Awards
Guelph General Hospital has received the following awards and accreditations.
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Guelph General Hospital has been awarded the highest rating of "Accreditation with Exemplary Status". It is given to organizations that go beyond the requirements of Accreditation Canada and demonstrate excellence in quality improvement from Accreditation Canada - an independent, not-for-profit organization that sets standards for quality and safety in health care.
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Guelph General Hospital is a Supporter of providing a Living Wage. A living wage is a critical component of individual, family and community wellbeing, providing a better standard of living for workers and their households. Employers find that paying a living wage increases morale, productivity and customer or client satisfaction.
A living wage is the hourly rate at which a household can meet its basic needs, such as housing, food, clothing, utility bills, transportation, childcare and participation in community life.
The living wage has been calculated based on what it costs to live in Guelph and Wellington, once government transfers have been added to the family's income and deductions have been subtracted. The living wage is calculated every two years by the Guelph & Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination with support from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
As a living wage Supporter, Guelph General Hospital ensures all our direct full time employees earn at least a living wage and we are committed to begin raising all our part time employees to a living wage.
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Guelph General Hospital leverages their human resources department to foster strong relationships with employees and stakeholders. To emphasize the importance of their people in ensuring their everyday success, they have formed a Quality Team, which has been successful in implementing a number of programs that have increased engagement and commitment for their employees.
Further, they have developed a vision statement for the HR department which complements their strategic direction and provides a basis for their Human Resources Plan. This living document involves input from the Board of Directors, and is communicated to stakeholders at all levels.
In addition to their achievements within the Human Resources group, they have recently been recognized with other awards, including Recognition in the Workplace award from the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, the ‘Patient Experience’ award from HealthAchieve’, and was named one of the Waterloo Area ‘s Top Employers in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
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Guelph General Hospital recently won the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) Recognition in the Workplace Award for 2012. This award recognizes an Ontario healthcare organization for its work to foster involvement of RNs in their professional association; for creating a climate of professional partnership and quality work life and for demonstrating commitment to promoting professional development and research-based practice.
It was a great night for GGH at the RNAO's Annual General Meeting. Not only did we win the Workplace award, we were also recognized as becoming an RNAO Best Practice Spotlight Organization. GGH is an RNAO Best Practice Spotlight Organization candidate and has already implemented six best practice guidelines. Over 50 staff have attended the workshop and have committed to being best practice champions. The Hospital has supported hosting a champion workshop on site to support and promote the work of RNAO. Over the next three years, five additional guidelines will be implemented.
To help strengthen professional partnerships, each inpatient unit conducts “bullet rounds” daily which facilitate the full participation of all team members to report on the progress of each patient and discuss any concerns in a supportive environment. The focus of these rounds is to improve communication and patient outcomes and prepare the patient and family for their eventual return to home.
GGH has a strong commitment to promoting professional development. For example, the Hospital financially supported 45 people to complete the Hemispheres course improving their clinical expertise in stroke care. We recently opened a specialized stroke care unit to ensure that these complex patients are cared for using the best practice standards outlined in the RNAO guidelines.
Finally, GGH has secured 5 successful RNAO fellowships in the past few years providing development opportunities for staff who have demonstrated great leadership. These fellowships assisted the hospital in developing comprehensive workplace safety policies, as well as policies addressing bullying in the workplace, organ donation, wound care and the need for universal screening for victims of domestic violence.
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Guelph General Hospital was named one of Waterloo Area's "Top Employers" for 2015. The award, presented by Mediacorp, selects large and small employers that offer innovative programs to both retain and recruit their employees.
Employers are evaluated by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers project using eight criteria, which have remained consistent since the project's inception: (1) Physical Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; (7) Training & Skills Development; and (8) Community Involvement. Employers are compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offers the most progressive and forward-thinking programs.
In selecting Guelph General Hospital, one example the judges cited was its commitment to making sure employees' voices are heard and contribute to building a better workplace. Its recent Healthy Hospital staff survey was a great example. GGH had a record-breaking response rate of over 80%.
