After an extensive search, Garrett Hoover became the seventh president of Carroll Hospital on March 30 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. With more than 30 years of healthcare experience, Hoover came to Carroll County from Corning, New York, where he was the president and chief operating officer of Corning Hospital, one of five hospitals that are part of The Guthrie Clinic. He lives in Westminster with his wife, Anna Luisa, and 8-year-old son, Christopher.
Your tenure started at an unprecedented time. How have you handled getting acclimated to your new role during this health crisis?
Certainly, it’s been quite an interesting time to change jobs, but coming from central New York to Carroll County, I’ve been extremely impressed. From an innovation standpoint, the specimen collection drive-thru tent on the Carroll Hospital campus—the first in the state—is very organized, and the COVID tent by the emergency department is equally well done.
Further, the degree of communication and collaboration with the Carroll County Health Department and other various state entities has been tremendous and has enabled me to get up to speed quickly. The cooperation that took place to create a surge plan in Shauck Auditorium, and the construction of a 10-bed medical hospital by the Maryland Emergency Management Agency are examples of this collaborative work.
What would you tell someone who is reluctant to come to the hospital for fear of COVID-19?
COVID or non-COVID, we are here to care for you. We keep a very safe environment for our staff and patients, so it is vital that you call 9-1-1 or get to the emergency department right away if you are experiencing any type of health emergency.
Where do you see Carroll Hospital in five years?
As Carroll Hospital fulfills its Vision 2020, we want to begin looking at the next phase of care delivery and experience. The pandemic has certainly taught us a lot about telemedicine and the need for us to be a regional leader in providing access to prompt and convenient services. So, as we begin a renewed strategic assessment, we are asking the question, “What are the lessons learned from the pandemic, and what does the next three to five years look like?” As part of that process, we will be looking at leveraging telemedicine, home care and community partnerships that address the continuum of care.
What does Care Bravely mean to you?
I love the Care Bravely guiding principle. For me, it means that for every patient, every time, no matter what the situation, we are here to care like there’s no tomorrow—through the happiest or scariest or saddest moments.
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Get to Know Garrett
- Garrett and his family love new adventures and traveling, and they especially enjoy visiting Anna Luisa’s relatives in Brazil. “It’s always great when we can travel as a family to spend time there. The weather, the people, the sites to see … and the food is awesome!”
- Garrett has an eclectic taste in hobbies. “From museums to history to traveling to pretty much any competitive sport, count me in!” He especially enjoys baseball. “Although I am a Mets fan, I will have to be an Orioles fan now,” he says. “I still play baseball competitively when I can.”
- Garrett’s older son Gabriel is an EMT living in Pittsburgh.
- Garrett’s father was his mentor. “He was honest and had a strong work ethic; his handshake was a contract. I got my values from him, and I credit him for all my achievements as a husband, father and leader. I miss him greatly every day.”
- Being a part of the fabric of the community is important to Garrett and his family. They also appreciate being involved in local children-focused organizations. “Kids are our future, so anything to improve the community around children is of interest,” says Garrett.
- Garrett is a living kidney donor; he donated a kidney to his uncle in 2011.
From the summer 2020 issue of A Healthy Dose, Carroll Hospital’s community magazine
