Partnership. It’s an often-used word today, yet it can have different meaning for individuals, organizations and communities.  Partnership is important to Columbus Regional Health in several ways. We engage in partnerships every day across our health system, whether it’s with our patients to improve their health and well-being, our workforce to continually provide the best care and experience for our customers or with our community and business partners to make our community a great place to live, work and play. The word is embedded in our core values and our vision statement, “To be your health and wellness partner for life.” Why? Because, most important things in life cannot be done successfully alone; especially, when it comes to health and healthcare. 

Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”  Multiple people and perspectives are critically important when it comes to approaching a problem or goal; yet, the term partner implies something deeper and more valuable.  Partnerships exist only when all partners work together and respect each other. Each partner can offer valuable input and insight to ensure that all benefit from a favorable outcome. Such is the case with the partnerships created around health and healthcare.

In the spring issue of Healthy Tomorrow, you will read about two of the many ways we are partnering with each other and our patients to create better outcomes and experiences. One example is the highly specialized team-based work underway at The Lung Institute of Columbus Regional Health, led by Deepankar Sharma, MD. Dr. Sharma, along with his colleague Herman Dyal, M.D. and their expert team, offer highly advanced preventive and treatment services allowing area residents access to state-of-the-art lung care close to home.

The exceptional care we provide during an inpatient stay would not be possible without the partnership between our nurses, hospitalists and other healthcare professionals working together with the patient’s primary and specialty care providers. This partnership ensures that hospital-based care is not just episodic, but rather well-coordinated with the patient’s overall condition and circumstances.  You can learn more about the role of the hospitalist and how they contribute to the comprehensive care team in the article “The Doctor is Always In,” in this issue.

At Columbus Regional Health, one value remains steady throughout any partnership – the patient. Our patients are at the center of everything we do, and because of that, we thank you for the trust you place in Columbus Regional Health as your health and wellness partner for life.