Portage Health wins recruitment award

OKEMOS – Portage Health received the Michigan Health Council’s “Building Michigan’s Health Care Workforce Award for Employee Recruitment” this week.

Portage Health Director of Marketing and Communications Kevin Store and Director of Human Resources Robbyn Lucier post for a photo with their plaque for winning the Michigan Health Council’s “Building Michigan’s Health Care Workforce Award for Employee Recruitment.”

The award recognizes the hospital’s improved provider-recruitment strategy. The strategy has increased the number of new medical-provider hires by an average of eight per year, while reducing expenses by more than $90,000 annually and all but eliminating the need to hire outside recruitment firms.

“Recruitment of well-trained, highly qualified medical providers is vital to Portage Health’s ability to provide the excellent level of care we offer,” said Kevin Store, director of marketing and communications. “This award is a testament to the hard work of many people at Portage Health and recognizes the quality and innovation that truly is at our core.”

The Michigan Health Council’s criteria evaluates and recognizes innovative, successful strategies used by a health care organization to recruit health professionals to meet patient-care needs. Programs receiving awards must be replicable and cost effective. In order for Portage Health to have success, the organization launched three key initiatives: 1. hired a full-time medical-staff recruiter; 2. executed a thorough community needs assessment; 3) expanded clinical rotations for medical students.

“Finding medical professionals, especially board-certified physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners can be costly and difficult, especially in smaller rural communities.” said Michigan Health Council President and CEO Anne Rosewarne. “By completely rebuilding their recruitment program, Portage Health demonstrates organizations can improve recruitment while saving costs.”

Portage Health has welcomed twenty six new providers in the past three years, and has identified several medical providers that will join them in the near future.

“These highly qualified medical providers are what elevates Portage Health,” said Robbyn Lucier, director of human resources.

For more information on Portage Health, visit portagehealth.org. Additional information on the Michigan Health Council can be found at mhc.org.