The Heart of GBMC HealthCare

Tonight, I’ll have the honor of attending my first GBMC HealthCare Employee Recognition Dinner. It’s a special night to celebrate milestone work anniversaries and the people whose loyalty and dedication make GBMC the extraordinary place it is.

But I didn’t want to wait until dinner to say something important: thank you.

Although I still have many more people to meet (and I can’t wait!), the people I’ve met so far are confirming what I hoped would be true: this team is deeply connected by a shared sense of purpose.

Here’s one moment that stood out. I was walking through the Sandra R. Berman Pavilion when I met Aristeven Deminds, one of our amazing environmental services associates. The second he saw me, he rushed over, excited to introduce himself. His energy was contagious. Naturally, I assumed he’d been here for decades. But when I asked how long he’d been with us, he smiled and said, “Just about two years.” He told me he came to GBMC because so many people he knew had worked here for 20 or 30 years, and he wanted to be part of that. That speaks volumes.

Another moment came while I was boarding a flight to visit my son. I happened to be wearing a GBMC shirt, and a woman stopped me. “I just love GBMC,” she said. “I don’t go anywhere else.” She didn’t know me, but she knew us. That kind of unsolicited trust doesn’t just happen. It’s earned, every day, by people like you.

Your work, your warmth, and your commitment are the things that make GBMC more than a healthcare provider. They make us a partner. They make others want to join this team.

At last week’s monthly leadership meeting, our Chief Nursing Officer Angie Feurer shared some remarkable updates. While hospitals across the country continue to struggle with staff shortages and agency reliance, we’re heading in a different direction. Nursing turnover is down. Engagement is up. And in our med/surg units, agency nurse usage is down 18 percent.

That success comes from smart, people-first strategies. Our team is using staffing analytics to anticipate hiring needs, offering flexible roles, and building a strong supplemental program that brings great nurses into full-time roles.

There’s a concept I believe in deeply: unreasonable hospitality. We shouldn’t just meet expectations; we should exceed them. And I see that spirit across our health system. In hallway greetings. In helping a lost patient find their way. In how we treat each other and those we serve.

Will Guidara, who wrote the book Unreasonable Hospitality, said, "The way you do one thing is the way you do everything." This concept and culture is alive and well at GBMC, and I’m so proud to be part of this team.

Looking forward to celebrating with many of you tonight at the recognition event!

P.S. I love hearing your stories! Whether you’re with the hospital, an outpatient or specialty practice, or Gilchrist, what’s made your time with us meaningful?