I delivered a high-level overview of our clinical services, expressing how truly blessed we feel and our heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to provide comprehensive, compassionate, and skilled care whenever needed. I emphasized that we are here to support them physically, mentally, and spiritually. 

In addition, JR, Lewis, and Peyton Quillen, DPT, our Director of Rehabilitation, shared valuable insights about our partnership. Peyton took the opportunity to introduce each team member, recognizing their significant contributions and the unique strengths they bring.

Vanessa expressed her enthusiasm for our partnership and highlighted the positive changes observed in residents receiving care. She spoke highly of our therapy team, emphasizing how amazing our therapists are and how well-maintained the therapy department is. Their gratitude for our partnership and excitement about a long and rewarding relationship were evident throughout the event. 

It was a fantastic occasion, but what was most meaningful was spending time getting to know the residents and their family members. We are truly blessed to have an incredible, top-notch team that is committed to providing compassionate, high-quality care to those we serve. 

Steven L. Cole

President and Chief Executive Officer

Anna Way, SLP and Director of Rehab at Yalobusha Nursing Home, has been honored as Mid South Rehab Services’ 2024 Employee of the Year!

I am filled with great pride and excitement to announce that Anna Way, SLP and Director of Rehab at Yalobusha Nursing Home, has been honored as Mid South Rehab Services’ 2024 Employee of the Year!

The award was presented during a special recognition ceremony held at the Water Valley Country Club on Tuesday, April 29th. The event was attended by senior leadership from Yalobusha General Hospital and Nursing Home, including CEO Jessica Embry, Administrator Meagan Gordan, and other key leaders who joined in celebrating Anna’s remarkable accomplishments.

I had the personal privilege of presenting this distinguished award to Anna, alongside Carole Shepard, DPT, DOR of Yalobusha General Hospital, John Robert Burnett, DPT, who oversees our UMMC partnership; Lewis Bateman, DPT, Regional Clinical Director; Jordan Houston, LPTA, Regional Clinical Director; and Regena Cooper, VP of HR. It was a moment filled with pride and gratitude for all Anna has contributed to our team and company.

Anna has been with Mid South Rehab since 2011 and has consistently demonstrated the highest levels of clinical excellence, leadership, and compassion. Her journey has taken her from Azalea Gardens in Oxford to her current leadership role at Yalobusha, where she has significantly elevated care quality, improved outcomes, and fostered a culture of empathy and professionalism.

She is known not only for her technical skill as a Speech-Language Pathologist, but also for her servant leadership, unwavering reliability, and commitment to mentoring others. Her efforts have strengthened our partnerships, improved service delivery, and enriched the lives of patients and team members alike.

John Robert Burnett, DPT, described Anna as “a peacemaker and a solution finder, always performing these roles in a spirit of love and professionalism.” We couldn’t agree more.

Team, please join me in congratulating Anna Way on this well-earned and meaningful recognition. Her excellence is an inspiration to us all, and we are truly blessed to have her part of our Mid South faith family!

With deepest gratitude and admiration,

Steven L. Cole

President and Chief Executive Officer

Anna has allowed us to share her response below. Thank you, Anna.

Good morning!   It was so nice to see so many of you yesterday; the video from ESC was overwhelming!

I want to share my deepest thanks, gratitude, and to let you all know how truly honored I was yesterday to receive the distinction of Employee of the Year.  Nearly 14 years with Mid South have gone by in the blink of an eye, and that is certainly a testament to the joy I've had in my career with you all.  There are too many instances to elaborate on how supportive Mid South leadership, unofficial mentors, and coworkers have been in my development as an SLP.  As a clinician, I've always known that my patients get better when they have an entire multidisciplinary team that gives them their all.  Our rehab field is such an interconnected field.  When my patient is up, out of the hospital bed, walking with PT, I see their swallow function, respiratory status, and cognition improve.  When they are swallowing and eating better, their walking and endurance with PT/OT improves.  One just doesn't work without the other!  It is a mirror of how important my "work family" is to me.  I couldn't be the clinician I am without being just one link in the chain of this absolutely stellar rehab team.  The team at YGH can't be commended enough! Carol's leadership is the backbone that makes this incredible group work and I'm so grateful that MSRS and the YGH team came into my life.

Again, a humble thank you, and I pray for many more happy years with my MSR family.  Have a nice day.    

Anna Way, M.S. CCC-SLP

Mid South Rehab Services 

Yalobusha General Hospital and Nursing Home