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