Jorge Zeballos, MD named Physician of the Year at St. Luke’s Community Medical Center – The Woodlands

The Woodlands – The staff of St. Luke’s The Woodlands Hospital named Jorge Zeballos, MD Physician of the Year at a special awards ceremony last week. Zeballos, an emergency department physician, was selected for top honors from the hospitals 500+ physicians.

St. Luke’s – The Woodlands Vice President & CEO Debbie Sukin presented Dr. Zeballos with the award at the hospital’s Doctor’s Day luncheon. "It is truly an honor for our hospital and community to have Dr. Zeballos working with us to provide quality healthcare to our patients,” said Sukin.

Zeballos joined the medical staff of St. Luke’s in March of 2003. He earned his undergraduate degree from University of Texas – El Paso and his medical degree from Texas Tech University Health Science Center. Zeballos (Dr. Z to many of the staff) is well-regarded by the staff of St. Luke’s as someone who consistently exceeds patient, family, staff and peer expectations.

One staff member commented “Dr. Z provides quality care to his patients, is compassionate about his work and works hard at maintaining positive relationships in our community”. Zeballos took his commitment to medicine to a higher level during Hurricane Rita, donating his time and expertise to creating a core team to assist a community in need while never failing to meet his commitments at St. Luke’s.

"It has been an incredible honor to have received this award. As my nomination entered in part around events related to the last hurricane season; I have to thank SLTWH and it’s staff, our CEO Debbie Sukin and especially Dr. Frank Redmond for providing me the means and tools to help others. I will strive to continue serving this hospital and our community.” said Zeballos.

The physician of the year was selected from nominations submitted by the 602 members of St. Luke’s employee staff. “We are very proud of our Physician of the Year and our nominees for their commitment to St. Luke’s core values: Integrity, Valuing People, Excellence and Goal Orientation” said Sukin.

Other nominees included Vince Aquino, MD, Peter Bigler, MD, Deena Patil, MD and Mark Mettauer, MD. Aquino, St. Luke’s Chief of Staff is a dedicated champion of not only St. Luke’s but also the entire community. Bigler joined St. Luke’s in 2004 and was vital to the hospital’s response to Hurricane Rita. Patil, a popular member of our Labor and Delivery Medical Staff, is firmly committed to patient and staff education. Mettauer joined the St. Luke’s medical staff in November of 2004 and holds the distinction of performing the very first open-heart surgery in The Woodlands, here at St. Luke’s Community Medical Center.

In addition to the awards, all physicians were invited to enjoy a Mediterranean luncheon provided by St. Luke’s Food Service team and complimentary massages by Bella Rinova Salon & Spa. Chamber Music Unlimited provided live classical music during the luncheon.

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St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System comprises the flagship St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, founded in 1954 by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas; St. Luke’s Community Medical Center–The Woodlands, opened in 2003; St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities, a charity devoted to assessing and enhancing community health, especially among the underserved; and Kelsey-Seybold Management, LLP, overseeing 21 area clinic locations. St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital is home to the Texas Heart® Institute, founded in 1962 by Denton A. Cooley, MD, and consistently ranked among the top 10 cardiology and heart surgery centers in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Affiliated with several nursing schools and two medical schools, St. Luke’s serves as the primary private adult teaching hospital for Baylor College of Medicine. St. Luke’s was the first hospital in Texas named a Magnet hospital for nursing excellence, and the Health System has been recognized by FORTUNE as among “100 Best Companies to Work For” (2002, 2004 and 2005) and by Houston Business Journal as a top employer in Houston for three consecutive years.