Franciscan Health Surgeon In Indianapolis Honored With Healing Hands Award
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana - Don King, MD, is the second quarter winner of the Healing Hands Award, a program offered through Franciscan Health divisions in Central and Western Indiana. Dr. King is a general surgeon with Franciscan Physician Network Indy Southside Surgical and has been on staff since 1993.
Dr. King's award nomination included comments from patients who wrote to recommend him. Their comments included:
- "He is friendly, explains your situation so you can understand. He doesn't talk about you but to you. He's polite."
- "He knew exactly what he needed to do to rid me of great pain... I'm so grateful for his knowledge and skill...."
Dr. King takes such comments in stride. Every morning when he arrives at the hospital he tries to put himself in the shoes of his patients.
"When I get out of my car and head inside, I just say, 'Let's see if we can help somebody today.'" His kindness and consideration resonate with patients, colleagues and staff alike.
When he's not with patients, Dr. King enjoys being a sports fan, and he follows the Colts and Boilermakers. He and his friends and family are famous for elaborate tailgate parties at NFL home games and Purdue/IU games.
"I love team sports," said Dr. King, "and I get to play on a supremely talented team every day at Franciscan Health. My office staff, hospital staff, physician extenders (MAs/PAs/NPs) and colleagues all make what I do easier and a heck of a lot of fun! I couldn't begin to do my job without that hospital support and my family's loving support at home!"
Lisa Monteith, nurse manager for PACU at Franciscan Health Indianapolis, told those gathered for the Healing Hands Award reception that staff always knew where to find Dr. King: in PACU, waiting for a patient to come out of anesthesia so he could explain how the surgery went. Dr. King would wait, even if patients had surgery late in the day, to talk to each one.
Dr. King is a former president of the Indianapolis medical staff and has been a familiar name on Indianapolis Monthly's ”Top Docs”edition.
Photo caption: Dr. King (left) is presented with the Healing Hands Award by Dr. David Mandelbaum, medical director of Franciscan Health's palliative care services.
