Dear Ballad Health Medical Staff and Team Members,
As we celebrate National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week, I want to thank each of you – more than 13,000 people who show up in the moments that matter most every day – bringing skill, compassion and caring to the people and communities we serve. Whether at the bedside, behind the scenes, in our clinics, offices or support services, your work is demanding, but it changes lives and strengthens the health of our communities.
My wife is a nurse and my daughter a physician assistant. I am so proud of them and their love for their license and profession. As I observe our team members, I see a common thread, which is each person’s willingness – in fact eagerness – to show up for the long hours, and to be able to do it again and again whatever the circumstances, with a passion for giving relief to people who are suffering or struggling. What stands out is not just clinical excellence, but the humanity our team members bring to every interaction.
I can think of no greater example of the caring and dedication than the team at Ridgeview Pavilion, our adult inpatient psychiatric facility Bristol, Virginia. With many team members having served at the facility for more than 20 years, the medical staff at Ridgeview treats patients with some of the most acute psychiatric and behavioral health needs, often seeing the same patient over several years as they battle ongoing mental health challenges.
Earlier this spring, one such patient was readmitted. Over the years, the team at Ridgeview has encouraged him to seek placement in a shelter; however, respecting his wishes and recognizing his autonomy, they continued to support him as he preferred to live outdoors in his tent. During his recent visit, the team discovered his tent and belongings had been stolen, triggering his challenges with his mental illness.
Without hesitation, our team stepped up, collaborating with local partners to secure a new tent, warm boots and a coat before he was discharged – all at no cost to the patient.
A few weeks ago, the patient returned to the unit – not to be readmitted – but with handwritten “thank-you” notes for the team members who went above and beyond the call of duty, providing him not just with quality care but also with respect and dignity. This is the power of what we do day in, day out at Ballad Health. Every day, our teams do more than tend to a patient’s physical or mental well-being; they treat them as a whole person.
Every May, we honor those who choose a career in healthcare and nursing despite its challenges, recognizing that their dedication saves lives. Across our system, nurses are often the first to hear patients’ needs, quickly recognizing changes in condition and coordinating with the care team to ensure the right tests and treatments are delivered at the right time.
When Norton Community Hospital Nurse Manager Kathy Livingston noticed a patient suffering from double vision the night before his transfer to rehab, she insisted on running a few more tests. A CT scan found a mass on the patient’s brain, and he was transferred to Johnson City Medical Center for treatment. He has since returned to rehab at Norton Community and was discharged home.
Just last week, the patient’s wife told Nurse Livingston that without her, “we would have lost him… God used you.”
Our clinical staff comes to work every day, facing busy waiting rooms, patient care units and clinics along with worried patients and families – and they commit to listening with empathy and providing excellent medical care. Their dedication, their attentiveness and their concern for the needs of others is the backbone of what we do at Ballad Health.
As we observe National Nurses Day, Nurses Week and Healthcare and Hospitals Week this May, I encourage you to take a moment to recognize the contributions of our team members, wherever they work in the system – whether you write a note, make a call or simply stop to say “thank you.”
To our nurses: Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for moving towards those in need, for listening to patients and families who are suffering, and for standing alongside each other in one of the most difficult fields of work. You make our organization and our region better every day.
Thank you and God bless,
Alan
