From the Facebook Page of Junior Leadership Florence County:
“Junior Leadership Florence County wants to offer our sincere thanks to the Rotary Club of Florence and ArborOne, who have just recently announced grants that will enable us to keep doing what we started- helping to develop the future leaders of the Pee Dee! We simply wouldn’t be able to deliver such a fantastic program if it weren’t for our generous sponsors, volunteers and community leaders. Thank you again to Florence Rotary and ArborOne and for the continued support of Clemson Extension, FMU and the Florence Chamber. We can’t wait for you to meet the newest class of Junior Leadership Florence County!”

For more information on Junior Leadership Florence County or how you can help sponsor the program or participate, visit:

Junior Leadership Florence County website

(images courtesy: Google Maps and Toole Design Group)

From the Morning News:

“After months of mulling, the Florence County Council voted Thursday to move forward with an improvement plan for the Highway 76 corridor from the Florence City limits to Francis Marion University.

The council unanimously authorized Florence County Administrator K.G. “Rusty” Smith Jr. to negotiate a contract with Toole Design Group to study the section of East Palmetto and present options to revamp the area.

Ideas for the plan were started when the county and city teamed up last year in an effort to address an eyesore on the same stretch – the dilapidated Palmetto Inn. An attempt to obtain a grant to clean up the site failed and talks of an overlay district sprouted.”

To read the full article and get all the details on the project, click on the link below:

SCnow.com web article- East Palmetto Improvement Study

Dr. Zebian, courtesy: Carolinas Hospital System

Brian Greig, courtesy: Carolinas Hospital System

Carolinas Hospital System is proud to announce that Dr. Rami Zebian, Director of Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine and Brian Greig, RN, Director of Critical Care Services have received the 2016 Lewis Blackman Award.

Every year,  South Carolina’s hospital community joins together at the Transforming Health Symposium to share best practices and learn about the ways individuals and organizations are working collaboratively to transform health and health care. One of the major highlights of the event is the presentation of the Lewis Blackman Awards to honor champions of patient safety who go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure quality care.

The awards are named in honor of Lewis Wardlaw Blackman, a bright, gifted, 15-year-old who died following an elective surgical procedure in 2000 due to complications related to a medical error. Helen Haskell, Lewis’ mother, has provided inspiration for the awards through her tireless and meaningful work to promote patient safety and quality improvement not only in South Carolina but throughout the country.

Dr. Rami Zebian, Director of Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine at Carolinas Hospital, was recognized for overseeing a sepsis collaborative focused on implementing treatment guidelines that led to a dramatic decrease in sepsis mortality and established the facility as a mentor to other health systems. “I was very humbled to receive the Lewis Blackman Award. Our oath as physicians includes “Do No Harm” and the message that Lewis’ mother conveyed allows caregivers, such as myself, to be reminded of our oath. I am honored to be a part of creating a safer medical environment for patients and caregivers,” Zebian said.

Brian Greig, RN, Director of Critical Care Services implemented regular meetings and led efforts to improve care for sepsis patients and reduce other hospital-acquired infections. “It was an honor to receive the Lewis Blackman Award, not only for me, but for our entire staff in the Intensive Care Units. Our goal is to make patient care as safe as we possibly can. We are proud to be recognized for our change in processes that increase patient safety in the Intensive Care Units at Carolinas Hospital System,” Greig said.

“Dr. Zebian and Brian Greig are champion leaders whose guidance and support play a critical role in patient safety and quality improvement. Their dedication is instrumental in creating a culture of safety and quality care as they continue to initiate best safety practices,” said Costa Cockfield, Chief Nursing Officer at Carolinas Hospital System.

Carolinas Hospital System congratulates these champions of patient safety for receiving this prestigious award.