PRESIDENT’S COLUMN:
Ushering in 2023 With a Realistic Look at Resolution, the Facts About Cervical Health, and Great News About Angel Medical Center
Happy New Year! It is amazing how far we have come in terms of health and wellness, but
in the same breath, how much farther we still have to go with making discoveries about
even more advanced treatments for chronic conditions, serious diagnoses such as cancer,
and things that each of us can do to support our own health. I can feel sometimes like a
Plinko chip trying to keep up with all the illnesses we are praying we can escape getting
exposed to and experiencing.
The best advice I’ve heard is actually decades old — from my mom. She conveyed this message to me frequently: “Wash your hands,” “Don’t touch your face,” “Stop picking,”…well, you get the idea. For the sake of others this winter season, if you are sick, stay away from public places and isolate as much as possible. Prevention is key, and such a simple step to take to protect others from illness, especially those who may be more vulnerable, like babies, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. January is a great time to start thinking about renewal and giving yourself and your life a “refresh,” but we also tend to make a lot of crazy, unrealistic resolutions that we know, deep down, we cannot keep.
I have found that the best way to tackle resolutions is to make a plan that breaks your goal down into achievable milestones — and then to create rewards for when you reach them. Using apps on your phone or computer can help you reorganize your resolutions into manageable steps and accomplish them. The number one reason resolutions fail is the lack of immediate gratification, so making success more easily attainable makes sense. By setting yourself up for success like this throughout the year, you have a much better chance of realizing success when it comes to your resolutions, whether they involve eating better, exercising more, being better about getting your routine health screenings, or breaking an unhealthy habit, like smoking.
January is also Cervical Health Awareness month. Most cervical health problems are impacted by a female’s partner through intimate contact. This can lead to the development of HPV (Human Papillomavirus) on the cervix, one of the most commonly transmitted sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Sometimes it’s possible for the person to clear the virus, but other times a person can’t, and this is the most common cause of cervical cancer. The good news is that, like many viruses, HPV is preventable through vaccination. The HPV vaccination can be given to males and females starting at the age 11-12 years. Adults can get vaccinated if they weren’t previously up to age 26, and a physician may decide that
their patient will benefit from a vaccine up to age 45 in certain instances. Another preventative measure for HPV and cervical health issues is to practice safe sex and proper hygiene. Again, prevention is key.
Angel Medical Center is dedicated to providing quality care and touching your life at the time when you are most in need. In the fall of 2022, Angel was awarded a 5-star rating by the Center for Medicare Services. We are one of only 12 hospitals in the state of North Carolina to receive this 5-star rating, so it’s not only a source of pride for us, but it should reassure you about the quality of care you will receive here.
This is a great honor, as well as a testament to the hard work and dedication that our staff displays every day. We know that there may be times when someone perceives that their care experience could be improved upon, but we will be here to support you and ensure that we address your needs to the best of our ability. The Angel team is dedicated to caring for our community.
Because our staff is so committed to our patients, we like to recognize members of our team who have gone above and beyond for them, and who exemplify our standards for excellence. The first award is called the Bee Award, which goes to non-nursing team members. We were happy to recognize two people — Katie Morphis, from Environmental Services, and Kim Elliot, from our Respiratory team — with this award.
We also bestow a nursing award called the Daisy Award. It is a nationally known and recognized program that we participate in. The Daisy Award was established to honor nurses whose norm is to go the extra mile for their patients. Angel’s most recent Daisy Award winner is Terrence McGrew, who is an Acute Care nurse here. All of these team members are very deserving and we are so fortunate to have them grace the hospital with their talents, expertise, and compassion.
I would also like to give a big shout out to our infusion nursing team during Infusion Nurses Week in January. They are here for the daily treatment needs of our community as well, and their care ethic is also second to none.
As I’ve said many times, it’s the people who make Angel what it is.
I hope you usher in 2023 joyfully, and it is every Angel Medical Center team member’s intention to be here when you need us most, during this year and all others.
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).
The best advice I’ve heard is actually decades old — from my mom. She conveyed this message to me frequently: “Wash your hands,” “Don’t touch your face,” “Stop picking,”…well, you get the idea. For the sake of others this winter season, if you are sick, stay away from public places and isolate as much as possible. Prevention is key, and such a simple step to take to protect others from illness, especially those who may be more vulnerable, like babies, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. January is a great time to start thinking about renewal and giving yourself and your life a “refresh,” but we also tend to make a lot of crazy, unrealistic resolutions that we know, deep down, we cannot keep.
I have found that the best way to tackle resolutions is to make a plan that breaks your goal down into achievable milestones — and then to create rewards for when you reach them. Using apps on your phone or computer can help you reorganize your resolutions into manageable steps and accomplish them. The number one reason resolutions fail is the lack of immediate gratification, so making success more easily attainable makes sense. By setting yourself up for success like this throughout the year, you have a much better chance of realizing success when it comes to your resolutions, whether they involve eating better, exercising more, being better about getting your routine health screenings, or breaking an unhealthy habit, like smoking.
January is also Cervical Health Awareness month. Most cervical health problems are impacted by a female’s partner through intimate contact. This can lead to the development of HPV (Human Papillomavirus) on the cervix, one of the most commonly transmitted sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Sometimes it’s possible for the person to clear the virus, but other times a person can’t, and this is the most common cause of cervical cancer. The good news is that, like many viruses, HPV is preventable through vaccination. The HPV vaccination can be given to males and females starting at the age 11-12 years. Adults can get vaccinated if they weren’t previously up to age 26, and a physician may decide that
their patient will benefit from a vaccine up to age 45 in certain instances. Another preventative measure for HPV and cervical health issues is to practice safe sex and proper hygiene. Again, prevention is key.
Angel Medical Center is dedicated to providing quality care and touching your life at the time when you are most in need. In the fall of 2022, Angel was awarded a 5-star rating by the Center for Medicare Services. We are one of only 12 hospitals in the state of North Carolina to receive this 5-star rating, so it’s not only a source of pride for us, but it should reassure you about the quality of care you will receive here.
This is a great honor, as well as a testament to the hard work and dedication that our staff displays every day. We know that there may be times when someone perceives that their care experience could be improved upon, but we will be here to support you and ensure that we address your needs to the best of our ability. The Angel team is dedicated to caring for our community.
Because our staff is so committed to our patients, we like to recognize members of our team who have gone above and beyond for them, and who exemplify our standards for excellence. The first award is called the Bee Award, which goes to non-nursing team members. We were happy to recognize two people — Katie Morphis, from Environmental Services, and Kim Elliot, from our Respiratory team — with this award.
We also bestow a nursing award called the Daisy Award. It is a nationally known and recognized program that we participate in. The Daisy Award was established to honor nurses whose norm is to go the extra mile for their patients. Angel’s most recent Daisy Award winner is Terrence McGrew, who is an Acute Care nurse here. All of these team members are very deserving and we are so fortunate to have them grace the hospital with their talents, expertise, and compassion.
I would also like to give a big shout out to our infusion nursing team during Infusion Nurses Week in January. They are here for the daily treatment needs of our community as well, and their care ethic is also second to none.
As I’ve said many times, it’s the people who make Angel what it is.
I hope you usher in 2023 joyfully, and it is every Angel Medical Center team member’s intention to be here when you need us most, during this year and all others.
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).
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