How often -- or how well -- does your hospital engage employees, volunteers, physicians and others:  

• On issues critical to the success of the institution?

• On issues important to the community?

• On issues important to them and their families?

• On ways that they can become better organizational and community leaders?

OHA is undertaking an initiative to help hospitals create and nurture a culture of engagement, whereby hospitals effectively communicate and educate throughout all levels of the organization ways to bring about change in a positive manner. By promoting a culture of engagement, hospitals can develop a team of ambassadors, who will feel a sense of partnership with their hospital management and governing board in working towards a strong community hospital in a strong local community.  

OHA developed this initiative at the direction of the OHA Board of Trustees, which has directed the association to assist hospitals in:

• supporting and promoting their leadership activities,

• leading the way in a quest to create healthy and prosperous communities, and

• creating work environments that attract and retain capable, diverse and talented individuals.  

This initiative is unique in that hospital managers and front-line staff work side-by-side with representatives of the governing board, volunteers and others in the planning, design, implementation and promotion of the corporate engagement culture. This design team will work to create an environment that is highly effective while being implemented within the structure, framework and available resources of the hospital.  The process is dynamic, exciting and intensive. OHA staff will serve on-site several times to facilitate the design of the environment, and will work in Columbus throughout the year to ensure the plan, as designed by the hospital team, moves forward. OHA will also produce supporting resources, including employee and volunteer surveys and other materials.  

This initiative is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Participating hospitals identify the area in which they want to better engage various audiences, such as: 

Grassroots Advocacy. Hospital management and governing boards regularly address issues related to the viability and success of the hospital and the overall health delivery in local communities. Unfortunately, a powerful, yet untapped resource – employees and volunteers – are overlooked in attempting to resolve the critical issues facing our hospitals. Educating employees on pertinent issues and providing them with opportunities and tools to influence the outcomes of those issues in a positive way will result in employees becoming partners in helping solve institutional problems.  Hospital employees and volunteers are passionate about their hospital’s ability to provide quality care and services to their patients and communities. They can become powerful forces -- partnering with hospital management and governing boards --  in working towards a strong community hospital in a strong local community.  

Community Outreach and Involvement. Hospitals are leaders in their communities by providing needed health services and supporting local initiatives. Instilling a culture of civic engagement, whereby employees are actively involved in community issues, will further hospitals’ efforts to provide their communities with leadership and demonstrable benefit. Civic engagement can take many forms, from working in a soup kitchen, serving on a neighborhood association, or speaking to local groups about current events.

By promoting civic engagement, hospitals can encourage employees, volunteers and others to make a difference in the hospital’s ability to serve the community and to help enhance the quality of life for local citizens. Hospitals can help individuals develop the knowledge, skills, and motivation so that they can make that difference.

Leadership Development. Leadership is commonly defined as the ability of an individual to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the organizations of which they are members. No where is leadership more needed than in the hospital environment – an environment of constant change, which can make employees feel pushed in many directions and frequently distracted. Leadership skills can be developed in individuals throughout al levels of the organization - from those in the executive suite to front-line employees. Leaders can influence the hospital environment by establishing goals and performance standards, learning and living organizational values, seeking and taking responsibility, making sound and timely decisions, ensuring that tasks are understood and accomplished, setting the example, and knowing people and looking out for their well-being.

Hospitals interested in partnering with OHA Solutions to develop a highly effective program to engage their employees should contact Jeff Klingler at 614.221.7614 or jeffk@ohanet.org.

Follow the progress of Fostoria Community Hospital as it works to create a grassroots advocacy program with an overarching goal to help employees, their families, physicians, volunteers, and board members become more civically engaged in issues and decisions that impact the hospital and the community.
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Contacts
Dan Paoletti
Senior Director, Business Development and Consulting

Nancy Melcher-Webb
Director, OHA Solutions Staffing Program

Amy Bangert
Manager of Workforce Initiatives

Jeff Klingler
Director of State Policy & Advocacy