News

LOCAL BRIEFS: Boleman retiring, Pardee wins 5 stars, Honor Flight scheduled

By Bill Moss, Published: December 30, 2017

FLAT ROCK — When Judy Boleman announced to the mayor and staff that she will be retiring next summer, “We all wept,” Flat Rock Mayor Bon Staton said.

A former council member, Boleman ascended from voluntary zoning duties to part-time zoning administrator before becoming the village’s first fulltime administrator in January 2013.

“It’s like cutting off our right arm,” Staton said.

She plans to stay through the end of the fiscal year, June 30, giving the council time to search for a replacement. Council member Albert Gooch will head the search committee, which also includes council member Ginger Brown.

“It’s going to be a tough job for you guys,” Staton said.

Boleman, who has a master’s degree in community mental health from the University of Georgia, said she becomes Medicare eligible in the spring, making that a good time to retire.

5-star rating places
Pardee in top 10%

Pardee UNC Health Care has earned a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital Compare program, placing the Henderson County hospital among the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation, Pardee announced.

The program rates hospitals on a scale of one through five, with five being the highest and three being the national average score. Hospital Compare is designed to give consumers another tool for measuring hospitals’ overall quality of care. To determine hospital ratings, Hospital Compare looked at mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experience, effectiveness of care, timeliness of care and efficient use of medical imaging.   

“We are honored to earn a five-star rating from CMS Hospital Compare,” said James M. Kirby, II, president and CEO of Pardee UNC Health Care. “Our physicians, staff and leadership work diligently to ensure our patients receive outstanding medical care in a safe, efficient and caring environment. I am proud to see the efforts of these hardworking individuals recognized.”

Separately, Pardee also earned a five-star rating for its performance in hip fracture treatment and spine fusion surgery from Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals.

The achievement is part of new findings and data released by Healthgrades and featured in the Healthgrades 2018 Report to the Nation. Every year, Healthgrades evaluates hospital performance at nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide for 34 of the most common inpatient procedures and conditions. A 5-star rating indicates that Pardee’s clinical outcomes are statistically significantly better than expected when treating the condition or performing the procedure being evaluated.

The award recognized Pardee-affiliated orthopedic medical providers at Southeastern Sports Medicine and Orthopedics, Hendersonville Orthopedics, Blue Ridge Bone & Joint and Appalachian Orthopedics.

Honor Flight’s next
trip is set for April 28

Blue Ridge Honor Flight has scheduled its next flight for Saturday, April 28.

All World War II and all Korean War veterans and Vietnam War veterans who were awarded or were eligible for the Korean Service Medal (Korean War Veterans) or the Vietnam Service Medal (Vietnam War veterans) are eligible for the free trip to visit their memorials in Washington, D.C. 

For this mission, Blue Ridge Honor Flight is partnering with Honor Flight Upstate to fly out of the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport while Asheville Regional Airport completes runway improvements.

Spaces are available and veterans and guardians are encouraged to fill out the applications available on www.blueridgehonorflight.com.

“We are looking forward to another great trip and to partnering with our friends at Honor Flight Upstate,” said Blue Ridge Honor Flight founder Jeff Miller. “Our top priority is to make this trip a memorable one for all our veterans, and this temporary partnership will do just that.”

For more information about how to get involved in Blue Ridge Honor Flight, to make a donation, or learn more about the organization please visit the Blue Ridge Honor Flight website or Facebook page.