14 minute read
HEALTHCARE Q & A
10 questions with Shelbourn Stevens, president of New Hanover Regional Medical Center and Novant Health’s Coastal Market.
BY DENNIS HETZEL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK STEELMAN
When officials in New Hanover County agreed to sell the publicly held New Hanover Regional Medical Center to Novant Health in 2020, they forged a dominant entity for healthcare delivery throughout the Cape Fear region. Novant operates the largest hospital in Brunswick County and many other local facilities. Amid all that, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the area, putting more stress on healthcare providers.
With that in mind, we thought the timing was perfect to connect with Shelbourn Stevens to discuss healthcare in Brunswick County. Stevens was recently promoted to president of NHRMC and the coastal market, which includes oversight of Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center and Pender Memorial Hospital. For the eight years prior, he was president and chief operating officer of Brunswick Medical Center, the position he held when this email interview was conducted.
Stevens, who lives in Supply, provided the following responses to my questions, and his responses have been lightly edited for space and style.
At left, left to right: Shelbourn Stevens, president of NHRMC and Novant Health Coastal Market; Josh Price, manager RN Supervision and Patient Placement; Lakeisha Dixon, Women’s Unit manager; Gabriele Pike, Adult Health administrator; and Lakisha Fullwood, nurse manager walking the halls at New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Below, left to right: Dixon, Stevens and Fullwood reviewing hospital processes.
Can you tell us a little about yourself, including your hobbies and interests when you’re not at work? I grew up in Danbury, North Carolina, and started my career as a respiratory aide with Novant Health in 1990. While working full time, I received both my bachelor’s degree and an MBA. In 2012 I took over as president and chief operating officer at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center. Outside of work, I like to travel. I learned to play piano when I was four, and I played every Sunday at the church I grew up in. Today, I still play and find it as my own form of personal therapy.
Now that Novant is operating New Hanover Regional Center, how does Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center fit into the picture going forward? New Hanover Regional Medical Center will become Novant Health’s flagship facility for the coastal market, which Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center will remain a part of, and leader of a regionally focused, integrated delivery network in southeastern North Carolina. New Hanover Regional Medical Center will be the local leader of the formative stages of this significant regional expansion strategy, enabling it to be a critical partner with substantial influence and resources as we jointly develop strategic plans.
Will Brunswick County residents be more likely or less likely to have to go to Wilmington to receive advanced or specialized medical services vs. remaining in Brunswick County? What specialty areas do you see expanding first in Brunswick County, if any? This partnership will bring a more seamless experience for Brunswick County residents should they need advanced or specialized care. Advanced and specialized care will primarily stay in New Hanover County, and the expanded UNC partnership will bring more access to care for our Brunswick County residents.
Regarding the expansion timeline of specialty areas in Brunswick County, we are still working with local leadership and physicians to determine the critical needs of our community.
When you look at medical needs and services in Brunswick County, what community health issues concern you the most? What keeps you up at night? I think the one thing that keeps me up at night is making sure every single resident has access to remarkable care whenever they need it. We are a rural county with an older population that might need more specialized care. In some cases, they don’t have the means to travel to get their routine appointments to make sure their health is the best it can be. It’s something I constantly think about, and I am proud that Novant Health is making access to care a priority. One of the controversial issues in Novant’s purchase of NHRMC was the decision to limit the $1.25 billion that moved to the New Hanover Community Endowment to only serve New Hanover County despite NHRMC’s regional footprint. Does this decision have an impact on Novant’s ability or commitment to support community needs and interests in Brunswick County? This partnership decision does not have an impact on our commitment to support Brunswick County’s needs. Residents in Brunswick County should be really excited about this partnership as it combines the best of both worlds with both Novant Health and New Hanover Regional Medical Center, while also expanding the affiliation with UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine.
You were a hospital executive through this COVID-19 pandemic. How close did we come in Brunswick County to cases overwhelming the system and how did you feel your staff responded to all the challenges? When COVID-19 first started, we were concerned because our hospital serves a population that is high-risk for severe complications from the virus. But because we are part of a larger healthcare organization, we were able to adjust and plan as needed to accommodate for any potential surges we saw in cases to prevent overwhelming the system and our team members. Community means everything. Community means everything. Community means everything. That’s why we’re proud to be here to help life go right™ – and to support Brunswick County. If there’s anything you need, call us. That’s why we’re proud to be here to help life go right™ – and to support Brunswick County. If there’s anything you need, call us. That’s why we’re proud to be here to help life go right™ – and to support Brunswick County. If there’s anything you need, call us.
