Catawba Valley Medical Center

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Catawba Valley Medical Center

Catawba Valley Health System in Hickory, N.C., is the region’s largest not-for-profit health system. hospitals.

Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory, N.C., is the region’s largest not-for-profit, public healthcare system and serves the community without direct funding from taxes. CVMC provides and promotes physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of the public in addition to serving as a center for health education, wellness services, preventive medicine and acute care. CVMC has received five Magnet designations from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and has been recognized recently with 10 Women’s Choice Awards, including being named one of America’s Best 100 Hospitals for Patient Experience and having a 2020 Patient Safety score that ranks among the top 2% or all U.S. For more information, please visit www.catawbavalleyhealth.org.

12/10/2025

Catawba Valley Health System is proud to recognize the members of our Quality Team who recently volunteered their time to support two meaningful community efforts. From strengthening access to healthcare resources to helping raise funds for a local non-profit, these team members demonstrated that caring for our community extends well beyond the hospital.

On November 14, volunteers supported NC Med Assist by helping package and prepare essential medications for individuals who may not otherwise have access to them. Their effort helped ensure that our community members can receive necessary prescriptions at no cost.

On December 9, additional volunteers participated in The Corner Table’s annual Candy Making Fundraiser, a longstanding tradition where handmade sweets help provide meals for those experiencing food insecurity in our area.

Participants included: Allister Morris, Candi Harrington, Danielle Thurman, Jonell Fields, Lindsey Johnson, Sara Carpenter, Dallas Crouse, and Sarah Van Horn.

Thank you to each volunteer for providing meaningful support to our neighbors and for representing Catawba Valley Health System with compassion and dedication.

12/08/2025

Catawba Valley Medical Center is proud to announce this quarter’s DAISY Award Recipient. The DAISY Award is designed to recognize exceptional nursing care. Join us in congratulating Adam Fincannon, RN, who serves as a Charge Nurse in our Critical Care Unit. Adam’s nomination detailed a heartfelt story of his compassion while interacting with a patient and their family during an end-of-life situation.

The nomination said, “I ask you to consider our Angel, Adam Fincannon, for the DAISY Award 2025. He is an extraordinary nurse and human being, and in our eyes and hearts, he is so deserving of this honor.

“In September 2023, our family gathered in the 5th-floor family waiting room, where we first met Adam Fincannon. From the very first words he spoke, it was clear he was truly an angel sent to us by God. He approached us with compassion, hope, and an unwavering devotion to providing the very best care for Bill and our family.

“Adam was constantly present, always answering our questions, explaining tests and monitor readings, and joining us in prayer. Throughout that time, he shared his faith, his love for his profession, and even spoke about his upcoming wedding to Andreea in October.

“The next day, Adam returned with hugs and the results of Bill’s blood work. He gently shared that Bill’s kidneys were beginning to fail. Tears, fear, and the reality of the situation hit us hard. Despite this, Adam spent the last day and a half with us, intuitively understanding the heavy weight on our hearts. With his medical knowledge and profound compassion, he supported us in every way he could.

“Our family ultimately recognized that this was truly in God’s hands, as the medical team had exhausted all options. Heart-wrenching as it was, we asked Adam to withdraw treatment and entrust Bill’s care to God’s will. Angel Adam held us, saying, ‘God works miracles,’ and helped us place Bill’s recovery into His hands. He remained by our side throughout, ensuring we and Bill had everything we needed.

“When Bill passed, I wanted to keep his wedding ring. Adam gently removed the ring I had placed on Bill’s finger on February 5, 1972, and placed it on a necklace around my neck. It serves as a lasting reminder of the man I will love forever, and of the young nurse who walked this journey with us with unwavering love, dedication, and compassion.”

The DAISY Foundation was established by the family of J. Patrick Barnes after he died of complications of the auto-immune disease ITP in 1999. During his hospitalization, they deeply appreciated the care and compassion shown to Patrick and his entire family. When he died, they felt compelled to say “thank you” to nurses in a very public way.

The award is given in numerous countries around the world. To learn more, visit DAISYFoundation.org. If you would like to nominate someone to receive the DAISY Award, visit CatawbaValleyHealth.org/DAISY.

12/04/2025

All aboard for the holiday fun! On Wednesday, our Catawba Valley Health System team and their families gathered at Pin Station for our Kids Christmas Party, featuring a magical Polar Express theme. Children enjoyed seeing Santa, playing games, mailing cards to the North Pole, and receiving their very own golden ticket for a ride on the Polar Express.

We are truly grateful for our incredible staff—the heart of our health system. They work hard all year long, and they deserve every moment of quality time with their families during the holidays.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for a joyful celebration filled with laughter, imagination, and holiday spirit.

To learn more about becoming one of our CVHS employees, visit CatawbaValleyHealth.org/Careers.

12/02/2025

We are thrilled to be celebrating the successful conclusion of the Fall 2025 RISE Internship Program! The Robust Internship Student Experiences (RISE) is an intensive, semester-long internship program at Catawba Valley Health System (CVHS) designed to help high school students explore career paths in healthcare.

