Hundreds of nominations for the Pinnacle Achievers award are submitted by healthcare employees all across the United States and Canada, and those selected will be recognized at the 22nd Annual HealthCare Service Excellence Conference in Orlando, FL in November.
In addition, they are eligible to win the prestigious Summit Award, the event’s highest honor, which will be given to one individual in each Pinnacle Achiever category.
Pinnacle Achievers
Dr. Formanek is truly a patient focused provider. His practice is centered around what his patients need. It is not uncommon to find him seeing patients outside of his regular clinic hours, simply because it is best for the patient. People drive from far and wide to see Dr. Formanek. Here are a just few things his patients have to say:
“I have never had such an amazing experience at any healthcare facility. I needed surgery to correct a problem with my knee and everyone who played a role in the process treated me like I was a real VIP. I’m so glad I decided to see Dr. Formanek.”
“I have seen Dr. Formanek for elbow and shoulder. Has always been great! One of my favorite doctors. Explains everything and allows me to ask questions so that I am comfortable with any decisions we make. I highly recommend him to everyone!”
“He did a great job of explaining the condition, all the treatment options, and let me feel informed in choosing the treatment for the condition. He is a very talented surgeon and his staff are very experienced and top-notch.”
Not only does he take care of patients, Dr. Formanek makes himself readily available for consultations with our other providers. His door is always open to answer questions and lend his expertise. Dr. Formanek demands high patient care standards from his support staff, but he is also his team’s biggest fan. He involves his team in meetings, development ideas and is interested in all of their ideas and suggestions. Dr. Formanek truly has the gift of the ability to connect with people. Team members, patients, support staff, he is respected by all, he also openly gives respect as well. Dr. Formanek is quick with praise and thanks for a job well done. He is also willing to educate with patience and grace whenever needed. Our practice is a better place with the leadership of Dr. Formanek!
Jenn Jackson, Chief Human Resources Officer, led the “Team R&R” Oasis group focused on staff recruitment, retention and onboarding of new employees. Recruitment has been challenging over the last couple of years and turnover has been at an all time high, so Jenn’s strong leadership qualities were imperative to this team’s success. Her dedication to achieving goals as a team; being present and involved in every meeting; providing support to the team; seeking input from all levels of staff throughout the organization and being organized contributed to the team’s outstanding results.
Jenn was able to utilize the input received from employees to group concerns and prioritize initiatives for the team. The initiatives were addressed as a group and team members reached out to area hospitals to obtain comparative benefit data. The benefit enhancements the group identified as priorities were unbudgeted and totaled an increase in expense of $144,000 per year. Jenn developed a summary report highlighting the requested changes, cost and how the recommended would benefit the employees. Jenn presented the proposal to the Board of Trustees and they fully supported her request. The team went above and beyond to record fun videos to roll out the benefit enhancements to employees. The videos were a huge hit and were the topic of conversation across the facility receiving rave reviews and employees shared their appreciation of the improved benefits.
As the Chief Human Resources Officer, Jenn knew first hand how important onboarding of new employees was to make them feel welcome and become engaged employees long term. The team sought input from newly hired employees to understand what worked and areas to be improved. The Oasis team developed a new onboarding process and rolled it out for a few weeks, then paused to assess the outcomes and found additional changes were necessary. Kudos to Jenn for not only implementing the changes but also making it a priority for the group to evaluate the outcome and when it didn’t meet the mark, they shifted gears to make necessary improvements to achieve their goals.
The positive changes implemented by Team R&R will benefit our employees today and in the future thanks to Jenn’s leadership and her team’s engagement.
Sarah is a creative ray of sunshine! She has a way to always emulate positivity and a way of making big picture ideas a reality. As an OASIS Super Coach she was able to take the top suggestions and help mold them into realistic options, all while coming up with fun, unique videos to announce changes to staff. Sarah elevates coworkers to think outside of the box, be creative, and give an “Elle Woods” effect of making all of our forms, handouts and announcements look much better!
Though Sarah’s role on our Onboarding/Retention OASIS team is Super Coach, she really plays a vital role on our team and functions as a member in every capacity. From producing and creating videos, to serving as an Onboarding team member, she really has filled a hole on our team with her skills and outgoing attitude. She does a great job of keeping us focused and motivated during our meetings, always looking at the next possible project that will further enhance our OASIS team goals. She has a “can do, will do” attitude at each and every meeting. It really only takes a thought, not even an idea, and she is thinking bigger and better than anyone would imagine. Without Sarah helping to guide and assist our team, our project would have been a much bigger struggle, but she offered all her abilities and time to us, and 100% served as a member of our team.