We read about shortages of medical professionals like family doctors and nurses in many parts of the country. What’s the situation in Brunswick County, and in what areas of practices or occupations are we most deficient?
Brunswick County is rapidly growing, and we are constantly evaluating the care our community needs most. Today, we see the most need for more providers in primary care, gastroenterology, neurology, behavioral health and pulmonology.
Josh London Ins Agcy Inc
Josh London, Agent 1112 E Cutlar Crossing Ste 104 Josh London Ins Agcy Inc Josh London, Agent Leland, NC 28451 Bus: 910-383-1303 1112 E Cutlar Crossing Ste 104 Leland, NC 28451 Josh London Ins Agcy Inc Bus: 910-383-1303 Josh London, Agent 1112 E Cutlar Crossing Ste 104 Leland, NC 28451 Bus: 910-383-1303
Rouse Insurance Agency Inc
Franklin Rouse Jr, Agent 1107 New Pointe Blvd Rouse Insurance Agency Inc Franklin Rouse Jr, Agent Leland, NC 28451 Bus: 910-371-5446 1107 New Pointe Blvd Leland, NC 28451 Rouse Insurance Agency Inc Bus: 910-371-5446 Franklin Rouse Jr, Agent 1107 New Pointe Blvd Leland, NC 28451 Bus: 910-371-5446
Stevens confers with Fullwood, Pike, Price and Dixon at New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
I can’t say enough about our team members. I can’t thank each one of them enough for their selflessness and commitment to taking care of the community in such an uncertain and scary time for many. They have been moving at a sprint’s pace during the COVID-19 marathon and have not let up once in their dedication to our patients and community.
What are some of the most important lessons the community needs to learn from the COVID experience using your perspective as both a county resident and a hospital executive? I think the most important lesson the community can learn from the COVID-19 experience is that we really have to be open to listening and trusting our health officials in such a time of uncertainty. At the start, people were masked and listened to all of the guidelines but as time went on, masks started becoming less prevalent. I know people got tired of COVID-19, but by listening to officials about preventive steps, including getting the COVID-19 vaccine, we can get out of this pandemic sooner and safely.
Running a hospital in Brunswick County must involve hurricane and disaster response. We’ve had several significant storms in recent years, and experts expect that trend to continue. What lessons have been learned and changes made from recent storms in terms of the hospital’s ability to respond to natural disasters? I think what I’ve learned most from both hurricanes and even COVID-19 is that you always have to be ready with a plan A, plan B and even a plan C. With natural disasters, you can never predict what will happen, so having the contingency plans in place helps the team members at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center feel prepared to face what comes our way.
If you could “correct the record,” what are one or two of the biggest misconceptions you encounter about hospitals and healthcare in 2021 that people get from movies, TV or news media?
I know that I’ve heard from some community members that they are afraid to go to clinics or the hospitals because they are worried about COVID-19. This means that people are forgoing important screenings or not coming into the emergency department when they should.
Our environmental services teams at the hospitals and clinics are properly trained on how to disinfect rooms and supplies, and they continue to do a remarkable job throughout the pandemic. I encourage everyone to know that the hospitals and clinics are safe and to get care when they need it.
For the Long Haul
Leland ultrarunners Jeremy Reynolds and Jeff Winchester compete in long-distance races and motivate others to do the same.
BY ANNESOPHIA RICHARDS PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT MCGRAW
Jeremy Reynolds (left) and Jeff Winchester
FFor most of us, simply the thought of completing a marathon is exhausting. The physically demanding hours of required training and running are daunting enough to deter us from ever attempting to accept such a challenge. But for ultramarathoners and Leland residents Jeremy Reynolds and Jeff Winchester, those 26.2 miles are merely a warm-up for something truly epic. For best friends Reynolds and Winchester running is a relatively new passion in life. The two men met in 2013 at a time when Reynolds was transitioning from an active career with the Air Force to a more sedentary office job with GE. He reached out to then-acquaintance Winchester, who had recently taken up running as a way of combating his stress and other recent health issues.
“Jeff and I really connected, and we started working out together every day,” Reynolds says. “We got into Spartan races, and I decided I really liked the running portion of them, especially the scary part of not being sure if I could do it, and the pain aspect. That’s really what got me into ultras.”
Similar to Reynolds, Winchester also realized his favorite part of the Spartan races was running, and he began training for his first marathon in 2015. Although his finish time was slower than he’d hoped, from that moment on he was hooked.
