In 2013, Carroll Hospital unveiled Vision 2020, a seven-year strategy to create a new model of care: one that focuses not only on delivering exceptional care for the sick, but also on helping community members get healthy and stay well. Now three years into the ambitious plan, we sat down with Helen W. Whitehead, chair of the hospital’s board of directors, to see how Carroll Hospital is transforming that Vision into a reality.
How is Vision 2020 going?
Helen W. Whitehead: I’ve been on the board for 10 years now, and I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved. There are too many things to list, but the opening of the Tevis Center for Wellness and the William E. Kahlert Regional Cancer Center, as well as adding elective angioplasty in our cardiovascular service line and achieving primary stroke center status were all big steps forward for our Vision. But that only scratches the surface.
What were some of the 2016 highlights for you?
Helen W. Whitehead: One of the Vision’s priorities is to help people take control of chronic illnesses like diabetes and congestive heart failure. Over the past several months, we’ve added a host of new programs to do just that, including the Care Solutions program for ongoing guidance and education surrounding chronic illnesses; outpatient palliative care; and a geriatric resource specialist in the emergency department. This summer’s opening of the Mt. Airy Health & Wellness Pavilion was also an important step in our goal of making quality health care accessible throughout our community.
Did the partnership with LifeBridge Health impact Vision 2020?
Helen W. Whitehead: Actually, one of the reasons we embarked on the partnership process was because we knew we wouldn’t be able to achieve Vision 2020 on our own. And LifeBridge Health has been an incredible partner. The leadership is absolutely committed to our Vision. They’ve helped us execute on our plans even faster than we anticipated.
What are some of the specific action items that the partnership has helped make possible?
Helen W. Whitehead: A great example is the expansion of our Family Birthplace and addition of our couplet care program that’s launching soon. Couplet care is a cutting-edge program that’s proven to help sick and premature babies recover faster and have better outcomes. It’s the latest and best model of care—one that only a handful of hospitals in the nation are doing—and we couldn’t have brought it to our community without LifeBridge Health.
What are the next big priorities for Vision 2020?
Helen W. Whitehead: Technology. We’re working to connect every member of your health care team—from your physicians to your urgent care center to your imaging center—through one universal health record, so that together, we can all provide you with the best possible care. It’s a huge undertaking that will require a significant investment.
Does philanthropy play a role in that investment?
Helen W. Whitehead: Yes, philanthropy makes everything we’re doing under Vision 2020 possible and better. Walk through our new William E. Kahlert Regional Cancer Center and you’ll quickly understand the value of philanthropy. It’s awe-inspiring what the generosity of our community has done for the lives of so many. It’s a shining example of how each of us can make a difference.
Track our progress! Go to CarrollHospitalCenter.org/Vision2020 to read the Vision 2020: 2016 Progress Report now.
Article originally appeared in the 2016 Carroll Hospital Annual Report.
