One Giant Leap for Inova

In 1969 the price of gas was .35 cents per gallon, Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon and Carol Holzman started working at Fairfax Hospital on March 10. When I heard Carol was retiring after 43 years of service, I just had to find out why we’ve been so blessed with her company all these years. After all, if you choose to stay in the same building for 43 years, you must really like the place!

It turns out Carol enjoys change. Imagine that! And change she has seen. Her home in the Psychiatry Department of the original building is now surrounded by new buildings, construction, even newer buildings, more construction, new roads and more construction. While Carol admits to loving the smaller family atmosphere of the early days when everyone knew everyone and their families, she appreciates all of the new procedures she’s been able to learn. “It’s kinda neat because it’s a challenge with all the change, but it can also be very exciting. You have to be flexible. And if you don’t like what’s going on now, just wait, it’ll change again! You know what they say, there is nothing constant but change!”

Another Inova difference in Carol’s mind is that we’ve always been patient-oriented as well as employee-oriented. “We are a family here.” She said, “No matter what happens, the people have always been wonderful. If you can work with people that you enjoy being with, people that help each other, you’ve got it made. If you need help with something, there is always someone to pitch in.”

So perhaps on June 20 that year when Neil Armstrong uttered the famous words, “That’s one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind,” there was another line being stated by Fairfax administration. “That’s one small step for Carol, one giant leap for the health and well-being of our community.”

Thanks, Carol, for being an integral part of Inova.

Who do you know in our Inova family who has helped us make a giant leap in the right direction?