Two August Evenings

By Patrick Larreategui, DO, FACOS, medical staff president, Upper Valley Medical Center

On August 20, 2018, the Upper Valley Medical Center medical staff gathered together for their quarterly meeting. This meeting was very different from previous meetings, though. There was no agenda or approval of minutes. There were no PowerPoint presentations. Even the location was different.

The farmhouse is one of the original structures on the UVMC campus. It is situated in a wooded area remote from the main hospital building and has a rich history. According to rumor, a former Ob-Gyn physician used to live there and would run across the campus to the hospital in the middle of the night to perform deliveries.

Our goal in planning for the summer staff meeting was to get out of the hospital and allow the medical staff to connect and relax in a different environment. Although the farmhouse is occasionally used for meetings, it was a new venue for many of our current medical staff. There was a tent set up outside with tables and chairs, as well as seating areas inside. Storms rolled through the area in the hour before the meeting, but the skies cleared just as the first guests began to arrive. There was an excellent turnout of physicians, APPs, and administrators. Physicians from outpatient sites also attended. There were even some retired physicians who came to reconnect for the evening. Having no agenda to discuss allowed everyone to interact without constraints.

Then on August 30, the UVMC medical staff came together at the Piqua Country Club for our annual reception to welcome new physicians. The evening was more formal than the previous week’s gathering at the farmhouse. The theme was Hollywood glamour. The décor was old school Hollywood, and there was even a singer belting out showtunes. New physicians from various specialties were in attendance. Many administrators, both local and from the system, also attended.

Each of these evenings, though different in atmosphere, were great opportunities for the medical staff to network and get to know each other better outside of the hospital setting. Ultimately, we all share the same goal to deliver the absolute best quality care for our patients. We move forward feeling more connected and committed than ever to working together for the continued success of Upper Valley Medical Center and Premier Health. 

Back to the September 2018 issue of Premier Pulse