We extend a special thanks to the sponsors, including Michele Sedney, Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, and Tracey Bolick, director of the Catawba Medical Foundation, the RISE Scholarship Committee, and the many dedicated Preceptors who supported our interns this semester. Congratulations to all the Fall 2025 RISE Interns, especially those who gave presentations : Allison Rangel-Cortez, Kaysi Whisenant, Lexi Ball, Kyndall Sloop, Alyssa Kapetanis, Kat Baucom, Ava Tunnell, and Khloe Hopman.

A huge congratulations is in order for the recipient of the Eddie Beard RISE Scholarship: Kaysi Whisenant from Fred T. Foard High School. The scholarship was presented during the banquet. We are so proud of all our interns and their dedication to the RISE program!

For more information regarding the program, contact Katie Fulbright, student program coordinator, at 828-326-3576 or visit CatawbaValleyHealth.org/Students.

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at Catawba Valley Health System! Today, we pause to reflect on the incredible community that makes our mission possible. We are deeply thankful for every individual who helps our health system run smoothly and ensures our patients receive safe, compassionate, high-quality care.

To our nurses and doctors who provide exceptional clinical expertise, to our nutrition care teams who nourish patients and staff, to our EVS professionals who maintain clean and healing environments, and to our plant operations teams who keep our facilities running safely and efficiently—thank you. To our clinic staff who support patient care across every location, our volunteers who give their time and kindness so generously, and every team member across the organization whose work often happens behind the scenes—your dedication makes a difference every single day.

This holiday reminds us how fortunate we are to have such a committed, talented, and caring workforce. We appreciate you, we celebrate you, and we are grateful for the compassion you show our community all year long.

11/24/2025

Join us in congratulating our November C.A.R.E Award Recipient – Stephanie Morton! Stehpanie serves as a Charge Nurse in our Surgical department.

“I am honored to nominate Stephanie for this award in recognition of their exceptional dedication, compassion, and professionalism. She consistently goes above and beyond to ensure patients receive the highest quality of care. Stephanie treats every patient with genuine kindness, empathy, and respect, creating an environment where people feel safe, supported, and valued. Her commitment to excellence truly embodies the spirit of nursing,” according to Stephanie’s nominator.

The C.A.R.E Award is given monthly to a Catawba Valley Health System employee who has exhibited Courtesy, Attitude, Respect, and Enthusiasm throughout their work.

To learn more about becoming one of the exceptional team members who work at CVHS, visit our careers page at CatawbaValleyHealth.org/Careers.

11/19/2025

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. It’s a time to focus on education, prevention, and supporting the many individuals and families impacted by diabetes every day.

Our Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) program continues to make a meaningful difference in our community. Participants in our program see an average A1C reduction of 0.9%, compared to the national average of 0.6%. This improvement reflects the value of education, guidance, and support in helping people take control of their health.

Here are a few things participants have shared when asked what they liked best about the program:

“It was comprehensive, educational and the instructors were knowledgeable and super friendly.” — Barbara R.

“You presented items that I had never considered might help me in treating my diabetes.” — Jill L.

“You guys taught us a lot on what to do and what to eat to help lower our blood sugar levels and A1C. Lots of conflicting information on the internet, and it was helpful to go to a place where they could fact check us and provided in-depth education.” — Ryan S.

In the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled. Recognizing symptoms early is essential, because early detection and treatment can lower the risk of complications.

Some common symptoms of diabetes include urinating often, feeling very thirsty, feeling very hungry even while eating regularly, extreme fatigue, blurry vision, cuts or bruises that are slow to heal, weight loss even while eating more (often seen in type 1), and tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands or feet (often seen in type 2). These symptoms can sometimes be mild or easy to overlook, which is why awareness is so important.

For more information about diabetes education, resources, and support, visit CatawbaValleyHealth.org/Diabetes.

11/17/2025

Leaders from Catawba Valley Health System attended the North Carolina Clinician and Physician Retention and Well-Being (NCCPRW) Consortium meeting last week, joining hospital teams and partners from across the state. CVHS remains committed to ensuring our health system is the best place to work and practice medicine, and participating in statewide collaboration is an important part of that mission.

The NCCPRW Consortium is dedicated to supporting the well-being of North Carolina’s clinical professionals. The group focuses on reducing stress, improving retention, promoting well-being, and creating healthier work environments so clinicians can thrive both in their careers and in their lives.

We’re honored to take part in this important work that strengthens support for our care teams and improves the future of healthcare in our state. To learn more about how CVHS supports its employees and fosters a positive work environment, visit CatawbaValleyHealth.org/Careers.

11/13/2025

Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) has received an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group for Fall 2025. This national distinction recognizes CVMC’s achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and error in the hospital, as well as meeting the highest safety standards in the United States.

CVMC earned the only ‘A’ grade for the Unifour region (Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba). This marks the 18th ‘A’ grade for safety that CVMC has received in Leapfrog’s last 19 reporting periods. Grades are updated in the fall and spring.

