From the Board Chairman

From my current perch as board chairman, I have a unique perspective on a healthcare landscape that has changed much in my 30-plus years as a volunteer member of our hospitals' and system's boards of directors. With each change there have been challenges. With those challenges, however, there have also been opportunities to advance the level of health care in our communities.

Who would want to return to the care available to us in the '60s or the '70s? Today, diseases we once thought terminal can be cured. Technology once confined to the realm of science fiction is used daily in our hospitals and physician offices. We are living longer and with a better quality of life.

Further, the current national healthcare debate has redefined the role of healthcare systems like never before. Where once the focus was on treating the sick and injured in hospitals, we now strive to deliver the best, most appropriate care directly to the dispersed communities we serve. We help people live productive lives with chronic diseases once thought disabling. And we have expanded our scope to keeping people healthy, safe and out of our hospitals altogether.

Of course, there will be growing pains associated with the development of these new models of care, but that is true of any significant advancement. Rest assured, our mission of delivering superior health care with compassion is our guiding star.

You can depend on Wellmont Health System to maintain our essential values no matter what challenges we face. We will never waiver in our commitment to the communities we are privileged to serve. We will never stop striving to improve the quality of care you receive. Our strengths will continue to be the physicians, staff and board members that make up this system of which I am so proud to be a part.

And we will always be here to care for the people of our communities - for healing, for health and for life.

Sincerely,

T. Arthur "Buddy" Scott Jr., chairman of the board