Dr. Billy Back honored with lifetime service award
Mercy Health hands out 20th Catherine McAuley Award
By ERICA BLAKE
Mercy Health
WILLARD – The 20th Annual Catherine McAuley Lifetime Commitment to Service Award was presented to Dr. Billy Back during a ceremony held at Mercy Health – Willard Hospital on Sept. 17 as part of Mercy Health Willard’s celebration of Mercy Week. A reception honoring Back followed the ceremony.
The Catherine McAuley Lifetime Commitment to Service Award was created in 1999 by Mercy Health – Willard to honor past and present affiliates. This award is the most prestigious honor that Mercy Health Willard can bestow on any associate of the hospital. The award is given to individuals who, through a lifetime of services to this hospital, emulate most closely the values of the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine McAuley.
Lynn Detterman, president, Mercy Health – Toledo Rural, opened the ceremony with welcoming remarks and Julie Landoll, director of Mission Integration and Spiritual Care, offered the prayer. Back was presented with a beautiful vase etched with the Mercy Health logo and wooden base with an engraved plaque.

Back was nominated for the 2018 Catherine McAuley Lifetime Commitment to Service Award by employees, Annette Campbell, Kathy Stevens, Kelly Shaarda, Tammy Mills and Tracy Bordner of Mercy Health – Greenwich Family Medicine.
The team said in his nomination form: “Dr. Billy Back has dedicated numerous years to Mercy Health – Willard Hospital as well as to the Willard community. He is a kind compassionate physician who strives to put patient care at the forefront of his career. He is genuinely concerned with his patient’s welfare inside the hospital and outside in the community. His patients value his humility and his concern that they understand their plan of care. Dr. Back is patient and takes time to answer all their questions.”
Dr. Back hosts numerous medical and nurse practitioner students throughout the year and enjoys investing in future providers, keeping in contact with many students as they advance. Dr. Back coaches his daughter’s softball team and served as a physician for the Huron County Health Department for many years. Dr. Back is committed to his community, hospital and practice by his unselfish service to others. He upholds the Mercy Health Mission and Values to serve each patient with dignity and compassion, said his staff.
“Dr Back is a wonderful asset to Mercy Health and is continually showing his service to
Excellence in all he does. His kind, loyal and humble demeanor brightly shines in this
compassionate ministry of Jesus as he gently cares for his patients. We are blessed at Mercy Health by Dr. Back’s presence and he is truly a role model to all,” said Julie Landoll.
Lynn Detterman added, “Dr. Back is an excellent physician who continuously puts his patient’s needs first. He is a medical staff leader, and we are blessed to have as part of our team.”
Past award recipients are: Anna Belle Steely, RN, John E. Rosso, MD, Sister Rita Mary Wasserman, RSM, Madeline McClure, Evelyn Langjhar, RN, Arlene Moll, RN, Janet Dean, LPN, John V. Emery, MD, Song Sivongsak, Kaye Anderson, Barbara Frisch, LPN, James Detwiler, Phyllis Sands, Tik Liem, MD, Lola Giles, RN, Beth Goodsite, RN, CMCN, Julie Landoll, LSW, Audrey Fridsma, RN, Rose Wurm, RN, Addie Snay, RT and Kathy Love, LPN, Janice Poths, R.N., Jeannine Snay, Tim DeMonte, Kathi Miller and Dick Snay, Sr. Diane Hay, Dr. Woo H. Paik, Connie Foster and Shelli Loy.
Mercy Health – Toledo is part of Bon Secours Mercy Health, one of the top 20 health systems in the U.S., one of the largest employers in Ohio and part of the top performing quartile of Catholic health systems for lowest cost per case for patient care. Locally, Mercy Health is based in Toledo, and serves 20 counties in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. Visit mercy.com for additional information and connect with Mercy Health – Toledo on Facebook, on Twitter at @mercynwohio and on Instagram.
Erica Blake is integrated communications manager at Mercy Health, 2409 Cherry St., Suite 305, Toledo, erica_blake@mercy.com.