Since arriving as the new Chief Executive Officer of Providence, Humboldt County three weeks ago, I have been blown away by the deep connection this community has with the hospital and the caregiver’s love for this community. Evidence of that connection and commitment to support was perfectly demonstrated at St. Joseph’s Hospital’s recent “Laughter is the Best Medicine” fundraiser. There, you, our loyal friend and neighbor, opened up and donated her over $400,000 to help with our cancer. program. This level of partnership from our incredible community underpins our continued commitment to providing world-class care here in Humboldt County. and help provide life-saving equipment to doctors and caregivers. Thank you very much to everyone who participated in the event. You made it a huge success and welcomed my wife and I into our new community so warmly.

Community support is very important in rural and remote areas like Humboldt County. The unfortunate reality across the United States is that many rural hospitals have closed or face the potential to close (more than 130 hospitals have closed in the last decade, https:// ruralhospitals.chqpr.org/). Financial headwinds facing rural facilities. As St. Joseph Hospital and Redwood Memorial Hospital are part of Providence, they will continue to be undisputed leaders in Humboldt’s healthcare and clinical excellence for decades to come. We have the ability to remain a community hospital while leveraging the economies of scale of our 52 hospital organisations, despite the significant challenges facing the entire healthcare industry.

Examples include the ability to leverage clinical expertise and best practices from sister hospitals across the country, and local hospitals with the highest care delivery performance across the system to ensure communities receive the best possible care. Includes the ability to benchmark performance. And while staffing challenges continue across healthcare around the world, being part of Providence is an opportunity for the most skilled clinicians from across the country seeking a high degree of clinical sophistication and a great community for their families. help us in our efforts to attract and retain .

Taken together, these factors position Humboldt County Hospitals well for continued success. This is why I decided to move my family here. Additionally, my passion for healthcare is heavily driven by several key life influences. I grew up in a military environment. There, equally dedicated servants on a mission greater than themselves alongside his leader’s team inspired him to pursue a life of service. My mother also served as a medic in the Air Force for many years and was fortunate to witness firsthand the excellent bedside care she provided to her patients and the difference her services made to those in need. I got

My passion for service was cemented by my life experiences, but my leadership philosophy is also informed by my experience playing team sports my entire life. embodies what I have seen in my parents and military families: teamwork, a deep love for those who serve together, a passion for continuous improvement, and the perseverance necessary to achieve excellence and a common mission. It gave me the opportunity to practice. .

In my first few weeks here, I noticed the same sense of teamwork in abundance. Our communities have great needs from healthcare delivery and social determinants of health. Our caregivers come every day, not because it’s easy. Not because it’s glamorous — often it isn’t. They come every day because they love this community, they love their colleagues, they love their patients.

we are our community. we live in a great place. Your brilliant nurse is also your son’s soccer coach, your phlebotomist is a regular volunteer at the zoo, and your doctor plays in the band seen at the local Friday Market in Old Town. St. Joseph’s Hospital and Redwood Memorial Hospital have been the cornerstones of this community for decades, providing a high level of care and clinical capacity not available in most communities of this size nationwide. rice field. I look forward to supporting our very caring team members in building a strong foundation of service to this community and continually improving the global care available here in Humboldt County.

Darian Harris is the Humboldt County Chief Executive of Providence.