Sarah has the community perception of our organization at the forefront of all she does and is consistently delivering on our message of being the provider and employer of choice. You can tell she really believes in the Service Excellence project and remains positive, regardless of the weight of the project she’s working on. I think she deserves all the recognition in the world for all the help she has provided our OASIS team and our organization as a whole.
This OASIS team has done a phenomenal job improving the Onboarding and Retention at Madison County Health Care System! They deconstructed the project into focus areas and then decided how to involve staff members from throughout the organization to get their feedback on what was a need, a want and their pie in the sky hopes. They carefully looked at our current state and then picked apart the good, the bad and the ugly. The team met regularly to see how the ideas could be turned into a new plan that the whole facility would embrace. Once they were able to get their first plan on retention solidified, including items that needed approved by the Senior Leaders and Board, they then brainstormed how to roll this out to the organization.
Being the creative minds they were, they put together some fun videos to showcase some of the highlights of the new plan. This really created a great buzz around the hospital and clinic, and staff were eager to watch their fun videos as much as learn what the new changes were. Some of the great ideas they implemented include Casual Fridays, increased call pay, increased night shift differential, added PTO, adjusted when PTO increases occur, increased tuition reimbursement, and increased referral bonuses.
Next they focused on the onboarding process of new employees. They have really come up with ways to make the new staff feel welcomed from even before day one and have a process for onboarding that is now clearly defined not only for their start, but also for regular check-ins. Some of the ideas implemented for onboarding include:
• A designated room for onboarding
• Welcome cards sent to new employees before their start date
• Overall consistency with the onboarding process
• An official greeting by the onboarding team
• Welcome aboard emails to all staff to introduce them to new team members
• New staff are asked to fill out a favorite things card and then are given a gift bag with many of their favorite things
• The manager takes them to lunch on day one to make that connection and show them around
• Implemented 30-60-90 day evaluations, modified to include peer interactions
One of the other things they are now doing is asking for feedback from our new hires on how they felt the process went and asking for suggestions for improving the process. The 30-60-90 day evaluations have specific content and guidelines to really focus on not only their skill sets, but also their feelings of inclusion and satisfaction.
I am just really proud of this team for their dedication, attention to detail and their ability to make this process fun! The other thing I want to mention is that while a lot teams will sit back and relax once their project is rolled out, this team has kept meeting and re-evaluating and tweaking the process. They won’t rest until they feel this project is the best it can be, and will keep the Plan-Do-Study-Act method going to ensure its success.
Nominees
Britta has an amazing way of bringing peace and positivity to the SEA team and the workplace at all times. She remains professional in difficult times and is always willing to pivot and a find a new way to create solutions to difficult circumstances. She is a strong advocate for her patients and greets everyone with a smile. Britta had a wheelchair bound pediatric patient whose needs were increasing as he grew and she assisted the patient and his caregiver by making sure we have the proper equipment for his visits – this even included ordering a new scale to accommodate his wheelchair!
She plans ahead for patient visits and makes them feel comfortable by being prepared for their visit and anticipating their needs. Britta not only goes above and beyond for her patients, she willingly jumps in to assist other nurses and providers when needed. She organizes and takes inventory of pediatric supplies and wears a smile every time we are in the clinic! She has helped out in the walk-in clinic, with triage, and any other area that needs a little extra assistance. Britta is not afraid to jump right in, and always does so with a positive attitude and confident smile! Britta took on the challenge of being an SEA head on! Although public speaking was not necessarily at the top of her list, Britta created an engaging presentation with her team. She elegantly presented our Year 3 workshop and gracefully answered all questions from her audience and other SEAs alike! Britta quickly became an SEA that her teammates were comfortable coming to for inspiration and answers. She embraces the SEA roll and lives her message each and every day.
Emily Walton is our Social Worker and was a great role model for service excellence even before being selected to be an SEA. She leads by example and is always looking for ways to make things better. She is the bridge that connects all the departments of the care system and finds ways to bring staff from the different departments together. Emily was a bright light to many in our hospital and community during the tornado we experienced in March of this year. She was instrumental in helping multiple families find housing, clothing and resources that were lifelines to people. She also helped with staff that were struggling with the aftermath of their experiences.
