LANGHORNE, Pa., June 15, 2010 – Healthy and happy employees are among the hallmarks of a good employer. St. Mary Medical Center has recently gained recognition for both. In addition, the Medical Center was honored June 9 for its H1N1 crisis communications plan.
The New Jersey Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America awarded Anne Klein Communications Group and St. Mary Medical Center with a 2010 Pyramid Award for an H1N1 crisis communications plan. Established in 1989, the Pyramid Awards program has become the state’s most prestigious communications award that recognizes the highest standards of excellence in the communications profession.
As a leading regional medical provider with one of the area’s busiest Emergency Departments, St. Mary leaders early on recognized the need to prepare for a potential surge of patients with the global outbreak of the H1N1 flu. In response to mounting public concern, St. Mary teamed up with the Anne Klein Communications Group, Mount Laurel, NJ, to develop a detailed and actionable comprehensive response plan to handle an increase of patients to the Emergency Department, as well as communication tools to inform and reassure St. Mary colleagues and the community in the event of a flu pandemic.
St. Mary Medical Center is also among 36 Philadelphia area employers selected as winners of the Healthy Workplace Award by the Philadelphia Business Journal. Winners of the inaugural award were selected by an eight-member panel of Business Journal staff and independent judges. St. Mary was chosen as a winner in large part because of a long-term commitment to promote physical activity and positive health choices among staff. Since 2007, St. Mary has encouraged physicians and colleagues to adopt a lifelong approach to a healthy lifestyle through the Make Every Day About Living (MEDAL) Colleague Wellness Program. The program addresses and promotes a variety of healthy lifestyle initiatives, including weight loss, nutrition, smoking cessation, fitness, and illness and disease prevention.
St. Mary was also recognized for high performance in two employee satisfaction surveys. The Medical Center received the Morehead Apex Workplace of Distinction Award for 2009. The Distinction Award is given annually to healthcare employers that have reached and sustained the 90th percentile on the Colleague Pulse Survey of employee satisfaction for a 12-month period. Results of the survey at St. Mary placed the Medical Center in the top 6 percent in the nation. In addition, physician engagement ranked at the 95th percentile of organizations nationally for the 2009-2010 St. Mary Medical Center Physician Survey. Both awards recognize that employee engagement and commitment are linked to high patient satisfaction, quality outcomes, increased financial performance, and mission fulfillment.
“We are extremely pleased to know that our physicians and colleagues enjoy the benefits of an engaging, healthy environment,” says Mary Sweeney, Vice President, Colleague Resources and Development. “Employee health and satisfaction ultimately lead to high quality and safe care for our patients.”
About St. Mary Medical Center
Licensed for 366 beds, St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, is the most comprehensive medical center in the area. Its compassionate staff of more than 600 physicians, 2,700 colleagues, and 1,000 volunteers is committed to providing excellence in patient safety and quality care. St. Mary offers state-of-the-art technology and highly skilled physicians and clinical professionals in providing advanced care for complex cases. Services include a comprehensive cardiovascular program; the only state-accredited Trauma Center in Bucks County; Emergency Services with a dedicated Pediatric Emergency Care Center; a Joint Commission-certified Primary Stroke Center; specialized diagnostic imaging; obstetrics and NICU; a Joint Commission-certified joint replacement program; exceptional orthopedic surgical capabilities and rehabilitation; a Joint Commission-certified sleep disorders center, pain management and wound healing centers; the St. Mary Breast Center; and the St. Mary Regional Cancer Center. St. Mary’s outreach to the poor and underserved includes its Community Ministries in Bensalem – the Mother Bachmann Maternity Center, Children’s Health Center and Family Resource Center – as well as ongoing support for the Adult Health Clinic operated by the Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership.
# # # |
