Palms West Hospital CEO Eric Goldman presented the hospital-level HCA Frist Humanitarian Award to employee Kim Bass and physician Dr. James Goad on Friday, April 8.
At the ceremony, Goldman announced that Bass had also been selected for the national-level Frist Humanitarian Award.
“I’m a firm believer that everyone we have here is spectacular in their own right,” Goldman said, noting that there are approximately 950 employees and 580 physicians at Palms West Hospital. “I really feel that way, because if I didn’t feel that way, I wouldn’t want them caring for my family or the people of this community.”
The Frist Humanitarian Award was established in 1971 to honor those with outstanding volunteer and humanitarian activities. The award is in recognition of the late Dr. Thomas Frist Sr., founder of the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), parent company of Palms West Hospital. Honorees are recognized at the local level, and recipients are selected from around the country.
An employee, a physician and a volunteer from each hospital are recognized each year. Last Friday, the hospital recognized the physician and the employee, choosing to recognize the volunteer during Volunteer Week, Goldman said.
Bass, who has been at Palms West for 25 years, is a prime example of what the hospital strives for in nursing and patient care, Goldman explained. Her passion and dedication have been instrumental in the success of the New Life Center and play a large part in the hospital community.
An expert clinician, Bass is a resource and mentor for colleagues, and is integral to the success of the women’s services at the hospital, Goldman said. She contributes to the hospital’s reputation, in particular while working with the Centricity Perinatal Network, an obstetric documentation system, which was meant to be used only for labor and delivery units, but was expanded to the nursery and postpartum units as well.
Bass, he noted, has been the recipient of many personal notes from patients and coworkers, and has helped many families while working as a labor nurse.
In her personal life, she and her husband, Jim, have fostered children, providing a safe, loving and healing environment. She also works with her church as a volunteer, teaches Bible study and participates in volunteer projects, as well as mentoring a group of teenagers.
Goldman presented Bass with the official Frist Award, as well as $250 to give to the charity of her choice. “I’m very honored, humbled and just want to thank whoever nominated me. That was very sweet. Thank you,” Bass said.
Goldman then introduced the physician nominee. Goad, who earned his medical degree from the University of Arkansas, completed his internship and residency at Louisiana State University in New Orleans. He is secretary/treasurer of the Medical Executive Committee and the hospital’s vice chief of surgery. Since 2008, Goad has been a member of the Medical Staff Quality Peer Review Committee.
Recently, Goad co-chaired the 28th annual Wellington Dinner Dance to benefit the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club, and funded two auction items for the Denim & Diamonds event held at the International Polo Club Palm Beach, raising more than $225,000 to support local programs.
An example of Goad’s generosity and kind spirit, Goldman explained, is that he recently hosted a party at his home to benefit children at the hospital, asking only for a gift to be given to a child. Each year, Goad collects hundreds of gifts and presents them to the children at the hospital before Christmas.
Goad is a supporter and lecturer during special events for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and is respected and admired by staff.
“I’m very humbled and just want to thank you for this accolade,” Goad said. “I appreciate all of your support and thank whoever nominated me and the people who I continue to work with every day and my staff, both here at the hospital and at my office and elsewhere.”
A week before the presentation, Goldman received a phone call from HCA’s CEO with amazing news regarding Bass.
“Along with the Frist Humanitarian Awards, one of the things that they do is each hospital nominates their three individuals, and they are sent up to Nashville, so that they can see all of them, and they wanted us to know that they had selected Kim Bass as the national Frist Award winner,” Goldman said.
Bass was chosen out of 275,000 HCA employees nationally for the award.
“They really felt that Kim is the most deserving individual for this award,” Goldman said. “I can’t personally tell you how proud that makes me feel to be at a hospital that has individuals like Kim. This is probably one of the most exciting things that can happen to any individual or any hospital in our company. We are so incredibly proud of you and grateful for that.”
The national awards ceremony will be held May 16 in Nashville.
ABOVE: Palms West Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Silvia Stradi, Frist Award winners Kim Bass and Dr. James Goad, and CEO Eric Goldman.
