ST. LOUIS - Dr. Thomas Applewhite, pediatric radiologist and chair of the department of radiology at Mercy Hospital St. Louis, is the 2021 winner of the Charles Thoele Physician Leadership Award.
The Thoele Award is presented annually to recognize a practicing physician who demonstrates significant leadership to Mercy in St. Louis, upholds the mission of the organization and exemplifies the Mercy values of justice, dignity, service, excellence and stewardship.
Dr. Applewhite’s four-decade career has been at Mercy. He started as a staff radiologist and founded the pediatric radiology program at Mercy St. Louis. He has served in various roles including his most recent and current title chairman of imaging services since 2005.
“Tom Applewhite is an amazing clinician and in the last two decades, I’ve witnessed his skills as an administrator,” said Dr. David Meiners, Mercy Hospital St. Louis president and the inaugural Thoele Award recipient. “He’s led the radiology department to new and higher levels at Mercy St. Louis and beyond across the East region.”
Past award recipients include Drs. David Meiners, Chris Veremakis, Charles H. Rehm, Jr., William Logan, Paul Hintze and Joan Shaffer.
The award honors Charles E. Thoele, former CEO of Mercy Hospital St. Louis, long-time member and former chair of both the Mercy and Mercy Hospital St. Louis Board of Directors, for his decades of service and vision regarding the importance of physician input into strategy and operational decisions. Thoele passed away in 2016.
To view the video created to celebrate Dr. Applewhite, please click here.
