Communications

(March 7, 2025) – Strategies that address workforce recruitment and retention are essential to providing optimal health in Kansas. The Workforce Strategies Award recognizes a team of employees, providers or volunteers who have significantly contributed to the well-being, retention or recruitment of health care workers at their facility.

The Wamego Health Center, a 50-50 venture between Ascension Via Christi and the City of Wamego, established a Standards Team to help maintain the organization's high standards of excellence and morale among associates. The team comprises representatives of several departments, including nursing, rehab therapy, admissions, lab, behavioral health and administration.

The team's focus is to enhance the retention of current associates. With the recruitment of new staff posing a substantial challenge, the team focuses on highlighting the outstanding work of current team members. These programs have included holding recognition activities for employee of the quarter, celebrating the two-year anniversary of ZERO Hospital-Acquired Infections, encouraging high levels of engagement in Hospital Week, and sponsoring and hosting a local 4th grade class for an on-site, interactive field trip described by one fourth grader as, "The coolest field trip we've ever had!"

The Standards Team has overcome many challenges the health care industry has faced throughout the past several years. They reached out to leaders and identified employee retention as a major issue. Then, they took proactive steps to work with department leaders to identify ways associates wanted to be recognized for their accomplishments and good work. This included handwritten notes, e-cards, public announcements and celebrations and new Wamego Health Center clothing.

"Our retention and engagement results speak for themselves. Our current 12-month rolling voluntary turnover has significantly improved in the past two years. We're now roughly two times better than the national average. We also had 84 percent of all associates complete an engagement survey, in which 76 percent of the respondents had a favorable rating of the hospital," said Brian Howells, Administrator, Wamego Health Center.

The hospital administration gave the Standards Team the autonomy to advance positivity throughout the facility, resulting in high participation levels in activities ranging from the Wamego Meals-On-Wheels program to the fun-filled Hawaiian Shirt Day.

"We continue to have a variety of events that help to increase morale and allow our associates to enjoy coming to work at Wamego Health Center every day. Wamego is truly a great place to work," said Howells.
--Shelby Stacy