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Best of the Best 2005

 

August 28, 2006

Dear Colleagues,

The American health care system is facing an increasing critical shortage of skilled workers, particularly those with skills in nursing, radiology, respiratory therapy, physical therapists and laboratory technicians. At The Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH), there are more than 1,900 workers who are 50 years of age or older. We believe there may be an important opportunity to retain a significant number of employees in these critical categories after their normal retirement dates, thereby expanding the pool of well-trained and experienced workers.

JHH recently received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor with the Maryland State Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation to obtain information about the steps that may be taken to improve the retention of older nurses and allied health workers within the health care industry. We believe that one of the most cost-effective ways to rapidly meet the workforce and skill shortages in our industry is to do all we can to keep the people we have and to provide them with a truly rewarding, long-term career in an industry that is vitally important to and touches the lives of so many.

As part of the grant, JHH, Cedar Sinai Health System (Los Angeles, CA) and Hospital Corporation of America (the nation’s largest hospital group based in Nashville, TN) will reach out to 200 workers to develop and organize 22 focus groups across the U.S. (JHH will conduct six of these groups within the next few months). The select groups of employees who will be targeted to participate in the focus groups are:

• age 50 and older;
• recently retired or current employees; and
• nursing and allied health including radiology technologists, respiratory therapists and selected other occupations

If you or your employees receive an invitation to take part in the focus groups, please take the time to participate. The results of the focus groups will be carefully analyzed and it is our goal to develop one or more models that may be used to roll-out ways to increase worker retention in the nursing and allied health fields. The focus groups will be conducted by an external market research agency so your identity will be protected. Thank you for supporting this effort. You will hear more about the feedback very soon.

Sincerely,
Pamela Paulk
Vice President, Human Resources
Johns Hopkins Health System
The Johns Hopkins Hospital

   
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