YES, I AM STILL HERE peeking out my window on Main Street, and I cannot adequately tell you how proud I am of Howard Memorial Hospital.
I joined with them, some dignitaries and members of the community, Friday afternoon, at a two-fold celebration.
Top 100
Most important. For the second consecutive year HMH has been designated one of the USA’s Top 100 critical care hospitals.
Do you have any idea how many communities wish they had a hospital that ranked so well in so many criteria?
I thank all of the health professionals who have made the hospital what it is. I’m thinking of our former administrator, Debra Wright, who was there when HMH earned the first award. And I believe that her own insistence of excellence greatly guided the hospital as it earned the second award.
I’m not taking away anything from the excellence and dedication of the talented and caring staff at HHM now.
Stacy Harberson, the hospital’s Chief Operating Officer, has also announced that the hospital recently won an award as one of the cleanest hospitals in America. There were a total of just six from Arkansas to be presented that citation.
75 Years
Almost as important. HMH is observing 75 years of existence. The continuity of available, good health care is of maximum importance to both the economic and the physical health of our community.
When I was a young man I served on a small chamber of commerce committee that met with prospective industries. We were hoping to snag some jobs.
More often than not, the visitors asked to see the hospital, and they had questions about health care here. I’m thinking specifically of some people from a certain Shreveport chainsaw manufacturer.
My family moved here in 1950 when the hospital was not yet two years old. Over the succeeding 75 years the hospital has had gifted administrators and — importantly — volunteer community members who served on the hospital’s board of directors.
I’m also thinking about the late Ray Blakely who told his fellow HMH board members to stop talking about the need for a new hospital, and DO something to make it happen. I’m also thinking about Dr. John Hearnsberger who, in additional to giving us exceptional medical care, made the whole hospital a place for excellence.
I’m just a loss of words to express how much Debra and Ray and Dr. John have carried the load. Sometimes they didn’t get all the support they should, either from the community, the media or their own employees.
When my family moved here the hospital administrator was a gent named Jack Warner. Maybe he was the first. He was followed by a wonderful man, Dan Clark, who was a WWII hero.
There have been many good men in that position over the years, but it took a woman in the job to get the hospital to this enviable point. Another woman is in charge now and I wish her the best to keep HMH at the top.
It was named Howard County Memorial Hospital when the doors opened in 1949. HMH was named ‘Memorial’ then, and still is, for the people who lost their lives in WWII. The hospital is community-owned and governed by a board of the county’s citizens appointed by the quorum court.
Of the 10 kids in our family I think six were born here. I remember us boys gathering outside a window to get a glimpse of our new sister.
My own daughter was born there, delivered by the late beloved Dr. Edwin Dildy.
After awhile, the hospital could no longer financially support childbirth and maternal services. The loss made some people unhappy, but those same people would have been mad if the hospital had operated in the red as a result of the service.
And it would have.
So ‘thank you’ to all of the people in colorful scrubs who everyday make life better for the rest of us and for future generations.
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WORD GAMES. The twins: Faithful and True. Also, part of the Nashville High School alma mater.
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MORE ON OUR HOSPITAL. Just think of the awards HMH would have won if it only had a Senior Citizens Nose and Ear Hair Clinic!! Preferably deftly managed by our town’s officially designated Downtown J-Turn Enforcement Officer.
AND MORE. Not joking this time. COO Stacy Harberson’s husband’s grandfather was John (both named John) Harberson who who represented our county as state representative for a couple of terms. Representative Harberson was also a teacher in Umpire schools.
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THINGS I LEARNED from opening e-mail: When I lost a finger on my right hand in a freak accident, I asked the doctor if I’d still be able to write with it. He said, “Possibly, but I wouldn’t count on it.”
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HE SAID: “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” Thomas A. Edison, inventor
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SHE SAID: “The truth is that the vast majority of Americans are good, fair, and just, and they want their country to reflect those ideals.” Kamala Harris, vice-president
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SWEET DREAMS, Baby
