A letter from Ann Caulkins

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Reflecting on this past year, I am confronted with a full range of emotions. I feel inspired and thankful for the work of Novant Health’s front-line team members, who have cared for our patients and communities with resilience and grace. I am saddened by lives lost, families burdened and the fatigue this pandemic has caused. I am immensely proud of the work we have accomplished as an organization to come together like never before to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and I am relieved we are so much closer to winning this battle.

I am also humbled by the generous community support and displays of gratitude every step of the way. Every gift, your gift—no matter its size or form—provides hope and healing for our patients and their families throughout the region and helps us continue the important work of saving lives. Together we have made an impact by securing the health and well being of our patients, supporting our team members as they faced hardships and ensuring vaccinations are delivered equitably, one person at a time.

While COVID-19 dominated much of our work this past year, our team at Novant Health never lost sight of everything else that needed to be done. You helped us advance significant and meaningful goals across our healthcare system. When fundraising events were canceled, supportive sponsors stood at our side and turned sponsorship dollars into contributions. Even when it seemed like much of the world had ground to a halt in 2020, we put on our masks and pushed on, building new facilities and expanding lifesaving services to ensure we could continue providing remarkable care, now and in the future.

2020 was the most challenging year many of us have experienced, but we are looking ahead and moving forward. This past year showed us how vital healthcare is to all those who live in every community we serve. Regardless of zip code, neighborhood or ability to pay, Novant Health will continue its commitment of reducing disparities and ensuring all patients have access to remarkable care.

As we move forward into 2021, we will continue to focus on comprehensive and transformative community initiatives designed to re-engineer the way we provide healthcare by addressing social determinants through a lens of health equity. The organization’s commitment to community involvement and benefit means continuous creation of programs dedicated to improving the health of our patients, neighbors and our communities’ most vulnerable citizens.

Together we are making a difference in our communities. Your meaningful support, brought to life in the stories throughout the pages of this report, strengthens the foundation of our organization and continues to inspire us to achieve these goals.

Thank you for all you do for our communities, our patients, our team members and for Novant Health.

Ann Caulkins

Senior vice president, Novant Health
President, Novant Health Foundation