She held debriefings and personally checked in with many of us on a regular basis for weeks afterwards. She was a leader in her role as SEA, helping others with their parts of the workshop and being the calm presence in the group. She continues to represent the service excellence attitude in all aspects of her duties and since she crosses into all the other departments, her reach is far within this facility. She is always encouraging of others to live our care promises and to provide our patients with the best experience we can. She has also been part of the OASIS team this year that has focused on Onboarding and Retention and has contributed immensely to the ideas and improvements that were made. Emily is invaluable as an SEA and member of our team!
Carolyn is the glue that holds our Med/Surg Department together. She works as a Unit Clerk and is a CNA as well. Carolyn has a unique way of mentoring through example and humor. This was my first year as a SEA and Carolyn helped my workshop class move smoothly and promoted involvement by answering questions and staying truly engaged in the workshop. She has a special quality of being able to be both a great leader and a great teammate depending on the task at hand. I can always trust her to complete work that needs done! As a ward clerk she finds a way to strike a conversation with everyone that walks past her and helps to ensure the culture at work remains upbeat and positive. Carolyn greets everyone with a smile and makes you feel welcome!
Carolyn’s life outside of work has been more challenging this year than ever, but you would never know that. Her attitude stays positive, her demeanor remains calm, her work ethic never fails, and she continues to be a joy to be around. There have been many times she’s pointed out how other teams are going “above and beyond”, but rarely takes any credit for what she does. You will regularly hear her say, “That’s a DO IT,” because she has made service excellence a priority for her and her team when she’s at work. She even lays out cards for us all to sign for employees at times of trouble or joys, and also reminds us to sign condolence cards for families of patients we lose. She works collaboratively with other departments to deliver the best experience to our patients. She really makes sure the day goes as smoothly as it possibly can for staff and patient’s alike. Everyone loves Carolyn!
I know everyone has the same 24 hours in their day, but I am starting to think Stacey’s days have a few extra hours in them for how much she can accomplish, and everyone she can help in one day! Her dedication to service excellence and our organization as a whole is obvious in everything she does – and does with a smile. Even on the most stressful days she remains calm and reassures everyone that we can get through it as a team.
Her organization, print outs, clear direction, and cart of snacks always have a way of keeping everyone on task and processing new information clearly. She can present data and scores in a way everyone can understand. She has an extra talent of making graphs and charts interesting. Her leadership as the Implementation Coordinator is what has made MCHCS successful in becoming the Provider and Employer of Choice.
It is not uncommon to see Stacey helping everyone from Environmental Services, CNAs, RNs, and Senior Team by simply asking what she can do to help and jumping in. She really goes above and beyond by putting her team first – even ensuring everyone has a lunch break – sometimes this means she is the last one to eat every day of the week.
Stacey is especially kind and reassuring to patients and their families. Her calm voice and demeanor bring peace to many in times of uncertainty. I am so lucky to have Stacey on my team and as a leader at Madison County Health Care System!
As my manager, I feel Kim elevates me to produce my best self – both at work and at home. As a new employee, she encouraged me to bring good ideas from other spaces and experiences to MCHCS. She is open to new ideas and trying things a different way. As an established employee I feel she trusts my work and providers support in difficult times. Additionally, I find it reassuring that she is also working mother and understands the season of life I am in outside of work. She is understanding that I am a better team member when we are able to take time to spend with families or hit the “re-set” button when needed after a difficult time at work. In my opinion, health care has always been a stressful career, but that has been heightened these last few years. Kim goes above and beyond to try and stay positive, even if that means waiving her magical unicorn pen around before morning huddle to give us all a smile.
Kim is one of the first people I met when I came to work at MCHCS. She made me feel right at home from my first day here. She wears the biggest smile, has the warmest heart, and truly cares for her staff and her co-workers. She has always been a beacon of hope and understanding, a strong woman who doesn’t allow adversity to define her. Kim is always willing to help brainstorm to find a solution and is never better than any task that needs done. On more than one occasion, I have found myself in Kim’s office, just seeking a listening ear, and every time I leave our conversations feeling empowered and supported. Kim has a heart of gold, keeps things light with her great sense of humor, and bends over backwards to help others.
Eve Harris is a PA who has been with Madison County Health Care System for many years. She has an established patient base within the Earlham Medical Clinic, a small community clinic where she is the primary provider. Her patients absolutely LOVE her! As the person who gets to download the patient comments from our vendor, I look forward to seeing all the great comments that always come in about her! I would like to share a few of those with you.
“Eve is AWESOME! Thanks, Eve, you always answer my questions!”
“Eve is GREAT!-She gets to know her patients and spends quality time with patients to understand their needs!”