“I bombed really bad, but I loved it,” Winchester says. “I loved all the pain, maybe not at the moment but afterwards. It was a good type of
BECOME AN ULTRARUNNER
Tune in to the “The Ultra Running Guys” podcast on Audible and listen for free. Or go to the website: theultrarunningguys.com to find the podcast link, read their blog and more.
discomfort, and that’s what drew me in. People hesitate because we’re afraid of pain, but that’s kind of silly, in my mind. It’s not bad to be uncomfortable, it’s just uncomfortable.”
Soon afterwards, Reynolds completed his own first marathon, and from there both men set their sights on going even farther. Winchester completed a 50K race, and then the duo ran together in the JFK 50 Mile, otherwise known as America’s oldest ultramarathon, in November of 2016. After numerous other marathons, 50Ks, 50 milers and 100Ks, both men completed their first 100-mile race at the Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run in Raleigh.
“For me, it’s really not about the distance,” Winchester says. “There’s this element of discomfort that makes you feel like you’re dying, but it actually makes you feel very alive. I think it’s why we’re very passionate about encouraging others to try all kinds of challenging things, not because we think everybody should suffer or because I want them to hurt, but because I think they learn so much about themselves and what they can do.”
Winchester and Reynolds both agree that races lasting sometimes more than 12 hours are more about being mentally strong than physically dominant. Contrary to what most might imagine, ultramarathoners aren’t expected to run the entire time. Generous cutoff times and frequent aid stations mean most runners walk to some degree throughout the race.
“It becomes this negotiation with myself of keeping one foot in front of the other and asking myself how I can continue to move forward,” Reynolds says. “Like most people, I tend to get in this really deep, dark spot where I start to wonder why I’m even doing it or if I can continue, and that’s the magic in it. From a confidence standpoint, you get to know yourself and understand what you’re made of. I love feeling that ‘wow’ moment of realizing I’ve got something in me I didn’t know was there.”
Defined as any footrace longer than the traditional marathon distance of 26.2 miles, ultramarathons have been gaining in popularity. The number of available races, coupled with events like Wilmington’s own Southern Tour Ultra, which allow runners the option of racing in relay teams, have encouraged people of different abilities to experience ultrarunning in a fun, welcoming environment.
“These 48-hour events just seem to
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN RACE
September 18, 8 am to 5 pm
Brunswick Nature Park, 2601 River Road SE, Winnabow
runsignup.com/Race/NC/ Winnabow/TheFinalCountdown
This choose-your-own-distance run for athletes of all abilities will repeat a 1.33-mile loop, with each lap getting slightly faster than the last. Runners who don’t make it back before the timer runs out each lap will be out of the race, until only one runner returns before the completion of The Final Countdown.
If you’re not interested in running but want to check it out, volunteers are needed on race day. Find information at theultrarunningguys.com. normalize things, because at first you show up and wonder how these other people are doing it,” Reynolds says. “Before, it was just this mythic thing that you might have read or heard about, but then you start to see seemingly average people doing things you never thought possible. I think that’s really contributed to the sport’s growth.”
This past November, Reynolds and Winchester decided to share their passion for ultras by creating their own podcast, “The Ultra Running Guys.” Their goal is to encourage others who are considering getting into the sport, because they know just what it felt like to take that first step.
“When I initially heard that people ran 100 miles, I literally thought it was a mistake,” Reynolds says. “But I soon learned that everyday people do this all over the country, every weekend, and I realized I had put these limits on myself. Just because something seems so far away, if we take it in small, incremental steps, we can get there. Ultrarunning isn’t about being crazy good at something, it’s just about deciding you can do it.”
Both Winchester and Reynolds have several races on their calendars this year, including another 100-miler this fall. In addition, they’ll be hosting their own race called The Final Countdown on September 18 in Brunswick Nature Park. In this choose-your-own-distance run, athletes of all abilities will repeat a 1.33-mile loop, with each lap getting slightly faster than the last. Runners who don’t make it back before the timer runs out each lap will be out of the race, until only one runner returns before the completion of The Final Countdown. For Reynolds and Winchester, the ultimate goal of this type of race is to let people know that everyone is capable of doing more than they think they can.
“Effort is effort, and so if somebody is working and pushing through one mile, that’s a big deal,” Reynolds says. “It’s really about progress, not about who can do what distance, and that’s one of the things we both really value about the ultrarunning community. Sure, there’s racing that goes on, but the racing is really such a small percentage of it. Everybody out there is just so supportive, because we all recognize that we’re on our own discovery journey.”
