Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital Names 2026 Mercy Award Winner

Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital (LCRH) recently announced that Steven White, BA, BSRT, RDCS, RDMS, Chest Pain Program Coordinator, has been recognized as the facility’s 2026 Mercy Award winner. The Mercy Award recognizes one employee from each of Lifepoint Health’s facilities who profoundly touches the lives of others and best represents the spirit and values on which the company was founded.

Established in 2001, the Mercy Award is an annual recognition program that honors the life and contributions of Scott Mercy, Lifepoint’s founding chairman and chief executive officer. The award is considered the highest honor a Lifepoint employee can receive.

“At LCRH, our caring and compassionate team members are at the heart of advancing our mission of making communities healthier – and Steve is a shining example of this day in and day out,” said Carolyn Sparks, CEO of Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital.  “We are so proud to recognize his many contributions to caring for patients, supporting our hospital, and serving our community. I’m grateful for Steve’s positive influence and the example he sets for all of us.”

Steve has had an immeasurable impact on our hospital, patients, and region through his leadership of the STEMI (ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction) program. Under his guidance, patients across multiple counties receive timely, life-saving cardiac care when every second counts. Colleagues consistently recognize the tangible improvements in patient outcomes, with a veteran team member noting that Steve’s efforts have reduced door-to-balloon times to remarkably low levels—“as low as 8 minutes”—a testament to his relentless pursuit of excellence. Another colleague described him as “a superstar” for the standard he sets and the momentum he generates in our chest pain initiatives.

Steve’s service extends far beyond the hospital walls. He travels throughout the region to partner with EMS agencies, providing real-time education on STEMI/NSTEMI recognition, chest pain protocols, and optimal patient routing. His compassion also reaches beyond borders. Steve dedicates personal time to medical missions in Belize, where he performs echocardiograms for individuals with limited access to cardiac diagnostics.

His dedication—both in the hospital and in the community—embodies the core values Lifepoint Health prizes in the Mercy Award.

Each facility winner, including Steve, will be considered for Lifepoint’s 2026 companywide Mercy Award. The companywide winner will be announced this summer and honored during a ceremony in Nashville, Tenn., in September.