A heartfelt message of gratitude
By Rob Ferguson, MD, Peaks Region Chief Medical Officer
As a non-profit healthcare system, our mission goes beyond healing bodies. While we strive to help people live the healthiest lives possible, we aim to touch lives and uplift spirits. This mission is lived out daily by our nurses, physicians, advanced practice providers, and all who serve at the bedside and beyond. Despite challenges such as long hours, emotional burdens, and the ever-changing reality of healthcare, you continue to offer outstanding patient care with grace, humility, and resilience.
Having spent much of my career as a surgeon, I know firsthand the privilege, the responsibility, and at times the weight of caring for others in their most vulnerable moments. Each procedure, each patient interaction, is an occasion to honor the dignity of every person entrusted to us.
I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to live a life of purpose. It is a gift to be able to experience moments of profound meaning on a daily basis through our work. We can find significance not only in the satisfaction of improving or even saving a life, but also in the smallest and most fleeting moments given to the patient: the reassuring word of a nurse, a physician making eye contact as they listen, the spark of relief or understanding on the patient's face.
In our organization, gratitude is woven into the fabric of our culture, inspiring us to recognize the gifts and talents of those around us. During this season of gratitude and giving, I want to give gratitude to you! Thank you for your dedication, your compassion, and your steadfast commitment to excellence. You embody the spirit of servant leadership, placing the needs of others above your own and finding strength in community. Your work is a testament to the values that have shaped our organization since its founding, and your impact reaches far beyond the walls of our facilities.
As we continue our journey, let us hold fast to gratitude—not only in times of celebration, but especially in moments of challenge. May we support one another, draw inspiration from our shared purpose, and remain faithful to the healing ministry that is our legacy.
With deepest appreciation,
Rob