Angel Medical Center President's Column for December 2022

A Servant’s Heart and a Helping Hand: The Critical Ingredients in Compassionate Care and Community Support of Angel Medical Center


The Christmas season is already here, and it’s hard to believe that we are winding down another year and preparing to usher in 2023!

I love to reflect on events in my life, especially at the end of the year. Of course, COVID keeps streaming through my mind since it has marked all of our lives so indelibly. I also tend to revisit my “why” for entering the healthcare industry as I center myself within the context of the coming year. Over my 25 years of working in this rewarding and always exciting world of healthcare, I have had the pleasure of working almost every job in a hospital. That has been a considerable gift which allowed me to see patient care from many different angles, and to gain insight into the joys and challenges posed by each. My “why” always comes back to one thing though: how very much I love being involved in caring for others and having a grateful servant’s heart for each patient and/or family I cared for. As I advanced and grew throughout my career, my “why” evolved and grew, but never strayed from the original, simple reason I entered healthcare — and that has to do with each of you in this community.

I consider you, my neighbors, to be gifts because you keep me engaged and challenged, and you inspire me to keep striving to make Angel Medical Center the best it can be for our patients. Every individual I have the privilege of working with here has also proven to be a gift, since through them, I can touch so many members of our community in some way — whether that’s sitting for a bit and listening to a patient in their room or gratefully receiving feedback about what we are excelling at and the opportunities for growth we have. And this might take place in a meeting room, a hospital room, or the grocery store. I do this with a sense of honor and a true passion for care.

As we enter this holiday season particularly, our thoughts turn to spending time with family and friends, connecting with those we haven’t seen in a very long time, and exchanging gifts. This together time will be more possible and cherished than in recent years, thanks to COVID-19 vaccinations and treatments that have been developed in quick response to this life-altering pandemic. This is certainly another extraordinary gift. The Christmas story has much to teach us about how to give and receive, but it also shows us what those who never accept gifts that come their way seem to always be seeking. The Shepherds and the Wise Men sought to find baby Jesus and came bearing gifts with open hearts and selflessness. At the same time, others were negative, critical, shaming, and they lashed out. Fast forward a couple thousand years and we see that it’s still easy to fall into this mentality.

This holiday season, let’s make an effort to reach out to those who are positive and living in a loving and generous way — like our AMC providers — and thank them, honor their energy, and do all we can to enable them to keep giving of themselves and exuding that healing positivity.

The beauty of life is that we are not designed to be perfect. We are designed to fail or fall short, but when a hand is extended, we all succeed. That is the greatest gift that anyone can give, and that is how we try to approach caring for patients here — as an open-hearted team that supports each other in any way needed.

It is my privilege to speak for every member of the Angel Medical Center family and wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a happy and healthy 2023.  

Clint Kendall, FACHE, MBA, MSN, BSN, RN, is Chief Executive Officer/Chief Nursing Officer of Angel Medical Center. He started his career as a nurse, and that perspective still informs his work and passion for the patient experience. Clint holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Nursing, and Health Care Management from the University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Western Carolina University. He comes to Angel Medical Center from Andalusia, Alabama, where he served as Chief Executive Officer of Andalusia Health, part of LifePoint Health. He oversaw the management and strategic planning for a 113-bed acute care facility there, and led Andalusia Physician Services as well, after serving in leadership roles at LifePoint facilities in Richlands, Virginia and Henderson, North Carolina. Clint has also earned the Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) certification, and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), and the American Nurses Association (ANA).