Trending
By SHELLEY HANSON
GLEN DALE -- Once a month, Chief Operating Officer Tony Martinelli likes to pick a different department to work in at WVU Medicine Reynolds Memorial Hospital.
Doing so always leaves Martinelli, 40, impressed with the amount of effort the workers put forth each day.
"I always leave amazed at the phenomenal work our team puts in," he said. "It takes me days to recover from one day working a job that our team members do day in and day out.
"When you talk about Healthcare Heroes you are undoubtedly referring the dedicated staff at WVU Medicine."
Martinelli said his normal role with the hospital is to run the day-to-day operations, "supporting the clinicians so they can care for our patients."
He said most days start with service line meeting at 7 a.m. talking with leaders in emergency, trauma, surgical services, pharmacy, therapeutics and others.
"Then I some time spend rounding throughout the hospital talking with staff," he said. "Generally I spend a few hours reviewing volume, throughput and financial statistics, patient flow and daily safety calls as well as meetings with physicians and directors."
Martinelli worked at Wheeling Hospital for 12 years until it was acquired by WVU Medicine. For the past two years he has been with WVU Medicine Reynolds.
"When I first transferred from WVU Medicine Wheeling to WVU Medicine Reynolds my boss at Wheeling told me to take time to get to know each and every member of the team," he said. "He is now the CEO over both facilities and the advice he gave me is as true today as it was then.
"Many executives can get caught up in reports and statistics, but the most important job we have is serving our team on a daily basis."
Martinelli believes the future of health care in the Ohio Valley is "extremely bright."
"Healthcare can serve as both a community resource to attract people to the area and be the cornerstone of economic development," he said.
"You only need to look at the recently announced regional cancer center to be built at the former OVMC location to see that big things are coming to the Ohio Valley."
Martintelli said a bright spot in the Ohio Valley is that it has it all.
"It is perfectly located -- close enough to Pittsburgh and Columbus but far enough away to have a down home feel," he said.
He noted he grew up in the Ohio Valley and has wanted to stay for work and family. Martinelli and his wife Michelle have a 9-month-old daughter, Victoria, together. They also have two pet dogs, Remi and Roxie.
"I grew up here and fell in love with the people. Making sure the Ohio Valley has access to top notch healthcare has become passion for me," he said.
Martinelli said he learned to embrace an old motto during the COVID pandemic.
"Every evening Michelle and I take a walk at Oglebay. When the pandemic first started people drew inspirational sayings in chalk on the paths all around the park and one evening when we were walking we saw, 'When life gives you lemons, make lemonade' drawn on the path," he said. "Over the next two years I was inspired by the hospital staff who turned countless lemons into lemonade.
"No matter what COVID variant or supply chain issue we were faced with the team never gave up and put in amazing effort to care for the Ohio Valley."
Martinelli said for those entering the workforce he would advise them to "do more than you are asked."
"Volunteer for anything. There will never be a substitute for hard work," he said.
Martinelli said in his professional life he is most proud of the work WVU Medicine employees are doing "to coordinate care for the residents of the Ohio Valley."
"Whichever facility you may live near there is always a team working behind the scenes to make sure you get to the best facility to treat you while staying as close to home as possible," he said. "Personally, Michelle and I are so proud to welcome our daughter Tory this year and hope she enjoys growing up here as much as we did."
Martinelli serves also as vice president of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley board of directors, and vice president of the Wheeling Health Right board of directors.