Patient, resident and associate health and safety continues to be a top priority for Community HealthCare System (CHCS) and for the 22nd straight year, CHCS has been recertified through a unique program from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The On-site Consultation Program's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) recognizes employers who operate an exemplary safety and health management approach. Since 2002, CHCS has been recognized as the only Kansas hospital and one of only four nationally to achieve this prestigious certification.
“As providing a safe and healthy environment for patients, residents, and our associates is a top priority, we continuously strive to meet the high standards required by the OSHA SHARP program”, said Kerry Herbine, CHCS CEO. “To once again be recognized for our continued safety record and efforts is proof of our desire to provide incomparably safe care.”
When CHCS began the program in 2001, the system was growing and needed to standardize and improve processes as it added health centers. CHCS leaders worked with the Kansas Department of Labor Safety Assistance and Consultation Program and OSHA to identify workplace hazards and improve safety and health programs.
The continued collaboration with industry consultants has proven beneficial through the years and has allowed CHCS to better understand and monitor processes and anticipate risks. Michael Bomberger, director of business development and special projects, has helped guide those processes. Bomberger said he is proud of not only CHCS’s exemplary safety record, but also how associates remain committed to OSHA SHARP.
“The program encourages organizational pro-active critical thinking, anticipating accidents before they happen, and conducting post-event analysis to correct issues going forward when incidents occur,” Bomberger said.
Allen Vinyard, director of Industrial Safety and Health at the Kansas Department of Labor, said he is pleased to recognize CHCS’ ongoing success with the program.
“The Kansas Department of Labor is very proud of our SHARP program. Kansas has one of the highest participation rates of SHARP organizations in the nation. For an organization to achieve SHARP status they must prove they are the best of the best in protecting employees. When a company like Community HealthCare System shows a continuous concern for their employees’ safety and health, we must celebrate that! Any organization that can maintain SHARP recognition for 22 years is doing something right. We look forward to continuing our working relationship well into the future,” Vinyard said.
Herbine said safety efforts at CHCS are highly collaborative between all locations and teammates.
“It takes everyone - from clinical, to clerical, to administrative, to operations and environmental services staff – working together to provide continued support and training to implement a best-practices safety program. I am proud of our team for their sustained dedication and success,” Herbine said.
Community HealthCare System sites certified by OSHA SHARP include all clinic locations; Centralia, Onaga, Frankfort, Holton, St.Marys and Westmoreland, Onaga Community Hospital, Eastridge Skilled Nursing Facility, Community HomeHealth, Redbud Plaza Assisted Living, and St. Marys Manor.
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