By Ben Robinson
For the Courier

EASLEY — Medical staff, board members and other friends of Baptist Easley Hospital gathered last Thursday as chief executive officer Roddey E. Gettys announced his retirement, to begin officially in a year on Sept. 30, 2013.

“I’m not sure what I will do after that,” Gettys said. “I may just come here (to the hospital) and cause problems.”

Gettys came to the hospital in 1969 as the director of pharmacy, central supply and purchasing, and became the Vice President in 1977.

He served in that position until the death of chief operational officer Sherman Hendricks in 1988.

Gettys then became the hospital’s executive vice president and chief operational officer, a title he retained after the hospital’s merger with Palmetto Health in 1998.

He retained that position until Baptist Medical joined Palmetto Health and the Greenville Hospital System in 2009, when Gettys became the chief operational officer of the new healthcare alliance.
Gettys said he will miss working with the dedicated professionals at Baptist Medical, and he wanted to announce his retirement early so the hospital would have plenty of time to seek a replacement.

Gettys has been a vital figure in the growth of the hospital, garnering attention both statewide and nationally for his efforts.
Among his many achievements, Gettys:

• Organized the hospital foundation in 1988;

• Led a successful $3 million campagn for a new emergency room in 1991;

• Designed the successful new leadership structure in 1996;

• Developed the hospital’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program and Services;

• Opened physician offices in expanded areas of Liberty, Powdersville and Clemson;

• Developed the Parish Nurse Program (Abundant Living).

• Was instrumental in establishing the Free Medical Clinic in Pickens County;

• Led the initiative for Baptist Medical to become the first hospital in South Carolina to go smoke-free campus-wide in 1998;

• Developed the hospital’s cardiac cath lab and sleep lab;

• Won the State Quality Forum Silver Achievement Award in 2008 and the Gold Award for the State Baldrige program in 2010;

• Recognized as Press Ganey’s Partner of Choice for employee, patient and physician satisfaction results above the 90th percentile in 2009, 2010 and 2011;

• Recognized as Press Ganey’s Distinctive Workplace for employee satisfaction above the 95th percentile in 2009, 2010 and 2011;

• Recognized as Modern Healthcare?s 100 Best Places to work in 2008, 2009 and 2010;

• Led the joint venture between Palmetto Baptist Easley and Greenville Hospital System in 2010.
Among Getty’s personal achievements are the Order of the Silver Crescent in 2003, Firestarter Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Press Ganey National Speaker’s Bureau from 2009-2011.
Gettys has been recognized for his community service many times, including:

• Pickens County Soil and Water — Board of Directors;

• Easley Presbyterian Church — Deacon, President of the Men of Church;

• Rotary International — Program Chairperson;

• Pickens County Free Medical Clinic — Founding member and former member of the Board of Directors;

• Community South Bank — Former member, Board of Directors;

• Easley Chamber of Commerce — Former member, Board of Directors;

• Better Business Bureau of the Upstate — Former member, Board of Directors;

• Blue Ridge Council, Boy Scouts of America — Former Pickens County Campaign Chair;

• Pickens County March of Dimes — Former campaign chair;

• Crimestoppers of Pickens County — Founding board member.