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C,’ ‘D,’ or ‘F’ grade to general hospitals across the country based on national performance measures reflecting errors, injuries, accidents and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm. Results are updated each fall and spring. Less than one-third of all U.S. hospitals achieve an ‘A’ grade.

Michelle Lusk, Chief Nursing Officer of Catawba Valley Health System, said, “This is the highest scoring ‘A’ grade that CVHS has achieved in the last five years and it is thanks to our employees, medical staff and leaders who put patient safety as the highest priority. Safety and quality must be the top priorities in a healthcare setting, and we’re so proud to show this region our commitment to this above all else. Only 12 percent of eligible hospitals achieve this score.”

“Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade reflects enormous dedication to patient safety,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “I extend my congratulations to Catawba Valley Medical Center, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for creating a culture where patients come first.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harms to patients. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses over 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to nearly 3,000 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public at HospitalSafetyGrade.org.

11/12/2025

Recently, more than 160 healthcare professionals, educators, policymakers, and community advocates gathered at Moretz Mills in Hickory for our Addiction Medicine Summit, hosted by Catawba Valley Medical Center in partnership with Catawba County Public Health.

The event featured an impressive lineup of experts, including Dr. Stephen Holt from Yale School of Medicine, along with Dr. Alicia Howard and Dr. Cassandra Lilli from Catawba Valley Medical Center, who led dynamic sessions on the treatment of opioid use disorder, the psychiatry of addiction, and innovative approaches to care.

Throughout the day, attendees explored the complexities of addiction, shared best practices, and strengthened partnerships aimed at supporting recovery and improving community health.

A heartfelt thank you to our speakers, attendees, and community partners—especially Catawba County Public Health—for helping make this event such a success. Together, we’re building a more compassionate and informed approach to addressing addiction in our region.

To learn more about Catawba Valley Medical Center and our commitment to providing comprehensive healthcare to all, visit our website at CatawbaValleyHealth.org.

11/11/2025

In honor of Veterans Day on November 11, we pay tribute to all American veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime. And for those who have now chosen to strengthen CVHS with their dedication and expertise, we are grateful to work alongside you each day.

Today and every day, we’re grateful for all those who have served. Happy Veterans Day!

11/10/2025

We’re excited to shine a well-deserved spotlight on Katie Fulbright, CVMC’s Student Experience Coordinator, and Misty Oxentine, CVMC’s Director of Nursing Education. These two leaders recently represented Catawba Valley Health System at the SENSES Conference on October 23, 2025, where they presented their session, “An Innovative Approach to Recruit, Support and Retain New Graduate Nurses.” Their presentation highlighted the strategic, compassionate work happening behind the scenes to strengthen our pipeline of future healthcare professionals—and the systems in place to support them long after they choose CVHS as their home.

Katie’s impact can be seen every day in the way she helps students discover and pursue careers in healthcare. She coordinates thousands of student rotation hours each year and oversees important programs such as Camp Med, the Rise Program, and the HealthCareer Summer Intern Program. In just the past year, she placed more than 900 students across our organization—an impressive accomplishment that reflects her dedication, creativity, and commitment to helping young people explore meaningful clinical pathways.

Misty’s leadership is equally vital, guiding new graduates through a thoughtful and effective orientation process that helps students transition seamlessly into employment. Working closely with her team — Shannon Passman and Beth Rudisill — she ensures that new nurses receive the mentorship, support, and sense of belonging they need to feel confident and prepared from their very first day. This intentional approach makes a significant difference in long-term retention and overall professional growth.

Together, Katie and Misty embody our commitment to developing strong, supported, and inspired healthcare professionals. Their combined efforts help strengthen our workforce, enrich our organizational culture, and ensure exceptional care for our community—today and for years to come.

We’re incredibly grateful for everything they do and proud to have them as part of our Organizational Learning team. To learn more about Catawba Valley Medical Center, visit CatawbaValleyHealth.org.

Address

810 Fairgrove Church Road SE
Hickory, NC
28602

Telephone

+18283263000

Website

http://www.catawbavalleyhealth.org/

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Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) in Hickory, NC, is the region’s largest not-for-profit, public healthcare system serving the community without direct funding from taxes. CVMC provides and promotes physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being in addition to serving as a center for health education, wellness, preventive medicine and acute care. CVMC received a fourth consecutive Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2014. WomenCertified® has recognized CVMC with Women’s Choice Awards for America’s Best 100 Hospitals for Patient Experience 2012-2017; America’s Best 100 Hospitals for Patient Safety 2017-2018; America’s Best Hospitals for Obstetrics 2013-2018; America’s Best Hospitals in Cancer Care 2017-2018; America’s Best Hospitals for Bariatric Surgery 2016-2018; America’s Best Hospitals in Orthopedics 2018; and America’s Best Breast Centers in 2018. For more information, please visit www.catawbavalleyhealth.org