From Daniel McKinney
I write today with hope for the future and gratitude for the resilience of our provider team at Grandview Medical Center. The pandemic has demonstrated how interconnected we all are, the impact each one of us can have and the benefit of working together for a common cause. We care deeply about our community and remain steadfast in our commitment to deliver safe, quality healthcare services.
The arc of life is always present in a hospital, but its frailty has been very clear this past year. Hundreds of thousands of patients received the medical care they needed thanks to our physicians, nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, lab techs, housekeepers, food service workers and other providers who have worked tirelessly to maintain a safe environment. Our family of caregivers put aside their personal fears and concerns and came to help every single day, with bravery and courage.
More than 2,000 babies took their first breaths and we celebrated with their moms. More than half a million walked away in better shape than when they came in –with less pain following a joint replacement, a heart beating in rhythm after receiving a pacemaker or a smile of relief when their screening mammogram or colonoscopy was clear.
With pride and relief we cheered dozens of patients who left for home after beating COVID-19. But there have been times of sadness too, as our caregivers helped patients transition at the end of life and comforted the loved ones who grieve for their loss.
Helping people get well and live healthier is rewarding work, and we are grateful for the trust every patient places in us. And we feel the support of the community as you’ve extended your thanks and encouragement through meals, prayers, banners, cards, words of encouragement, parades and so much more.
Led by a local administration and advisory board of community leaders and physicians, we are putting our resources toward increased medical services, facilities and technologies that are important to our patients, including expansion of women’s services to include more NICU beds and labor & deliver suites; a second Physicians Plaza now under construction; and signing a letter of intent to build a Freestanding Emergency Department in the northeast side of Birmingham. Access has been enhanced with the opening of a clinic in Pelham and several new clinic locations are planned in the next year. We have also recruited specialists in neurology, cardiology and radiation oncology. Many of our physicians are now offering telemedicine, making it easier than ever to see the doctor from the comfort of home.
We value our relationship with North Central Alabama. The more than $34 million in taxes we paid last year support critical infrastructure such as first responders, schools and roads. Wages and benefits for our provider team generate buying power for local goods and services and help drive the local economy. And we deliver care for our most vulnerable residents, last year providing more than $99 million of charity and uncompensated care.
Like you, our hope is that things will return to normal. This is possible thanks to the availability of COVID-19 vaccines. But it is incumbent on all of us to also keep up the safe practices – wear a mask or face covering, maintain social distancing and regularly wash your hands. By following these simple acts we can do extraordinary things.
Daniel McKinney is the Chief Executive Officer for Grandview Medical Center.