Celebrating gratitude with our UC Davis Health teams

On this Thanksgiving holiday, I want to thank all of our teams, employees, students and community allies for everything they do to deliver world-class care, provide an education that sets national standards, and offer compassion to everyone who comes through our doors.

On behalf of our patients and community, our teams are making rapid progress in “delivering tomorrow’s health care today,” building an innovative health system that serves as a national model, and addressing health inequities in ways that are unique, imaginative and thoughtful.

As the poet Maya Angelou once said, “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”

So, please enjoy Thanksgiving with your family and friends, and if you are working over the holiday period, please understand that leadership and your colleagues deeply appreciate your dedication and professionalism for our patients. Thank you in advance for all of your efforts and work over the upcoming holiday. It means so much to our patients and their families.

I'm honored beyond words to serve as your leader and to work together as part of our remarkable UC Davis Health team. With your astute help, we’re moving UC Davis Health forward into the complex, evolving digital age of health care while preserving our culture of caring that makes every part of UC Davis Health so special. Our employees are always thinking ahead and routinely go above and beyond to ensure that our patients receive both the very best care and an outstanding patient experience.

I’m amazed by the teamwork I see every day at UC Davis Health. The days are filled with little moments with tremendous impact – team members escorting a family to a clinic, or a provider getting down to eye level to talk with a child, and much more. These moments improve the patient experience, but more importantly, they foster connection and reflect our authentic culture.

Our values of “kindness, trust, and inclusion” put patients at the center of everything we do as we cultivate a model workplace for employees while steadfastly serving our community. Our employees’ lived values shine clearly in all of the incredible achievements of this past year, from our rising national recognitions in care quality to the pioneering medical discoveries we’ve brought to the patient bedside, and the incredible innovations we’re making as a 21st century health system.

I wish everyone – at UC Davis Health and beyond – a happy Thanksgiving tomorrow! We have much to be grateful for, and I am grateful for each one of you.