Longtime employees reflect on their careers at the hospital

  Reba Greer of McDonough has worked in the Imaging Department at Piedmont Henry Hospital since being hired in February of 1980. Over the years, she has formed a deep connection with her co-workers, patients, and the hospital itself.

  “Me and Piedmont Henry, we’ve grown up together,” said Greer, 58. “I do feel ownership in the hospital, the services and care that we provide. I’m very proud and honored to be a part of that.”

  Greer – an imaging records coordinator – and her co-workers have been celebrating Piedmont Henry’s 40th anniversary during the month of July.

  She began working at what was then known as Henry General Hospital when she was 18 years old, serving in a variety of roles since that time. She initially worked part-time on weekends by transporting patients, working in a darkroom or a file room.

  Greer reflected on the days when physicians at Piedmont Henry didn’t have cell phones or FAX machines. She said advancements in technology have enabled the staff to do their jobs more effectively over the last 40 years.

  “The hospital was very encouraging about training you,” she said. “You never got stale or bored in one position, because it was constantly changing.”

  Greer is confident that she has made a positive difference through her job at Piedmont Henry.

  “The technology and the services we provide for the patients and the community is outstanding – top of the line,” she said. “So that gives me a sense of pride and fulfillment in my job.”

  Sylvia Crowley began working at Piedmont Henry in October of 1979, in the hospital’s newborn nursery, prior to the advent of its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She said she has always enjoyed taking care of babies at the hospital.

  “What I enjoy most is actually the hands-on, bedside patient care that I do,” said Crowley, 59, of Griffin. “I’ve always just felt like taking care of babies was my calling. It’s the reason that I come to work.”

  Crowley said the hospital has made great strides in its ability to meet the needs of its youngest patients.

  “We opened our first NICU, probably, in the mid-1990s,” said Crowley. “It started as a six-bed, Level 2 NICU. We moved into our current unit in December of 2006, and we have a 28-bed unit. I’ve only seen us be busy enough to have all the beds occupied twice, which is good. It’s nice to have open beds.”

  Crowley said she has seen the hospital go through a number of changes over the years, including its affiliation with Piedmont Healthcare in 2011. She expressed gratitude for her experiences at the hospital and the people she has encountered along the way.

  “I’m grateful for the opportunities they’ve given me,” said Crowley. “I’m grateful for becoming Piedmont Henry. I’m grateful for my peers in the NICU because they’re an awesome staff, and I’m grateful for the leadership that we have.”

  Kelly Lewis, 59, of Lake City, began working at the hospital in

September of 1982, when she was 22 years old. She  also spent 20 years working in respiratory therapy at Piedmont Henry, and is currently a pharmacy technician in the hospital’s surgical area.

  Lewis said her favorite aspect of her job centers on the people she has   encountered over the past 37 years at Piedmont Henry. She said the hospital has “expanded tremendously” over the years to meet the demands of a growing population.

  “It’s amazing that the hospital has survived,” she said. “When I started here, this was just a rural little town. Now, Henry County is on the map. Other hospitals recognize who we are now.”

  Lewis said she never imagined that she would work at Piedmont Henry for nearly four decades. Still, she would not trade her time at the hospital for anything in the world.

  “It’s been a growing experience for me, and I’m still learning something every day,” she said.  “It’s just phenomenal to me to stay in one place this long and still enjoy coming to work every day.”

  The hospital opened in July 1979 with 104 beds, and is now licensed for 236 beds. The hospital serves more than 90,000 patients in the emergency department each year, as well as approximately 13,000 inpatient and 60,000 outpatient visitors.

  Piedmont Henry’s Chief Executive Officer, Deborah Armstrong, said the hospital’s 40th anniversary represents a “huge milestone” for its staff, as well as patients and their families.

  “We are proud to have played such a vital role in the history of Henry County and to be a trusted partner in its health and well-being for the last 40 years,” said Armstrong. “And as a not-for-profit hospital, we are grateful for the ongoing support and generosity of our donors which allows us to continue expand our services and offer numerous programs at no cost to our community.”

  For more information about Piedmont Henry, visit piedmont.org.