Workforce shortages and disruptions are not new in healthcare. However, in today's environment, there are new dynamics in the workforce that have become prominent.
Workers are thinking about their jobs and futures differently, with some leaving their roles for different opportunities and various other reasons. They also have different expectations in terms of their workplace environment.
The COVID-19 pandemic "was an awakening for our world," Rhonda Brandon, senior vice president and chief human resources officer for Durham, N.C.-based Duke University Health System, told Becker's. "The human factor has kicked in, and people are thinking about life and commitments to work very differently or want to do work very differently. People are looking for more flexibility, maybe less onerous work, charting their own path and even changing their careers altogether."
Workers are also calling on their employers to address their concerns about pay, staffing and working conditions. At some organizations, this has resulted in strikes by unionized employees, including one at Kaiser Permanente facilities, deemed the largest healthcare strike in U.S. history.
These dynamics and labor tensions raise the question: How are hospitals and health systems holding their teams to a culture of performance excellence amid staffing challenges?
Keeping the performance bar high
Duke, like other health systems, has experienced staffing challenges. The organization's turnover rate peaked at about 26% overall during the depth of the pandemic. It is now about 18%.
But the organization has not wavered when it comes to a culture of performance excellence among staff, Ms. Brandon said.
"We are in the people-taking-care-of-people business," she said. "Lives are in the balance that we deal with. We have not stepped away from the quality of care or the excellence that's expected, and that our patients and community deserves. I think that would be extremely short-sighted. I think we'd rather deal with the shortage and come up with solutions on how we address these issues rather than to lower our bar of performance. That would get into dangerous territory."
Monica Wharton, executive vice president and COO of Memphis, Tenn.-based Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, said expectations around performance have also not changed at her organization.
"Our patients deserve nothing less than high-quality care," Ms. Wharton said. "We believe it's our responsibility and our privilege to provide the highest quality to all the patients we have the benefit to serve."
In fact, she noted staff is going above and beyond their duties.
"The aftermath of the pandemic has caused all of us, but, more importantly, some of our bedside clinicians, to double down in their responsibilities for our patients. We consistently see them stretching to provide great clinical care, and finding novel ways to connect with our patients," Ms. Wharton said.
She also said those who commit and decide they are going to be in healthcare "recognize that the need is great. But also, they find great satisfaction and reward from the work that's being done."
Creating a culture of excellence
Both organizations are making efforts to maintain a high threshold for performance.
Duke is investing heavily in redefining its culture, which means putting their people and patients first, Ms. Brandon said.
"You cannot pursue excellence without caring for your people and those we depend on to deliver extraordinary care," she said.
That's why Duke is redefining the culture to put humanity first "to make sure that we're a place where people want to come, they want to stay and they want to contribute their very best," she said.
"Will you get everyone to stay? Will retention or turnover numbers go way back down as they have before?" she said. "I think we'll continue to make progress. But I think it's the employee experience that will make a difference. And again, not going after excellence for excellence's sake, but engaging and honoring our people, putting humanity first, I believe will make the difference."
At Methodist Le Bonheur, the journey to maintaining a culture of performance excellence includes creativity in terms of recruitment and retention.
Ms. Wharton said the organization conducted listening tours throughout the health system, where about 450 workers provided their input to help develop a new recruitment and retention strategy.
"We really wanted to ensure that we hear from those who are at the front line, on what's needed to recruit and retain staff," she said. "The feedback tells us our associates want a return to a fun, exciting workplace. They need greater efficiency in how they perform their duties."
As a result of the feedback, she said leaders are focused on ensuring the health system's recruitment team is mirroring what's important to workers.
The listening sessions began last year across the organization, which includes six hospitals, a number of other care sites and 13,000 team members.
Methodist Le Bonheur also implemented virtual town halls.
As of recently, about 1,000 individuals have attended those town halls, Ms. Wharton said. The town halls take place with the health system CEO and other executive team members on a quarterly basis.
"Anyone throughout the health system can join the call and ask any question that's on their mind," Ms. Wharton said. "That's another opportunity for us to have an additional touch point with our associates and listen to their needs. Associates are able to share recruitment ideas and top-of-mind concerns. We can discuss it in real time."
Additionally, Methodist Le Bonheur implemented a new MLH Associate Advancement Program through a partnership with the University of Memphis. According to the program website, it "aims to provide MLH Associates an opportunity to flexibly and affordably earn higher education degrees and certificates that can propel their careers forward."
Ms. Wharton said the program, at its core, is about investing in growth opportunities for individuals.
"You can have an individual in environmental services grow into a role that requires additional certifications or a bachelor's degree. Associates can take that step toward professional development, and some take a step further for advanced degrees," she added.
Methodist Le Bonheur doubled down on the program during the pandemic. A total of 117 associates have graduated from that program and grown in their careers within the organization.