When we announced that we would be having our annual conference at the Wild Dunes Resort on the Isle of Palms, we knew we’d be hosting a beautiful event, but nothing could have prepared us for the beach views, palm-shaded lunch, and refreshing sea air.
We kicked off the conference last night with a welcome reception on the resort’s poolside boardwalk. The drinks flowed freely, the cheese tasted delicious, and the s’mores cooked perfectly over their fire pits.
Atmosphere aside, what made the evening most enjoyable was the sound of laughter, friends and coworkers catching up, and genuine excitement to start the conference. Each of our attendees have greeted their peers with a smile and that tone has carried through to today, our first full day of Conference.
Some registrants began the day with a relaxing beach side tai chi session, stretching and meditating to the sunrise over the ocean. After that, everyone enjoyed a hearty breakfast, an opening ceremony, and our first keynote address from Tracy W. Gaudet, MD. Our morning breakout sessions themed around returning to purpose, and offered attendees the chance to reflect on their own purpose as a healthcare provider.
We ended the morning with a keynote address from Rear Admiral Paul Becker before enjoying a lovely lunch on the lawn near the beach, basking in the shade of palm trees over a sampling of locally themed meats, cheeses, and (most importantly!) desserts!
After that, we moved back into the air conditioning to begin the Solutions to Humanize Healthcare portion of the conference. Rear Admiral Bruce L. Gillingham, MD gave an address before sending everyone off to their afternoon breakouts. The afternoon concluded with a Patient Perspective story and a cocktail reception for the recipients of Achievement Awards. Tonight, everyone is exploring the beautiful and historic seaside city of Charleston, South Carolina before heading to the Dessert Celebration honoring our 4 & 5 Star Award Winners.
It’s been a wildly memorable day here at the Wild Dunes and we can’t wait to see what tomorrow has in store! Check back tomorrow for part two of our Dune Diary series.