Published on August 26, 2024
Read Time: 2 Minutes
By Jason Shenefield, President and CEO
In recent years, Phelps Health has become increasingly active in advocating for rural healthcare at both the state and federal levels. Despite a challenging legislative session, our local legislators succeeded in advancing several of our key priorities this year. These achievements include securing a $5 million state appropriation to build a new Emergency Department, enacting critical reforms to the operation of county hospitals and protecting the federal 340B drug discount program.
At our July Board of Trustees meeting, we recognized State Senator Justin Brown (Senate District 16) and State Representatives Tara Peters (House District 122), Bennie Cook (House District 143), Don Mayhew (House District 124) and Bill Hardwick (House District 121), for their efforts in securing these accomplishments.
Phelps Health also partners with the Missouri Hospital Association to engage with federal legislators in Washington, D.C. Going forward, it’s crucial that we continue to have a voice in healthcare decision-making at both the state and national levels.
Workday Launch
On July 1, Phelps Health officially launched Workday, a cloud-based software system designed to streamline our HR, finance and materials management processes. This transition marks a significant step forward, centralizing these functions to improve efficiency, accuracy and transparency across the organization.
What does this mean to you, the patient? Workday allows our health system to:
- Adapt quickly to changes in patient care and technology
Jason Shenefield, CEO - Decrease patient wait times due to increased staff efficiency
- Make better, faster decisions based on real-time insights
- Attract, develop and engage top talent for patient care
The implementation of Workday represents our commitment to excellence and continuous improvement, aligning two of our core pillars — our organization and our people.
A Push for Wellness
At Phelps Health, we are committed to improving our employees’ work-life balance, recognizing the high rates of burnout in the healthcare industry. To address this issue, we recently formed a Wellness Committee made up of 10 employees who are dedicated to improving mental health and overall well-being, preventing burnout and reducing stress levels in the workplace. Through classes, informational material and other initiatives, committee members educate and support their coworkers.
Additionally, our employees, along with their spouses and eligible dependents, now have access to eight free counseling or coaching sessions every year with highly trained mental health professionals. Personally, I was hesitant at first, but using a coach to manage stress and challenges has made a big difference for me. My coach has given me new strategies and tools, making these sessions something I look forward to each month.
Exciting developments are on the horizon for Phelps Health. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to evolve and enhance our services.
