From the ER to Surgery, Tennova Healthcare Gets Patient Back on His Feet

7/2/2025

CLARKSVILLE, TN, July 2, 2025 – David Bilan was relaxing at home on a Friday night when a quick trip to the kitchen turned into an unexpected journey to regain his health and mobility. An animal lover, he and his wife Sheryl have two dogs and two cats and one of the cats darted between his feet, causing him to fall. David knew he had seriously injured his right ankle and leg and managed to get to a recliner to assess the situation. His wife was out of town on an extended visit with their daughter and David was hesitant to call 911, so he reached out to a neighbor for help. The neighbor did not get the message until the next morning, when she immediately called EMS to transport David to Tennova Clarksville.

When David arrived in the ER, he was promptly taken to a room where the team’s priority was to determine the extent of his injuries and manage his pain. He said the staff was especially attentive because they knew he was there alone. “They made sure that I was taken care of, and they took care of my pain. The ER nurse was an angel of mercy – she really was an outstanding person, along with everyone who took care of me. A technician came in to do my EKG which was just routine, but she took time to talk with me and she listened.”

David had broken the two long bones in his ankle and would need surgery to repair the damage. He was admitted on Saturday morning with surgery scheduled for Monday. He was especially impressed that his surgeon stopped by on Sunday to introduce himself so they wouldn’t be meeting for the first time just before his surgery. “He came in on his day off with his two young daughters in a double stroller,” said David. “That told me he puts a lot of importance on taking care of his patients.” The surgery was a success and David was discharged two days later.

David spent more than 36 years in the military and working for the military and has been in Clarksville since 1991. He has been in many hospital settings and based on his experience, says he highly recommends Tennova Clarksville. “I was taken care of from start to finish,” said David. “I would rate the care I got at Tennova as good or better than any hospital that I have been at both as a patient and as a family member. I’ve had several surgeries so I’ve got enough experience to say that this was exceptional care.”

The emergency departments at Tennova Healthcare - Clarksville delivers medically necessary, life-saving care to more than 97,000 patients each year, regardless of the individual’s ability to pay. By evaluating and improving processes, the care team reduced the ER length of stay by 90 minutes in 2024, allowing patients to return home or continue the patient care process in the hospital much faster.

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