CEO Blog: No Shortage of Reasons to be Thankful

Day in and day out at Scripps, we are part of something extraordinary.

We save lives. We give hope. We calm fears, provide comfort. In fact, in a world where the unremarkable can get so much attention, in health care the truly remarkable is just daily routine.

Earlier this year, a Scripps emergency department technician was walking a hallway late at night when he came upon one of our physicians, alone and choking. He acted quickly, did abdominal thrusts and saved her life, and that night she went home safely to her husband and baby.

Just recently, a Scripps emergency department nurse was driving home from work at night when she saw a car accident and stopped to help. The couple, uninjured, had been rushing to our hospital to have their baby – which had just been born in their car. Our nurse cared for the couple and their newborn until paramedics arrived.

And this past weekend, one of our security staff was making his morning rounds when he recognized a man from a missing persons notice. Our security staff, social workers, nurses and volunteers rallied to get him some donated clothes and to the airport to catch a flight his mother bought to bring him home. Once missing, now found, just in time for Thanksgiving.

These stories are exceptional, but there are so many others I could tell. Stories of cancers in remission, life-saving surgeries, early diagnoses, diabetes under control, stroke survivors, hearts made healthy, new knees and hips – countless patients once ill or injured now healthy and home. 

On this Thanksgiving I again am giving thanks for our ability here at Scripps to make a difference in so many people’s lives, and for the talented and committed physicians, nurses, and clinical and non-clinical staff who make the remarkable happen every day.

Working in health care can be stressful – especially during a time of constant change and challenge. But when I see the caliber of people at Scripps and what they are willing and able to do both on and off the job, I am filled with pride and hope for our future. Challenges are nothing new. We always do what’s needed for those who trust us with their care. And we always will.

This year we were able to touch the lives of thousands. So on this Thanksgiving, I and everyone else at Scripps have thousands of reasons to be thankful.

I wish you, your family and friends the very best. And I say thank you to all of the members of the Scripps family for all that they do.