CareSouth Carolina's Jeri Andrews named 'Emerging Leader of the Year'

CareSouth Carolina’s Jeri Andrews, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, was named the recipient of the ‘Emerging Leader of the Year Award’ by the South Carolina Primary Healthcare Association (SCPHCA) for 2021.

Andrews, who took over the role of Associate Medical Director this year for CareSouth Carolina, said she was humbled and honored to receive the award.

“I am both honored and humbled to receive the SCPHCA Emerging Leader Award. I am so very fortunate to work for an organization with a CEO and leadership team who truly believe in growing and developing their own,” Andrew said. “I am living proof of this belief as I began my relationship with CareSouth Carolina in 2009 as a Nurse Practitioner student and was then hired full-time in 2010 soon after graduation. I’ve held several positions within the company and most recently became Associate Medical Director in June 2021. I want to thank those leaders in the organization who have invested in me, mentored me, and most importantly believed in me. I must also thank my family who have supported me through this journey. I truly love what I do, where I do it, and the people I do it with and for. I wish for many more years at CareSouth Carolina where I can continue to live our mission of enhancing and improving the health and well-being of everyone!”

The Emerging Leader Award is designed to highlight and share the accomplishments of exceptional individual of the health center and PCA. We are looking for an individual who has exhibited leadership in undertaking or guiding a specific task (or multiple tasks) that has helped the health center or PCA further the mission of providing high-quality, culturally competent health services to underserved populations in your service area.

The nomination for Andrews read:

“Jeri Andrews, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC is the Associate Clinical Director at CareSouth Carolina after having had 11 years tenure at CSC.  Jeri has served in many different capacities and has always stepped up, meeting needs in many different ways.  For example, Jeri stepped up, getting her clinical certification as an HIV/AIDS providers.   Then as CareSouth began to expand mobile and school-based services and other off-site services, Jeri stepped up again and took on the mantle of directing these programs.  Annnndddd then, March 2020 hit with the COVID-19 virus blowing us all out of the water.  Jeri stepped up again and quickly and efficiently organized our telehealth services, addressing policies, procedures and navigating the equipment and documentation issues.   In the days in March after CSC closed its office in mid-March, Jeri pulled together a team and accomplished providing over 1,000 telehealth visits in those two weeks.  As the pandemic progressed, her team accomplished between two and three thousand telehealth visits a month.   But the story on Jeri Andrews does not end with school-based care, telehealth or mobile services, she was selected as an Amy V. Cockcroft Leadership Fellow for the Class of 2021-2022.  In recognition of Jeri's leadership skills and with a recent CSC re-organization, Jeri was moved into the position of Associate Clinical Director in June 2021.  As we navigate through the increasing demands of this pandemic, we have seen so many times the leadership that Jeri brings to CSC.   Her accountability, responsiveness and commitment have convinced those of us at CSC that Jeri is an emerging leader of great potential.”

Andrews was recently named a 2021-22 Amy V. Cockcroft Leadership Fellow. She was the lone representative from a federally-qualified health center (FQHC) in the state and one of just 15 selections overall.

CareSouth Carolina is a private, non-profit community health center delivering patient-centered health and life services in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. CareSouth Carolina operates centers in Bennettsville, Bishopville, Cheraw, Chesterfield, Dillon, Hartsville, Lake View, Latta, McColl and Society Hill.

Services provided by CareSouth Carolina include family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, women services, OB/GYN, HIV/AIDS primary care, dental, chiropractic services, pharmacy, geriatrics, social services, clinical counseling, laboratory, 4D ultrasound, X-Ray, migrant services and veterans choice provider.