As an emergency department nurse at Parkview Health, Kara Branock is used to helping people in their time of need. But when her house burned down last year, her family was left reeling. “The very next day I had somebody from Parkview reach out to me and say, ‘We heard you’re in crisis, here’s how we can help.’ I never once reached out to someone,” she recalls. “That is my favorite story about how I truly feel like family here. Just feeling seen and cared about was really what mattered the most. There are so many co-workers within the health system, yet I don’t feel like just a number to them.”
Branock says that’s just one example of why she’s chosen to stay at Parkview Health since joining the team in 2012. “I love it here. I’m a working mom and it can be hard to leave my family. But then I come to a place where I feel welcome and needed and valuable – that’s huge for me.”
Leaders at Parkview Health say they’ve been increasingly intentional about creating a culture of excellence for the more than 16,000 co-workers who work throughout 22 counties in northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio.
“How someone flourishes and how they find professional fulfillment in our health system is mostly dependent on the culture. That’s why it’s so important to us,” stresses President of Physician and Clinical Enterprise Dr. Ray Dusman. “It’s the interaction with their colleagues and how we work as a team that affects patient care.”
“Over the years we’ve measured aspects such as loyalty, satisfaction and engagement, and now we’ve shifted more toward measuring culture,” adds Chief Administrative Officer Dena Jacquay. “The last couple of years we’ve communicated with co-workers a little differently. We launched listening tours where we traveled to every one of our facilities and sat down with different teams to get their perspectives. We want to understand what more we can do to help improve the culture and environment. It’s been incredibly valuable. We have a whole list of things we changed last year based on the feedback we received. That’s why we’re excited to continue the tour this year, ensuring that ongoing dialogue remains a priority.”
Parkview leaders say their commitment to fostering a supportive work environment is reflected in its talent retention rate of approximately 90% across the system. Jacquay points to several initiatives that she believes enhance the workplace experience at Parkview. They created a Co-worker Assistance, Retention and Engagement (CARE) team to provide help for those in need and a My Well-Being team that promotes opportunities for co-workers to take care of their mental and physical health, such as a co-worker assistance program that gives access to free counseling services. Additionally, Parkview issues a lifestyle benefit stipend that can be used for things like gym memberships, groceries and childcare.
“We’re also proud to offer volunteer time off, or VTO. We have co-workers who want to spend more time serving their communities with local nonprofits. After initial implementation, we added the ability to use VTO for mental health days,” explains Jacquay. “We all know the demands of health care and we want people to have the option of taking time off to recharge.”
Parkview Health has been recognized nationally as being a great place to work. In August, Forbes listed the health system as one of America’s Best-In-State Employers, ranking it number 25 among 75 companies on Indiana’s list. In October, Newsweek named Parkview Health among the Top 10 Most Loved Workplaces in America.
Parkview leaders say the accolades and recognition are nice, but are really just affirmation that the culture they’ve carefully cultivated is a healthy one.
“If not for the patient, we would not be here,” says Dr. Dusman. “Everything must revolve around how we create the right environment for patients. We’re constantly working to achieve the best experience and health outcomes because patients and their loved ones are trusting us with their care.”
While there are many ways to ensure an organization’s success, focusing on the culture shouldn’t be an afterthought, says Jacquay. “Intentionality is essential. Our culture is one of our four strategic priorities. It has to be on the map. It can’t be something that is off to the side. It needs to be intentionally cultivated.”
Branock says she feels fortunate to work at Parkview Health and appreciates the emphasis on culture.
“I have talked to lots of travel nurses who have come from all different health systems,” she says. “At the end of the day, every single traveler says, ‘You should be thankful that you work for Parkview.’ In my mind, that speaks volumes.”
