Cardiologist Receives Tidewater EMS Award

Naval Medical Center - Portsmouth
Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Kris Lindstrom

Date: 07.11.2019
Posted: 07.12.2019 14:09
News ID: 331156
Cardiologist Receives Tidewater EMS Award

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (July 11, 2019) – Cmdr. Nelle Linz, an interventional cardiologist at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, received the 2019 Dr. Frank M. Yeiser Jr. Outstanding Pre-Hospital Physician Award from the Tidewater Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Council, Inc. on June 24. She was presented the award during a Norfolk Tides game at Harbor Park.

Every year, the Tidewater EMS Council, Inc., recognizes members of its EMS community who exemplifies exceptional service and dedication to the greater EMS community and patients.

Linz dedicated much of her recent career to establishing an accredited Chest Pain Clinic in NMCP and has worked very closely with the EMS community. She was overwhelmed when they began giving out the awards prior to the game.

“When they started reading the nomination, the Portsmouth EMS director was standing next to me and he nudged me and said ‘they are talking about you,’” Linz said. “When they called me out onto the field, I was pretty speechless. It was a big moment.”

After looking into the namesake of the award, Linz believes that it is a great honor to receive it because Dr. Frank Yeiser Jr. always strived to put the patient first. Also, the fact that she doesn’t work directly for EMS, winning an award in that community means that she must be doing the right thing.

“I am insanely humbled and honestly feel I didn’t deserve the award because in the past it has been so many EMS medical directors that have received this award and they work every single day with EMS,” Linz said. “So having a cardiologist like me receive it really means something special because not only am I able to make an impact here at the hospital but maybe I am extending outside of the hospital to make a difference out in the community. To me, that’s a legacy and it’s really just humbling.”

As the U.S. Navy's oldest, continuously-operating military hospital since 1830, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth proudly serves past and present military members and their families. The nationally-acclaimed, state-of-the-art medical center, along with the area's 10 branch health and TRICARE Prime Clinics, provide care for the Hampton Roads area. The medical center also supports premier research and teaching programs designed to prepare new doctors, nurses and hospital corpsman for future roles in healing and wellness.