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Carondelet Health Network

Winning years:  2006, 2005
Industry:  Hospitals/Healthcare
Location:  Tucson, AZ
URL:  www.carondelet.org

Winning Strategies 2006

Carondelet Health Network offers a free on-site Bachelor of Science in Nursing program to encourage the recruitment of quality nurses and also provide educational development to the current nursing staff.  In addition, for those enrolled in the corporate health plan, a program called ‘CARE’ offers 24/7 access to health and well-being information.  The ‘REACH’ (Risk Evaluation and Cardiovascular Health), and ‘KEEP’ (Kidney Early Evaluation Program) programs have given numerous employees life-saving information.

Other Benefits:

• Workplace Culture/Continued Opportunities: The health network offers the following learning and development programs to its full- and part-time employees; tuition reimbursement, in-house classroom training, on-line training, and certification classes.  Part-time employees must work 24 hours per week to be eligible for the tuition reimbursement program.  Long-service anniversaries are celebrated with announcements, parties, awards, and gifts.  The health network implemented the following improvements within the past three years due to employee requests: created a student loan forgiveness program and added a perfect attendance reward program offering financial incentives to RNs who achieve perfect attendance for three months as well as for those who achieve perfect attendance for the year.
• Benefits/Health: Full- and part-time employees (working 24 hrs/week), receive individual and family medical coverage, individual and family prescription drug coverage, individual and family vision insurance, individual and family dental insurance, as well as short and long-term disability.  Thirty-three percent of employees are enrolled in the individual medical and prescription drug plan while 28% are enrolled in the employee and family medical and prescription drug plan.  Twenty-six percent of employees are enrolled in the individual and employee and family vision plan, 29% in the individual dental plan, 34% in the employee and family dental plan, 78% in the short and long-term disability plans.  The health network offers a health flexible spending account.
• Benefits/Financial: The health network offers a 403(b) and a money-purchase defined contribution retirement savings plan to its full- and part-time employees.  Employees age 50+ can make ‘catch-up’ contributions to their 403(b) account and also invest in lifecycle funds.  CHN matches 50% of the associate’s contribution up to a maximum of 3% of their gross earnings each pay period.  The health network offers on-site child care, referral services to assist with child care and elder care.  The health network offers the on-site child care and referral services to assist with child care benefits to employees to care for their grandchildren. The following wellness programs are offered to full- and part-time employees:  flu shots, health screenings, health risk appraisals, smoking cessation programs, health club discounts, exercise programs, stress management programs, and weight loss programs.
• Benefits/Alternative Work Arrangements: The health network offers the following alternative work arrangements to its full- and part-time employees:  flex time, compressed work schedules, job sharing, and telecommuting.  Full-time employees are eligible to move to part-time work on a permanent and temporary basis.  The phased retirement program allows employees to lower their budgeted hours to meet their personal needs.
• Opportunities for Retirees:  There is an individual who has direct responsibility for retiree relations.  The health network stays connected with its retirees by communicating with retirees on a regular basis, inviting retirees to organization events or celebrations, providing retirees with ongoing access to retirement planning workshops/information, and formally acknowledging employees on their retirement.  Retirees are offered the following work arrangements: temporary work assignments, consulting/contract work, as well as part- and full-time work.
• Age of Workforce: Thirty-six percent of the Carondelet Health Network’s employees are 50+.  Twenty-one percent of its new hires over the past twelve month are 50+.  The average tenure of employees age 50+ is 12 years.

Winning Strategies 2005

Carondelet Health Network (CHN) has programs to attract and retain high-quality health care workers. Historically, CHN’s biggest need for staff has been November through April—a mild time of year in Tucson—so it targeted several cities with harsh winter weather. It offers flexible work schedules and professional advancement through an accelerated study program.

The program gives nurses three-, six-, and nine-month contracts with benefits such as sign-on bonuses, stipends, participation in their 403(b) and 401(a) retirement savings plans, and medical coverage. Seasonal employees who take a three-month break from CHN after a nine-month assignment can go on seasonal leave status if they intend to return to CHN after their break, and they may continue their medical benefits at the full monthly employer cost. CHN also gives seasonal workers relocation assistance if they convert to core positions and move to Tucson.

A no-charge accelerated study program enables qualified candidates with any undergraduate degree the opportunity to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing in only 14 months. The CHN tuition reimbursement program reimburses employees 50 to 100 percent of tuition and books, depending on the degree program and years of service. Stipends are paid to nurses reentering the field who need training. Employees are allowed to drop budgeted hours to meet their personal needs.

Benefits:

• Employees pay 35 percent of the premium for employee and family health insurance and 49 percent for prescription drug coverage. CHN covers short-and long-term disability in full. Part-time employees must work a minimum of 24 hours per week to be eligible.
• CHN offers a defined contribution plan to its employees. The 403(b) match is 50 percent of any employee’s contribution up to three percent of his or her gross earnings per pay period. CHN also contributes 1.5 percent of the eligible employee’s previous year’s earnings to the account annually.

Thirty-five percent of CHN’s employees are 50+. Nineteen percent of new hires in the past year are 50+.