North Carolina Representative Returns to HPU to Encourage Students to Fix Health Care System

HIGH POINT, N.C., April 16, 2024 – North Carolina Rep. Donny Lambeth recently returned to High Point University to speak to students at his alma mater about his concerns with the U.S. health care system and ways they could help improve it as advocates and future practitioners.

Lambeth, the former CEO and president of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and HPU’s 2012 Alumnus of the Year, served as the guest speaker for the Congdon School of Health Sciences’ semiannual Distinguished Lecture Series on April 10.

As a longtime health care executive, Lambeth told the audience inside the Callicutt Life Skills Theater about his work as a lawmaker to improve North Carolina residents’ access to health care.

The audience included students from several programs within the Congdon School of Health Sciences, such as biomedical sciences, health and wellness, doctor of medical science, exercise science, athletic training, healthcare administration, physician assistant and physical therapy.

“I bet I could ask you if you would share a story about health care or an issue you’ve had in health care, and you could probably tell some horror stories,” Lambeth said. “And I could tell some, even though I worked in it. I’m also a consumer, and I’m worried quite frankly that we’re not on a good track and a good path for health care.”

Lambeth told students that he believes they will be a part of a “major revolution in health care” over the next 10-15 years. He said he hoped his hour-long presentation would inspire them to do their own research and look for solutions to fix the health care system in North Carolina and nationally.

“Our students are the future of health and health care. We do a lot of things that are amazing from an education and preparation standpoint, but students will need to advocate and they will need to connect to our representatives and our government officials,” said Dr. Kevin Ford, dean of the Congdon School of Health Sciences. “By identifying the leaders in that area, it provides them with an opportunity to connect, to think and really set up their own future. That’s our hope. We are an aging population. The programs in our School of Health Sciences will be leading the way in the future, and while we don’t know specifically what health care is going to be like, I assure you our students will be prepared for what’s coming.”

Lambeth’s first full-time job after graduating from HPU in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration was in Wake Forest Baptist’s accounting department. He was promoted through the ranks during his 40 years with the hospital, eventually serving as its president and CEO for four years.

His longtime wife, Pam, is also an HPU graduate.

“I encourage groups when I have this opportunity to be in front of young people to go visit Raleigh, go visit your legislators, go to Washington, get involved because that’s the only way quite frankly you’re going to be able to impact and change things for the better,” Lambeth said. “Let them know how you feel about things that you’re interested in and have a passion for.”