Bridgman, MI—I recently attended the memorial service for my dear nephew Johnny Hamblin, who passed away after a battle with glioblastoma— that bad-news brain tumor that consumes each of its victims in such a vicious way.
The service at the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University was the most touching and heart-wrenching I had ever attended. Planned by his sister, my niece, Lisa Jardine, it included a wonderful life sketch, words of comfort, gratitude, remembrance and hope. It also included the most touching musical performances.
Why is it that when someone you know becomes “someone you knew,” you suddenly think of how much that person meant to you?
Sitting in the church pew during the service, I couldn't help but think of my close friends and colleagues who passed away suddenly, and I never took the opportunity to let them know how much their friendship and work meant to me.
I thought back to the unexpected deaths of Elizabeth Geffers and Jerome Rafoth (affectionately known as JR), both of whom did exceptional work for me when I was a hospital CEO and were also great friends. I wrote about each of them posthumously, and was able to articulate and extol on the great virtues of their work and what their exceptional lives had meant to me.
Yet, while they were still living, I said nothing.
As I sat there during Johnny's memorial service, I knew I had to write about someone who served exceptionally well for me when I was the CEO at Riverside Medical Center in Franklinton, Louisiana, Parkview Adventist Medical Center in Brunswick, Maine, and the Guam SDA Clinic on Guam.
Her name is Robin White.
I first met Robin when I was inducted as the CEO at Riverside Medical Center in Louisiana. Robin was the experienced and competent director of medical records at this small hospital in Washington Parish. When she found out that the start of my healthcare career had been in human resources, she expressed her desire to become an HR professional in healthcare.
I tried to discourage her. Why in the world would someone who had a great career path in medical records want the thankless job of HR? From my experience, I tried to tell her that working in HR was not easy. You are always walking a tightrope, advocating for employees while simultaneously representing management, which is not an easy thing to do.
The knowledge of the medical record field was, in my opinion, one of the best backgrounds to have in healthcare. Understanding the medical basis of each hospital admission, as well as being the record keeper of the most important hospital statistics, is a function I have always viewed as highly valuable.
Robin would not be deterred. She really wanted to learn and become a leader in HR, so I mentored her. She was a quick learner and soon became very proficient in this field.
Shortly after becoming CEO of Parkview Adventist Medical Center in Maine, I invited Robin to join me as one of my executives. Her knowledge and understanding of both medical records and human resources served her very well at Parkview. Never mind that she had never seen snow; Robin emersed herself in the work at Parkview with the spirit of a true Mainer.
She took her job seriously, checking the background of each applicant, working to manage the complex undertaking of a "job evaluation project" and participating in the "on call" duties of the executive team.
When I moved to Guam as CEO of the Guam SDA Clinic, she again joined me to oversee the human resource and medical record functions. As a result of Robin's excellent work, we were able to recruit eight new providers in our first year on Guam.
There were lighthearted moments to go along with the long hours and hard work.
I'll never forget the time Robin called me to say that one of our internists from Kettering Medical Center was missing and we might need to call the Guam Police Department. He was scheduled to work that day but, uncharacteristically, hadn't shown up. They tried his cell phone and went to his apartment, where his car was parked in its spot, but to no avail.
Robin asked my permission to enter his apartment, fearing there might be a medical emergency. We obtained a key and entered. We found his wallet and cell phone on the kitchen table, which heightened our concern. Just before calling the Guam police, we looked at his work schedule lying next to his phone and saw that he was off work that day. Seemed that a revised edition that had him working that day had not reached him via email.
Just then, he walked through the door in his swimming trunks and towel, emerging from the apartment’s pool. After Robin explained our presence, the three of us doubled over with laughter.
Robin became certified as a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and excelled in her work. Currently retired and living in Covington, Louisiana, she has two grown children: Kelsey, a Marine serving her country in Japan, and Justin, an experienced hospital plant services manager in Baton Rouge.
I gave her a call and let her know how much her excellent work and friendship meant to me.
Don't let this holiday season go by without telling your good friends and colleagues how much their lives have meant to you.
Theodore Lewis is the former CEO of Guam Memorial Hospital and has a healthcare consulting business in Bridgman, MI. He is collecting stories about lessons learned in life and can be reached at theodorelewis@yahoo.com.
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