Carilion Proud: Get to Know Barbara Gilbert

Meet Barbara Gilbert, Healthcare Administrative Associate, Martinsville

Tell us a little about yourself—your role, department, and how long you’ve been with Carilion.
I work at Carilion Martinsville and will celebrate 26 years this August. I’m a healthcare administrative associate (HAA). Over the years I’ve supported registration, checkout, and phone coordination. For the past 20-plus years, I’ve primarily handled charge entry for our office. I joined Carilion after the birth of my daughter, coming from another local practice. I truly enjoy talking with patients and helping people however I can.

Which of Carilion’s values (collaboration, commitment, compassion, courage, curiosity) resonates most with you in your daily work, and why?
Compassion resonates most with me in my daily work. I genuinely enjoy doing things for others and making their day a little easier or brighter, whether it’s a patient or a coworker.

What does the theme “Care that Connects Us” mean to you personally?
“Care that Connects Us” means supporting and uplifting one another in meaningful ways. I enjoy recognizing coworkers with birthday cards, helping organize office events, and keeping small items like suckers, bubbles, and other fun treats on hand to brighten the day for the children we see in our office.

Can you share a moment when you felt especially connected to a patient, teammate, or the community through your work?
One meaningful connection has been supporting a former coworker who has been battling breast cancer for several years. For the past four years, I’ve hosted two yard sales each year at my home and donated all the proceeds to help her and her two children. Most recently, we raised $4,100 at our spring yard sale. Being able to rally support for her and her family has been incredibly rewarding.

How do you build or maintain meaningful connections with patients, coworkers, or others you interact with each day?
With patients, I like to engage in conversation and make them feel comfortable, like they’re talking with someone they’ve known for a long time. With coworkers, I enjoy doing small things that bring people together, like making desserts to share, giving cards, and finding ways to show appreciation.

In what ways does your role contribute to creating a more connected and supportive environment at Carilion?
I try to make each person feel cared for through simple, genuine interactions. This could be asking about their day, offering a kind word, or taking a moment to really listen. Those small efforts can go a long way in helping people feel supported and valued.