Angel Medical Center CEO Column for March 2024

Caring for Ourselves After Our 2024 Resolutions Wear Off, and Holding Gratitude for Our Community’s Extraordinary Physicians and Providers

We just made it through February, the month where we focus on love and our heart health, but March is historically associated with betrayal, particularly March 15th, also known as the Ides of March — the day that Rome’s Julius Caesar was assassinated by conspirators who aimed to prevent him from being a lifelong dictator. Lucky for us, all we need to do in March is prepare to pay our taxes, but there’s an ancient Roman parallel there too, since March was the month that Romans traditionally settled debts. I realize these matters are in stark contrast to the air of love that infuses February.

March becomes a time where we long for light and the arrival of spring — we can see it in the distance, but it will be a while yet until we’re there. It’s also when we may start to falter on our New Year’s health resolutions. We start asking, “What if?” What if, just this once, I have a piece of that cake, but it turns into the whole cake? What if taking one day off from our walking routine turns into a week? What if I decide I don’t have the time to spare to schedule and go to my health appointments?

How do we keep the faith and continue moving forward with our health goals, even as we move into March and the shine has worn off our New Year excitement? The best way is not allowing small steps backward to end our journeys toward wellness. We should consider the present as another golden opportunity to start again, even better and stronger in commitment than before. Much like the Roman republic, which transitioned into an empire in a relatively short period of time, we too can recommit to our health and self-care, and enjoy renewed energy and results around our efforts.

Being immersed in healthcare every day, I see a multitude of families facing health crises, and many say that they wished they would have stopped smoking, ate better, exercised more, and visited their doctor when they were advised to do so. We are also learning more every day about how much our genetics impact our health, in addition to lifestyle habits. We can continue to ignore taking care of ourselves for only so long until our health falls apart, similar to the fall of the Roman republic. Remember, support is out there, in the form of your primary care provider, and with intention and motivation, you can change your habits and boost your wellbeing. Today is a great day to start. March’s focus is on Women’s cervical health and other conditions such as colorectal, breast, cardiac health and many more. These conditions are easily treatable, if detected early. Women need to see their provider for their yearly exams, and colorectal cancer screening should start at age 45 or sooner if you experience any symptoms or your provider advises you differently — men this applies to you as well.

Did you know that Angel Medical Center has a committee dedicated to hearing the voice of the community and inviting them into our care space to offer guidance as we grow, and to exploring and solving issues that affect our healthcare consumers? The Patient and Family Advisory Committee is always in need of people interested in helping to improve the care and processes at Angel. If you have a heartfelt interest in helping AMC and our community, call us at 828-524-8411 and ask for Gwen, or email me at clint.kendall@hcahealthcare.com.

In March, we should take a moment to recognize all the dedicated physicians in our community who tirelessly care for us. We should be especially grateful because stress connected to the pandemic, hospital staff shortages, and more have challenged these outstanding professionals as the illnesses they’ve treated have been more complex.

I challenge all of us to say “Thank you” to our hardworking physicians and providers, or consider a random act of kindness like a note to express your gratitude — it would be most appreciated! We’ve got the perfect opportunity to do this, since March 30th is National Doctors’ Day. Every AMC team member is grateful for the talented physicians and providers who grace our halls. They are exceptional, and we are so grateful that they have a heart to care for us.

About

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. 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).