Aug. 26, 2022

Education drives our progress as new medical assistants graduate

As we settle into a new school year, I am reminded of the importance of education at all levels, and how it drives our future. Thinking about the growth of our community, I know an investment in education is an investment in progress.

Last Friday, through our partnership with Ozarks Technical Community College, we celebrated the graduation of 26 Medical Assistant Apprenticeship students.

For the first time since the pandemic began, OTC was able to hold an in-person pinning ceremony for the graduating class. After a few years of ceremonies on Zoom, it was amazing to see students graduating in front of their families during the ceremony. The 26 students are starting this week in our clinics as medical assistants.

CoxHealth is committed to helping grow health care talent locally, and this is one of the ways we’re working to do that. Participants in the 16-week apprenticeship program earn a salary while attending classes, receive tuition for the classes themselves, and then go on to start a new career with many opportunities to advance.

Medical assistants play a vital role in our clinics, with training in multiple clerical and clinic support skills.

“MAs are often the first person a patient sees, and they are essential to running our clinic,” says Dr. Kristen Killen of CoxHealth Nixa. “This program is amazing because it gives students the skills they need to be successful from day one.”

Andy Hedgpeth, who has led so many of our recruitment and education efforts, says that over the last few years, 132 students have completed the program, with 26 more in progress with the current cohort. Overall, the program has an 83% retention rate as graduates become CoxHealth employees.

The MA program is just one of many efforts we are making throughout all steps of the educational journey.

Earlier this month, we announced our partnership with Ozark High School for the Ozark Innovation Center. The academy provides students with insight into a career in health care, and jumpstarts them on a successful path for a future career.

Both partnerships build on our commitment to supporting our community, and they represent the next step in educating future health care workers.

For CoxHealth, this is the tip of the iceberg in terms of our workforce development efforts.

We know the challenge of growing our workforce will not be solved overnight. It will require time and investment in multiple areas. Creating this pipeline to guide students in their career paths will ultimately help them build careers and lives in our community.

I am extremely proud of the education systems in our area, and in the coming months we will be seeing broader collaboration efforts throughout the community. We are fortunate to have so many educational resources and experts contributing to our mission. I am excited for the future!

Milestone of more than 10,000 open-heart surgeries

Over the last 25+ years at CoxHealth, Drs. John Steinberg and David Zolfaghari have performed more than 10,000 open-heart surgeries between the two of them. Thanks to these two talented surgeons, lives were saved and families were reunited. I’m so glad we were able to recognize this rare accomplishment. And I am proud that they attribute their success to the support of their colleagues and our culture at CoxHealth. You can watch our full video on their achievement here. Thank you for your dedication!

Culture Pulse survey rollout

This week, we announced the start of our Culture Pulse survey. We partnered with McLean & Company, an independent HR research firm, to learn how well CoxHealth is doing in creating an environment for work and care where everyone feels like they belong. This survey will give leaders the insight they need to ensure our work environment remains aligned with our organization's mission, vision and values, as well as our strategic priorities.

Personally, I want CoxHealth to be known for its kindness, compassion, and ability to see all of our colleagues and patients as intrinsically valuable. These efforts should reflect the workplace and culture we aspire to create, and it is our responsibility to own that and see it through. After the survey is complete, we will be able to begin sharing appropriate resources to our employees.

The return of CoxHealth’s FallFest

I’m excited to announce that after two years, FallFest, our employee celebration, will be returning to CoxHealth on Sept. 24. We will gather at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds E*Plex to celebrate our staff and connect with one another. The day will be full of fun activities to redirect the energy of your kids (or your colleagues!), without having to worry about what you’re going to cook. In addition to a picnic-style lunch buffet, we will have a live performance by the Mixtapes. I hope to see everyone there!

CBCO blood drive at Cox South on Aug. 31

Our friends at Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO), are coming to Cox South to hold a blood drive on Wednesday, Aug. 31, from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. You can sign up at this link.

It is critically important that we have access to blood supplies at all times. The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks is our local blood supplier, and our patients receive the vital blood products they need from CBCO and their donors. Let's all get out and support this important effort.

Voice of the patient

Adapted from patient feedback at Cox Springfield Emergency Department: “The doctor was extremely kind and took his time answering all my questions. He really listened.”

Thank you for all you do,

Max

Direct Line from Max Buetow for 8/26/22