Every healthcare organization depends on loyal, motivated, caring employees.  Their satisfaction helps ensure patient and physician satisfaction and their commitment to quality is essential to the success of the organization.  Much like many other hospitals, Baptist Medical Center, a 600 bed hospital in San Antonio, TX, has experienced their fair share of financial problems, along with employee morale and physician loyalty issues.  After interviewing Keith Swinney, CEO at Baptist Medical Center, HealthStream Research quickly learned why Baptist Medical Center has been so successful at increasing and maintaining employee satisfaction.

Before Baptist Medical Center was purchased by Vanguard Health Systems the facility was losing large sums of money and employees were highly concerned about their paychecks as well as their jobs.  This didn’t make for an easy transition for the new CEO at Baptist Medical Center.  Keith describes his first year at the hospital as a “rough one.”  “Employees would not speak or smile at each other as they walked down the halls,” recounts Keith.  “They were not engaged in their work or in one another.”  With the help from senior management, Keith implemented several programs that turned employee morale and engagement around.

The first area of attack was communication.  Employees were not aware of the goals of the hospital, so a strong effort was made to communicate goals effectively.  The senior team also began rounding, which startled and shocked employees.  After employees acclimated to administrative rounding, doors to active communication opened.  “They didn’t know what to make of it at first,” notes Keith.  “A major key to employee satisfaction is open, honest communication.  Employees at our hospital know that they can come to me or any other member of management with an issue or concern.  Our entire focus as a management team is the satisfaction of our employees.  You’ll not find hierarchy with us…we are all very approachable and open for employees to come talk to us,” stresses Keith.  This new communication style got the ball rolling in the right direction for employee satisfaction.  Several other programs or activities that were transformational include:

• Quarterly CEO forums where employees receive updates on the hospital and Keith solicits feedback from employees
• Picnics in the park
• Special late night events for night shift employees, such as cake walks and other games
• Award ceremonies for departments with excellent patient satisfaction scores (including a free pizza dinner)

Keith, along with the senior team at Baptist Medical Center, soon began to notice a change in employee attitudes and morale.  “They were enjoying being part of a winning team, being part of something that is successful,” observes Keith.  Employees who once looked to the floor when passing each other in the hallways now smile and speak to almost everyone they come in contact with. 

In thinking about tips to give other CEOs starting out in a similar situation, Keith mentions that “getting out of your office is key.  CEOs must be available to employees…be on the floors to hear their issues and concerns.  Another key to success is having great people on the leadership team at the hospital, people who are dedicated to each other’s success as well as the success of the hospital.”

Baptist Medical Center is certainly a great example of a hospital that cares for its employees.  Keith, a self-described “people person” believes that attitude makes all the difference.  He also contends that, “you can have a relationship with people…it doesn’t have to be a boss-subordinate relationship.”  In summary, expresses Keith, “I just think it’s how you treat people.”