May News from the President

I believe it was Socrates who said, “‘The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, But on building the new.” At VNAO, we have recently undergone quite a bit of change. And time and time again, we asked all of you to embrace the change, walk the path, and be a part of something newer, bigger and better.... And you guys have done that.... Willfully and skillfully! I am so incredibly proud of the team that we have put together, the strides that we are making, and the future that is to come.

Let me remind all of you of some major highlights... Our agency has gone from a 3 to 3.5 in star rating and we continue to climb. We are starting to embrace new technology that will enhance patient experience by helping our clinicians become more efficient through voice to text. We have received funding to support critical programming in mental, behavioral, and pediatric support and care. We have successfully merged with The MetroHealth System, redistricted our territories, and are set up to be able to support their patients and initiatives. All of this, while we continue to celebrate 120 years of serving Northeast Ohio!!!!

So what’s next? Well, this is where this message becomes super hard for me to position but as you all know, I will be as raw and honest as possible. I have decided it is time for me to make a change of my own. The last three years have been filled with so many learning opportunities, major wins, and a worldwide pandemic that put us all in a state of challenge and then likely, at least for me... Reflection. Now that things have calmed down a bit and we have begun to stabilize, I believe it is time for me to embrace my own desire for change. I have decided to resign my position as president of Visiting Nurse Association of Ohio, and explore opportunities outside of the organization in strategy, marketing, and leadership development while supporting Matt and the rest of the leadership team on a limited part-time basis. My presence will still be felt as I will remain one of the organizations biggest cheerleaders, but under the direction and guidance of Matt and the New Jersey operations team, you all will continue to be cared for, directed, and lead to an exciting future in-home and community-based services.

My phone number and email will remain the same – reach out if you need to. In the meantime – embrace change, be true to yourself, and be the champion for someone who needs it.

Lisa Von Lehmden-Zidek, Past President