LMHS and LMH Earn National and State Workplace-Related Awards
For immediate release
Contact: Tom Argyle,
August 26, 2014
Public Relations
(220) 564-1564
targyle@LMHealth.org
LMHS and LMH Earn National and State Workplace-Related Awards
Licking Memorial Health Systems (LMHS) and Licking Memorial Hospital (LMH) have received prestigious awards on the national and state levels that focus on employment. With approximately 1,800 employees, LMHS is Licking County’s largest employer, as well as the county’s primary healthcare provider.
Rob Montagnese, LMHS President and CEO, said the recognitions are important to the entire Licking County community. “Excellent patient care is dependent upon a highly skilled and dedicated staff that works well together as a team,” he commented. “Our reputation as an excellent workplace enables us to attract some of the most talented medical professionals in the U.S., and good employee retention is key to providing continuity of care. By providing our employees with excellent working conditions, we are able to provide our patients with excellent care, as these two awards demonstrate.”
“2014 Best Places to Work in Healthcare” Award LMHS was named as one of the “2014 Best Places to Work in Healthcare” by Modern Healthcare, one of the leading sources of healthcare industry news in the United States. Modern Healthcare compiled a list of the nation’s top 100 healthcare-related companies for employment, based on anonymous surveys that were sent to randomly selected employees. The surveys asked probing questions about workplace factors, such as:
- Leadership and planning
- Culture and communications
- Role satisfaction
- Working environment
- Relationship with supervisor
- Training and development
- Pay and benefits
- Overall satisfaction
LMHS, which includes the Hospital, Licking Memorial Health Professionals and Licking Memorial Health Foundation, was one of only three healthcare providers in the state of Ohio to be included in the list of 2014 Best Places to Work in Healthcare. LMHS is the only healthcare provider in Central Ohio to receive the honor.
OHA’s “Top Twenty Percent Award” to Recognize Safety in the Workplace The Ohio Hospital Association (OHA) has recognized Licking Memorial Hospital (LMH) for its superior record of employee safety. The OHA studied the safety records of 95 hospitals in the state and identified those with excellent safety programs and the lowest rates of job-related illnesses and injuries. As part of its 2014 Statewide Hospital Safety Campaign, the OHA honored the best-performing hospitals, including LMH, with a “Top Twenty Percent Award.”
Hospitals are among the most hazardous workplaces, according to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In terms of lost-time incidents, OSHA reports that hospital workplaces can be more hazardous for employees than construction sites or manufacturing facilities.
“We have an extensive safety program in place to protect our employees, as well as our patients and visitors,” explained Rob Montagnese, President & CEO of Licking Memorial Health Systems. “Much of the credit for our excellent safety record goes to our management staff for their attention to the processes and the employees’ work environment. We also have a Director of Safety who continuously monitors our patient handling procedures, facility maintenance and everyday actions to identify areas that need improvement. Not only does our staff benefit from the extensive safety measures, but our patients also receive better care from healthy caregivers. In addition, we are able to contain expenses better than many other healthcare facilities that must pass their higher workers’ compensation expenses on to their patients as operating costs.”
Nearly one-half of the hospitals’ injuries that result in work absences are related to lifting or repositioning patients. Clinical workers also are at personal risk for communicable infections and disease, as well as violent attacks from patients who may be confused or feeling extreme stress. Many other LMH employees, such as those in Plant Operations, Patient Accounts, Food Services, and Environmental Services, do not provide direct patient care, but still must take safety precautions for workplace hazards, including chemical spills, electrical shock, equipment malfunctions and falls.
Licking Memorial Hospital has served the medical needs of Licking County residents since it was founded in 1898. The 227-bed facility employs approximately 1,800 staff members to meet the healthcare needs of the community. Licking Memorial Hospital is proud to have been named to Truven Health Analytics’ national list of 100 Top Hospitals a total of 12 times. For more information, visit www.LMHealth.org. – # # # –