I was able to attend the Rural Hospital Leadership Forum hosted by the Iowa Hospital Association this past week. One of the speakers was Gretchen Evans, Retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major, who shared her story with the group. What a fascinating story of resilience and perseverance. Her career in the Army ended due to injuries received in a bombing in one of her deployments. Her injuries included a traumatic brain injury, permanent hearing loss, and shrapnel embedded in most of her body. She shared her story and how she may have lost her hearing, but she learned how to read lips. Her story was very inspirational and highlighted the ability to overcome any obstacle in your way if you simply put your mind to it and don’t give up.
Her story was a great example to tie to the resilience of rural health care. Although we face many challenges and obstacles, we stay focused on what is best for our patients, and we persevere. Iowa Specialty Hospitals and Clinics has role-modeled what can be accomplished in rural healthcare when we challenge the norm and think outside the box. My challenge for you this week is to identify the most significant barrier in your way right now and tackle it head-on. Ask for help if needed, but keep pushing forward. You’ve got this!
