Blogs

Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!!!

Oct 31, 2011 by Marc Strode, CEO
Greetings on this Monday filled with goobily goop and goblins galore....I'm going to have to get out of my costume, as part of it involves these lilly white rockport shoes I picked up at the Goodwill, but they are disintegrating with every step so I'm keeping our housekeepers busy cleaning up after me.  It's been no secret where I've been....just look for the shoe pieces.

Thanks to all of those who donned costumes today.  It's a fun day and good to bring smiles to everyone's faces.  We had a costume contest at our Leadership meeting this morning, and Jamie Ortiz was the big winner.  We're not real sure what he was, but he needs some dental work, a hair cut and eye surgery....I'll leave it at that.

What a gratifying week last week was!!!  I started it out as a guest at Del Rio Christian Church where I received a warm welcome and kudos for a job well done at the hospital.  As I told our story of where we've come from, where we are @ and where I think we're headed, they confirmed the progress and many who had been by either as a patient or visitor recently said we "are a different place."  They said the common theme is that everyone is so caring.  Is there really any better compliment? 

Tuesday I got a call from a patient who took time out of his busy day to say that not only had he been a patient in radiology but also his son.  They both got Letty in MRI on different visits, and boy were they impressed.  Letty--way to go! 

Wednesday night at Memo's I was invited by Marvin to say a few words at our Chaplain appreciation dinner.  This group is 17 stong and last year donated nearly 700 hours of time to our patients, family and team.  I sat at a table with one of the Volunteers who also works as a Border Patrol during his day job.  He said the word in his area of the Border Patrol is that we are doing a fine job!

On Thursday, it was Board Meeting day.  Our Board chair Frank Larson started the meeting off with a resounding vote of confidence in the entire team for what he articulated is a just a remarkable job we are doing.  Everyone else around the table chimed in.  Guys, it's great to have our Board's support!!!  BTW--anyone recognize Barbara Plyler, our own District Board Member who served as the Grand Marshall at the parade last weekend?  That was pretty cool, and I was very proud and excited for her to be selected.  Good to associate ourselves with good people!

And then on Friday, I spent a few hours at Laughlin.  I interacted with a lot of different people during my time there, and twice unsolicited I got these two guys who came up and told me a story about VVRMC and their own personal experience and gave me the "thumbs up". 

Then on Saturday I go to Monster Mash (dressed like Kid Rock no less!!!) and everyone's taking note of the VVRMC glow sticks we handed out to all that were there!! 

Just the entire week made me very proud to work at VVRMC.  Great job team!

We had a great month in September as we wrapped up the 1st quarter.  We will be sharing all of our metrics at Town Halls in November, and we are at target or ahead in all but 2 of them and making progress on those 2 as we speak.  Please come out to the Town Halls because ya have to be there to pick up what the "best dressed" at VVRMC will be wearing this Winter!!!!!

Let me close my update by saying if you have a Church group, bunko group, volunteer association...you name it....that you would like for me or Vicky or someone else on the Sr Team to visit with and spread the good word about what we are doing, please let us know.  It's an easy talk to give when you have as much pride as we do about our people and our product.  We'll be on standby.

Keep the Spirit (Boo!)
Marc