“I try not to see anyone else but Eve. I think the world of her and she has always sent me in the right direction if I need to see another doctor”
“I feel very involved in my health care. Discussion rather than dictation. A knowledgeable and positive PA”
“I would highly recommend Eve Harris to my friends.”
Eve is very thorough with her assessments and documentation. She leaves no stone unturned when it comes to a diagnosis, which provides comfort and reassurance to her patients. She really does take the time to listen to their concerns and is able to notice even slight changes since she gets to know them so well. When she is with a patient, her focus is completely on that patient. The town of Earlham is lucky to have Eve, but her patient base is wide as patients travel for miles to come to her. Her clinic scores are also highly reflective of the way she practices and the teamwork amongst the staff. When we started our initiative, our goal was to get to the 90th percentile rank and Eve and her team have worked really hard to meet those goals. She is very deserving of this recognition, and we know what a gem with have with Eve at Madison County Health Care System.
The Earlham Medical Clinic comes to mind when I think of a Clinic of Choice! They are consistently achieving high scores on all their surveys. This team of three is a very cohesive team and work together like gears in a machine. They all know and do their work independently, but they come together as one to make the clinic run as efficiently as it does. Patient satisfaction is of utmost importance to them as well. They strive for high scores and pride themselves on their customer service. They have a great base of patients within the community, but also have patients that come from outside the community as they have heard what great care and service the Earlham Medical Clinic provides. Some comments about the clinic as a whole include:
“All staff worked well together with utmost respect for one another.”
“As always, I was so impressed with the excellent customer service!”
“From the doctor to the nurse to the receptionist, three of the best people I have ever been around!”
“No one could ask for better staff. When you check in, always smiled at by all three people. Plus, they explain what they are doing in a way I can understand. I can’t thank them enough!”
Their clinic scores are impressive as well. They score above the 90th percentile rank on their Overall score, Access to care, Moving through the visit, Nurse/assistant, Overall Assessment and Likelihood to Recommend. They have worked hard to become a Patient Centered Medical Home, and consistently have high scores on their quality measures. This team is also willing to share what they know and how they operate to lead others in our organization to achieve high marks as well. They are humble and never ask for, or expect any recognition, but they are most deserving of this award. We are lucky to have these members in our community, on our team and in our organization!
Sydney exemplifies all of the qualities that a nurse should possess. She is caring, patient and ensures her patients are well taken care of. Sydney has a way of making everyone that walks in our doors feel like a neighbor walking into her house. I’ve witnessed her going above and beyond each day to care for our patients with her excellent verbal skills, empathy and understanding to effectively assist each individual. She greets everyone with a smile and genuinely cares about the reason they are visiting MCHCS and finds multiple ways to try and help them feel more comfortable. Sydney is fully invested in their care, as she asks for the sake of understanding and displays top notch listening skills.
Sydney is compassionate and connects with patients on a personal level. She is always willing to help others, even if she is busy doing something else. She goes above and beyond by volunteering her time to help out areas that are critically understaffed and always does so with a smile on her face.
She is willing to learn new things and cross train to other areas in trying to help departments, jumping right in and energetically contributing to the team atmosphere. Her positive attitude is contagious and her drive for education and growth is obvious. She will always go out of her way to help someone out because she truly cares about the people she works with as well as our patients. Sydney is an instrumental individual in making MCHCS not only a provider of choice, but an employer of choice! I am so glad I get to call Sydney a coworker!
Dulce has been a wonderful addition as a CNA on our Med/Surg team! She is ALWAYS so kind and compassionate with all patients, co-workers and visitors. She is ALWAYS very positive and reassuring to everyone. She ALWAYS goes above and beyond in meeting patient needs and expectations. She ALWAYS greets patients with a smile from behind her mask. She ALWAYS asks patients their preference for the cares she provides. She ALWAYS gets to know patients on a personal level and makes real connections with them. Dulce is ALWAYS very attentive to the needs of every patient.
There have been many times I have seen her run to answer call lights so patients are not kept waiting. She ALWAYS checks in on her patients and co-workers multiple times every shift to see how they are doing and to offer her help. She has had such a positive impact on the culture here and has really helped improve the morale of the staff. Dulce attended one of the first Service Excellence Workshops held this year and her first question was “How can I be a part of this?” When she isn’t working, patients and staff are asking “Where is Dulce?” Dulce is also bilingual and has willingly been able to help with communication with patients, visitors and even contract workers. She has helped translate text for help wanted posts, giving detailed notes about how each phrase connected to the English text. She is ALWAYS willing to help wherever needed. Dulce works hard, stays late and comes in on days off to work if she can. She is loved by her patients and co-workers alike!