Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) associate Barbara Plaugher received the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA) Albert E. Dyckes Health Care Worker of the Year Award at the annual OHA Recognition Dinner held June 11. Earlier this year she was named Blanchard Valley Health Systems Associate of the Year.

This award is given to one Ohio hospital employee each year who demonstrates leadership, reflects the values and ideals of Ohio’s health care facilities, goes above and beyond the call of duty, gives back to the community and has overcome odds to succeed.

The Albert E. Dyckes Health Care Worker of the Year Award is the highest honor given by the OHA. OHA members are invited to nominate one person for the award, which was created in 1996. Plaugher was one of 62 nominees this year.

Plaugher began her career at Blanchard Valley Health System in 1958. She has been in various positions throughout Bluffton Hospital during her career, including nursing supervisor, x-ray tech, lab tech, director of nursing services, director of patient services and registered nurse in utilization and review.

She has also worked at Blanchard Valley Hospital as the director of risk management and quality improvement. Currently, she works as a coding analyst at Bluffton Hospital.

Plaugher has given back to the Health System, her community and the world. She has contributed in every arena of acute health care from staff nursing to leading the quality charge as well as championing organ procurement, establishing clinical sites for nursing students and counseling for those with HIV.

Her passion to serve others has resulted in 18 missionary trips over three continents throughout the last 20 years where she has set up clinics to assess and treat handicapped children in third world countries.