Coble: Providence will still fulfill vital mission in community

I’m alive to write this because of the heroic efforts of a number of people.

April 15 was like any other Wednesday lobbying at the State House. But after lunch, I started feeling what I thought was a bad case of heartburn. Before long, I realized I needed help. Then, in the State House nurse station, I passed out. I was having a heart attack, a big one. The kind the experts call a “widowmaker.”

Nurse Betsy Hossenlopp — who later would receive an award from the National Conference of State Legislatures for saving me — and nurse Cicely Jenkins, along with Dr. Marc New, managed to resuscitate me. The last thing I remember saying was, “Take me to Providence Hospital.” I credit that with saving my life.

That night, Dr. Mac Leppard performed a quintuple heart bypass on me. He, too, saved my life — although he won’t accept that unless I add “and the team” there at Providence.

I already held Providence, and Dr. Leppard, in high esteem. I’ve known Mac Leppard since my mother moved back to her hometown of Chesterfield in 1971, after I graduated from Dreher High School. The Leppards lived three doors down. And today I represent Providence as an attorney and lobbyist.

But I chose Providence based on more than familiarity. Dr. Leppard is the finest cardiovascular surgeon anywhere, and he — and the team — are a big reason why Providence has received the top rating for heart surgery given by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons all 17 times the society has issued the ratings. That is the national gold standard. If another hospital in South Carolina has a record like that, I am unaware of it.

Thank God Providence is right in the heart of our city, so I could get there quickly from the State House.

Providence has been a sacred mission for the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine since they mortgaged their Mother House in Ohio to build it in the late 1930s.

This institution fulfills a critical role in this community largely because of its Catholic nature. Ask my family. While I was unconscious, Joan Bumpus — the hospitals’ vice president of mission and ministry — prayed with them. When I came out of surgery, Sister Judith Ann Karam, former head of the hospital and of the sisters’ overall health system — prayed with me. I’m a Methodist, but let me tell you: When you’ve got nuns praying for you, you know it’s going straight up.

Oh, and if you think I got special treatment because I’m “Mayor Bob” and the hospitals’ attorney, forget it. Dr. Leppard has made a particular point of telling me I got the same treatment all patients get at Providence. From what I’ve seen, I believe it.

Late last month, Providence signed a letter of intent to be acquired by LifePoint Health, a company based in Tennessee that owns more than 60 hospitals in 20 states.

This is very good news. Providence has for some time needed a partner with the resources to invest in continued excellence. It is getting that in LifePoint. Some other reasons I’m encouraged:

▪ All of the current employees will stay — as long as they pass standard pre-employment screening, and I’m confident they will.

▪ LifePoint will continue to operate Providence as a Catholic institution. How can a for-profit do that? Watch and see. The hospitals will have oversight on that score from the bishop of the Diocese of Charleston.

▪ The sisters’ legacy and spirit will live on.

▪ The name doesn’t change. It will still be Providence Hospitals.

Like thousands of other people living full, healthy lives in our community, I’m still here thanks to Providence. And thanks to LifePoint, Providence will still be here to save others. And that is very good news.

This story was originally published August 16, 2015 at 4:47 AM.