When Natasha Hiltz returned to Eastern Shore Memorial Hospital as the new assistant manager, she found a healthcare landscape dramatically transformed from the one she had worked in years ago.
Natasha, a registered nurse, recalls the hospital’s former 12-to-15-bed inpatient unit, a 24-hour emergency department and the long-term care building, which has since been replaced.
Where a full-service hospital once stood, now sits a more focused healthcare facility with an urgent care centre, outpatient care and a 32-bed long-term care unit embracing the innovative Eden philosophy of care.
"We no longer call them residents," Natasha says. "We call them elders. This is their home, and we work in it – not the other way around."
Natasha brings a deeply personal connection to her role. Growing up in the community, her roots run deep. She jokes that she's related to nearly half the people in the surrounding areas, making her return to the hospital more than just a professional move – her work is deeply intertwined with community life.
"Here, work doesn't end when the day does," Natasha says. "No matter where I am – church, the grocery store, or a gathering – I’m always available to address questions or concerns."
Natasha’s healthcare journey has been varied, including 17 years at Dartmouth General Hospital’s emergency department. This diverse background, from the bustling environment of a regional hospital to the more intimate care of her home community, shapes her approach as assistant manager.
“This is still a busy environment; it’s just a different type of busy,” says Natasha. “I just want to do a good job and discover more about how I can help our hospital, and the people it serves, be the best they can be. I find that exciting."
Her return represents a homecoming, and a commitment to reimagining healthcare in a community she loves.
Photo of Natasha Hiltz.
