Greenville Reporter

ECU Health recently held its Provider Patient Choice Awards ceremony, honoring over 200 of its providers. These awards are given to those ranking in the top 10% nationally for "Creating a caring environment that helped me heal," according to the Watson Human Caring question.

The event featured speeches from ECU Health leadership, both in-person and virtually, expressing gratitude towards the awardees. Dr. Michael Waldrum, CEO of ECU Health and Dean of the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, highlighted the significance of being recognized by patients and community members. “We teach medical students and nurses about all of the technicalities and the hard work that it takes to take care of other humans,” Dr. Waldrum said. He emphasized that connecting with patients leads to better health outcomes.

Dr. Jason Foltz, chief medical officer with ECU Health Physicians, shared personal experiences from his interactions with patients who needed emotional support rather than medical intervention. “These are our patients and what they need is what you all provide them, which is a listening ear and the fact that you choose to care,” Dr. Foltz stated.

Dr. James Powell, one of the award recipients, expressed his appreciation for his team’s role in fostering positive patient relationships through kindness and support during visits. “When patients are calling...a lot of times...it’s also just something that helps to calm them down,” Dr. Powell remarked.

The ceremony was led by Dr. Julie Kennedy Oehlert, Chief Experience Officer at ECU Health, who encouraged recipients to share their awards with their teams as recognition for their collective efforts in patient care.

“The patients really showed us that you create a caring environment,” Dr. Oehlert noted during her address.

Established in 2023, the Patient Choice Awards aim to honor ECU Health providers based on feedback from patient surveys across eastern North Carolina.