Gettys Receives Order of the Palmetto

GREENVILLE, SC – Former Baptist Easley Hospital CEO Roddey E. Gettys, III has received South Carolina’s highest civilian honor — The Order of the Palmetto — for his longtime leadership at Easley Baptist Hospital. The award was presented on Monday, Nov. 10 by S.C. Senator Larry Martin, on behalf of Governor Nikki Haley.

The Order of the Palmetto recognizes a person’s lifetime achievements and contributions to the State of South Carolina. Under Gettys’ leadership, Baptist Easley Hospital became one of the nation’s highest-ranking hospitals for quality care. In 2012 it became the only hospital in South Carolina to be named a Leapfrog Top Hospital, a prestigious national ranking of the nation’s top rural healthcare facilities. It is also the only three-time winner of the prestigious Press Ganey Partner of Choice Award given to hospitals that rank in the nation’s top 10 percent in patient satisfaction, physician satisfaction, and staff satisfaction within the same year. In 2006, Baptist Easley was one of four hospitals in America to receive the prestigious Premier Orthopaedic Award for Hip and Knee Replacement and it’s the only hospital in the country to receive the acclaimed “Fire Starter” award three times from The Studer Group, a national healthcare service consulting firm.

In 2008, Baptist Easley received the South Carolina Governor’s Silver Achiever Award for developing, implementing, and deploying a quality management system based on the national Malcom Baldrige Quality Award criteria. The following year, Baptist Easley received the Gold Achiever Award.

Gettys began his career at Baptist Easley Hospital (at the time Baptist Medical Center) in 1969 as director of the pharmacy, central supply and purchasing departments. He was promoted to vice president in 1977, executive vice president and chief operating officer in 1988, and CEO in 2009. He attended Erskine College, has a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from the Medical University of South Carolina, and a certificate of health care administration from Duke University.

Gettys was inducted into the Healthcare Hall of Fame and in 2013, was recognized and honored with a formal resolution from the S.C. General Assembly.