Editor’s Note: McKnight’s Senior Living, McKnight’s Long-Term Care News and McKnight’s Home Care are profiling the McKnight’s 2024 Pinnacle Awards honorees daily in April and May. For additional McKnight’s Pinnacle Awards content, visit this page.
When he was studying accounting, Phillip Hill probably never thought his career would include a groundbreaking relationship with Eli Lilly. An administrator for Principle Long Term Care, he partnered with the drug maker for the Phase 3 clinical trial of Bamlanivimab to test monoclonal antibodies against COVID-19.
In 1984, Hill, who began his career in accounting at Principle LTC, earned his administrator’s license through the company’s administrator-in-training program. He became senior administrator in 1996 and then two years later, was named regional administrator, managing 13 facilities. His upward trajectory was still in motion and in 2009, he was named vice president of operations, overseeing all regional vice presidents across more than 45 facilities.
Hill is credited with developing a program to safely transport skilled nursing residents for access to necessary treatments as well as developing a partnership with a local brewery to mass produce hand sanitizer. It was during that time he was engaging with Eli Lilly in the Phase 3 trial for bamlanivimab, which Lynn Hood, president and CEO of Principle LTC, credited for achieving a 95% to 97% survival rate at four special care COVID-19 units.
In 2022, Hill returned to his roots as a senior administrator while remaining in charge of special projects for Principle LTC. He now operates Westwood Hills Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Wilkesboro, NC, and also oversees other facilities in the region.
He is a licensed preceptor for the North Carolina Administrator in Training Program and chairs the Education Committee at the North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association.
- Sits on the board of directors for Alliant Health Solutions.
- Co-chair of the Life Safety Committee with the American Health Care Association.
- He is second vice chair of the Health Care Board for the National Fire Protection Association.
The McKnight’s Pinnacle Awards program is jointly administered by McKnight’s Senior Living, McKnight’s Long-Term Care News and McKnight’s Home Care. Honorees were recognized March 21 at a dinner and awards ceremony in Chicago. Omnicare was the Silver sponsor for the 2024 Pinnacle Awards program. Parker Health Group and Sentrics were event sponsors.
