Results: Client Profile

Bronson Methodist Hospital
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
2005 Award Recipient, Health Care

Headlining Results

"The Journal of Organizational Excellence recognizes how the benefits of concierge services far exceed that of a perk; it makes good business sense"
Read the JOE Article

“Thanks to each of the Best Upon Request staff for assisting us to achieve this wonderful milestone on our journey to excellence!!”
Marilyn Potgeisser, Director Human Resources

Challenge

For people working in the health care profession, the hectic pace and on-the-job challenges, coupled with the day-to-day demands on their personal lives, can be quite stressful. Bronson Methodist Hospital, a 350-bed facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan, was looking for a practical way to help employees achieve a better work/life balance. Bronson considers maintaining a high level of employee satisfaction and quality of life a critical component to being an employer of choice and a leader in patient-focused care.

Solution

Bronson determined that a concierge program staffed on-site would be an ideal way to provide relief and assistance for employees. Bronson contacted Best Upon Request, an industry leader in providing concierge services such as errand running, event planning, guest relations, information research and referral, home-based help and individualized assistance to organizations since 1989.

Outcomes

“(Our employees) have become cheerleaders for concierge services, and are telling their colleagues about this great benefit. I know from our conversations and reports that the service is growing with each passing day and has, certainly, surpassed our expectations,” said Susan Ulshafer, Bronson’s Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Organizational Development.

Since the inception of the concierge program in 2001, utilization continues to grow every year:

Year One:

23% of the employee population used the program and 4,300 requests were filled

Year Two:

34% of the employee population used the program and 8,000 requests were filled

Year Three:

42% of the employee population used the program and 11,600 requests were filled

Year Four:

74% of the employee population used the program and 16,400 requests were filled

Additionally, feedback from survey results have been very enthusiastic:

96% agree that the service has increased their commitment to their employer
98% agree that the service helps reduce their stress level
99% agree that the service helps them balance work and personal responsibilities and better enables them to focus on work priorities

Bronson has seen other positive outcomes to which the concierge services program has contributed:

Overall turnover has decreased by 55.3%
Nursing turnover has decreased by 44%
Employee referrals account for 25% of all new hires
Recruitment costs have decreased approximately $250,000 annually
There is an employment wait list for most occupations and open positions
Patient satisfaction was 97% for the second quarter of 2004
Received the 2005 Malcom Baldrige Award

“Bronson recognizes that nurses have a very difficult job. Our nursing staff is committed to providing excellent care so we are always looking for ways to help them balance their professional and personal lives. The availability and use of such a wonderful benefit has proven to be a way that nurses can decrease stress and spend more time with their families,” said Katie Harrelson, Bronson’s Chief Nurse Executive.

“In the competitive health care job market, we wanted to provide a premier benefit to our current and future employees that was not available at other organizations. It was our goal to make employees’ lives less stressful and complicated. Best Upon Request’s concierge services have made a considerable impact on our organization,” said Frank J. Sardone, President and CEO of Bronson Healthcare Group.