It takes many people working together to make a hospital run smoothly.

The departments at Chilton Medical Center include administration, registration, housekeeping, respiratory therapy, dietary, med/surgical, radiology, home health, medical records, GI lab, medical staff services, pharmacy, emergency, surgery, health education, central supply and auxiliary.

“It’s a domino effect,” Registered Nurse Mickey Park said. “If one person doesn’t do their job, it falls all the way down to the patient.”

This past week, CMC observed National Hospital Week, which started more than 80 years ago as a means of giving the public a more accurate view of the work inside healthcare facilities.

Friday, employees in every department decorated the hospital’s doors and hallways and served a progressive lunch enjoyed by the entire staff. Themes ranged from a college football tailgate party to a beach theme.

“Hospital Week gives us an opportunity to honor our employees and illustrate formally the services we provide,” Chilton Medical Center CEO Larry Jeter said. “It also shows the public that we are honored to be serving them.”

Different groups sponsored appreciation breakfasts throughout the week, and other celebrations took place in the midst of Hospital Week.

To kick off the week, Home Health held a note burning ceremony after paying off the debt on its new exercise room for senior citizens. Participating seniors were invited to a special lunch to help celebrate.

“These kinds of things draw the public’s attention to kind of show off what we do,” Jeter said.