NEWS RELEASE – December 07, 2023
ARH's Sarah Hobbs Receives Customer Service Excellence Award
December 07, 2023 – ARH proudly announces that Sarah Hobbs, Patient Access Manager for Harlan ARH Hospital, has been awarded the Customer Service Excellence Award from the Harlan County Chamber of Commerce for her exemplary service to the community. Our long-time employee was recognized for her positive attitude and for going above and beyond for the patients she serves at Harlan ARH.
Joseph Horton, Harlan ARH Hospital CEO, says “I appreciate that the Harlan County Chamber of Commerce recognized Sarah for what we see and our patients experience daily – Customer Service Excellence. Sarah is truly an asset to Harlan ARH and her ‘Patient First’ mindset is evident in the way that she carries herself and leads Harlan’s Admissions Department. She strives to ensure that each and every patient’s experience is nothing short of amazing.” Horton says Hobbs’ leadership and professionalism is an example for all and “spreads to the rest of her staff and sets the bar for patient interaction throughout the facility.”
It is easy to see examples of Hobbs’ service to patients throughout her years. At times she has provided transportation home or bought needed clothing for discharged patients. She continues to sit with concerned families trying to give some comfort in stressful times. Whatever the situation, Hobbs greets everyone with a smile and is genuinely appreciative of the opportunity to serve.
Hobbs credits current and past administrative teams for making her job easy. After four decades, she still looks forward to coming to work. She tries to live by the scripture, “Whatever thy hand finds to do, do it with thy might….”
Dywayne Craig, Harlan ARH Hospital COO says, “When I think of Sarah, the first thing that comes to mind is her faith. This drives her to be a Servant Leader and live by the Golden Rule of Luke 6:31 – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” I am thankful for Sarah’s
dedication to our community, hospital and patients. Her attitude and work ethic inspires me to be a better person and leader.”
***Attached picture L to R from Harlan ARH Hospital: Joseph Horton (CEO), Sarah Hobbs (Patient Access Manager), Mark Bell (Community and Patient Advocate), and Dwayne Craig (COO).
Hobbs was key in the development and implementation of the SMILE program. This program for Harlan ARH Hospital employees centers on promoting outstanding customer service and patient satisfaction. Hobbs is also a management lead for the Employee Advisory Council which plans and promotes activities and events designed for employee morale and well-being.
Patient and family input is invaluable to ARH and Hobbs is part of the executive rounding team that interacts with patients daily. Rounding provides Hobbs with more opportunities to offer comfort, a prayer, to simply hold a hand for a moment or to share a laugh.
She was recently presented with the ARH corporate CARES award. This annual award is given to employees in recognition of Communication, Attentiveness, Respectfulness and Special Service to the ARH community.
Sarah is married to her childhood sweetheart, David. They have a beautiful daughter, Melanie, along with her husband, Leonard and one perfect granddaughter, Bailey.
Although Hobbs has more than 40 years with Harlan ARH Hospital, she is not ready for retirement because she loves people and says, “I love what I do so not yet.”
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Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH), is a not-for-profit health system operating 14 hospitals in Barbourville, Hazard, Harlan, Hyden, Martin, McDowell, Middlesboro, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, West Liberty, Whitesburg, and South Williamson in Kentucky and Beckley and Hinton in West Virginia, as well as multi-specialty physician practices, home health agencies, home medical equipment stores and retail pharmacies. ARH employs more than 6,500 people with an annual payroll and benefits of $330 million generated into our local economies. ARH also has a network of more than 600 active and courtesy medical staff members. ARH is the largest provider of care and the single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky and the third-largest private employer in southern West Virginia.