Woman’s Hospital has been open for 50 years, and Danette Legendre, Woman’s director of Respiratory Care, has worked at Woman’s for nearly 40 of them! Here’s a bit of insight into her experience as a longtime employee.

How has Woman’s changed since you started working here? There have been many changes in healthcare over the years, from changes in how we care for patients to changes in the work environment. Services have grown, and patient volume has, too. There are certainly more female physicians at Woman’s since I began 39 years ago!

I feel the most significant healthcare changes seen over the past 30 years are in technology and process efficiency. Communication has greatly improved with iPhones, and test results are much more prompt. This all results improved patient outcomes. We have seen a tremendous increase in the survival of babies through advances in maternal-fetal medicine and neonatal care.

In what ways has Woman’s remained the same? Woman’s remains committed to the highest quality patient care, state of the art equipment and technology. Woman’s has always strived to exceed the patient’s expectations with quality, compassionate care, and experience. The organizational culture here is unparalleled – employees feel valued and have a voice in new processes, innovation and ideas for best practice initiatives.

What is your fondest memory of working at Woman’s? My fondest memory of Woman’s is when my grandson was in the NICU for five weeks. He was preterm at 36 weeks and diagnosed with gastroschisis; he required two surgeries, and my daughter-in-law was a high-risk patient.  She received the best care with an excellent outcome because of the exceptional physicians, surgeons, nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, dieticians, pharmacists and Administrative Team.

The exceptional care my family received was outstanding and heartwarming. I will never forget everyone’s kindness and compassion. Hardly a day goes by that someone doesn’t stop from their busy schedule to greet me and ask about my grandson. This is why Woman’s is the BEST hospital! The vision and mission are not simply words – they are demonstrated each day at Woman’s.