“What is the Northeast Kingdom?” That was one of the questions Carol Martin asked when a job recruiter contacted her in Minneapolis, Minnesota, asking her if she’d consider interviewing for a position as the Quality/Patient Safety Officer at North Country Hospital in Newport located in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. She flew to Vermont in January to interview for the position.
“When I came here it just felt right,” she said. She was amazed by the beauty of the region, the friendliness of the people, and the commitment to caring for the patient that everyone displayed during the interview process. After being offered the job she and her husband, Jim, drove out on March 11th and she started work on March 14. Carol said people at North Country and in the community have been unbelievably welcoming to her.
“Carol clearly has a passion for quality and patient safety,” Sheryl Wasburn said. “Her expertise and skills will undoubtedly help move North Country to the next level of excellence in patient care and service. It is great to have her on our team.” Sheryl is the Vice-President of Patient Care Services.
Carol comes to North Country with a clinical background in medical sonography and radiology leadership. During the past several years she has shifted her focus to healthcare quality and process improvement. Most recently she served as the Director of Quality at Shiners’ Hospitals for Children-Twin Cites.
She’ll be working closely with the medical staff and hospital departments to guide our quality, patient safety, and regulatory compliance efforts. As part of her responsibilities, she will provide oversight for process improvement, patient satisfaction, infection prevention, utilization review and education.
A native of Delaware, Carol said she originally contemplated a career teaching, earning a Bachelor Degree in Education from the University of Delaware. However one opportunity led to another and she has been working in healthcare for most of her career. Carol has an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Widener University in Philadelphia, and is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ).
Carol’s office is located in Building B (former FPN office area). Her phone extension is 295. As she continues her orientation over the next several weeks, she will be meeting with many of you individually and in various group settings. She has a passion for quality and is excited to be involved in helping us move to the next level of excellence in patient care and service.