Direct Line From Max Buetow For 9/9/22

Sept. 9, 2022

A ‘Fast Track’ to growing our workforce

At a recent Good Morning Springfield breakfast, I was reminded again of the power regional partnerships have in growing our future. The event focused on one of the most pressing issues facing our community and health care: workforce development.

In our industry, growing and maintaining a high-performing workforce is always top of mind. I am continuously proud to see how our region and CoxHealth are uniquely positioned to face this challenge.

Krisi Schell of SRC, Dr. Amy DeMelo of Cox College, and Dr. Hal Higdon of OTC led a panel discussion on the Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant, a financial aid program that helps adults pursue a certificate, degree, or industry-recognized credential in areas designated as high need.

The Fast Track grant is a significant investment by our state and it reflects the tremendous momentum we have in Missouri around workforce development. Dr. Higdon, Vice Chairman of the CoxHealth Board and a key advocate of the program, points out that Fast Track represents the way forward in education.

“The future of work and education in America is changing. The old model of going to school, paying your way and then going to work is ending,” Dr. Higdon says. The new model is to ‘earn while you learn’ – get hired, get trained, all while you are working and getting paid.

“Fortunately, our area is ahead of the curve. At OTC, we have quadrupled the number of nursing graduates and Cox College has greatly expanded its nursing slots. We have figured out the model, it is just a matter of how you scale it.”

Dr. Higdon says the vast majority of people taking advantage of Fast Track statewide have done so to pursue health care careers. Most health sciences programs qualify for Fast Track, and the RN and med-surg tech programs are particularly popular at OTC.

Our region is blessed with both outstanding health care organizations and world-class educational institutions.

“The collaborative spirit of southwest Missouri manifests itself with these partnerships,” Dr. Higdon says. “You can progress in your career while working at the hospital, from an RN, to BSN to a master’s degree. If you work at CoxHealth, you think that’s normal, but CoxHealth is ahead of the curve.”

That spirit is part of what makes our area unique, and it is the key to driving us toward a better future.

“There is an interconnectivity between our health system and the area,” Dr. Higdon says. “We grow and prosper alongside our neighbors. There is a real sense of responsibility for the community that you only get in a community-based hospital.”

Programs like Fast Track are essential. We have to find ways to help people grow their skills and find opportunities to thrive, and these grants are a great tool to do that.

As an employer, CoxHealth strives to deliver career paths for our colleagues – paths that help us recruit and retain talent, and that help people build careers and lives they can be proud of.

I am grateful for our unique position to accomplish this, with resources like Cox College and our Center for Professional Development. All of our education partners are essential for this mission, including Dr. Higdon who has worked so closely with us on partnerships, such as OTC’s Medical Assistant and EMT programs. Our continued collaborations with OTC, colleges and universities, and even local high schools are all key to our growth.

We are just at the beginning of what these relationships can do for us and for our colleagues, and I’m looking forward to sharing more exciting news on expanded educational partnerships in the weeks to come.

Community Hospital Group leadership announcement

Yesterday, we announced that Lori Cantrell has accepted the position of Vice President of Finance for our Community Hospital Group. The role will focus on leadership finance duties across our Branson, Monett, and Barton County hospitals, along with system-wide finance projects and activities.

Lori has served as our System Director of Internal Audit for several years, and she brings a uniquely comprehensive perspective to her new role. Her experience positions her well to be an essential part of the system finance leadership team. As always, I am proud to see us promote from within, and I am excited to see Lori thrive in her new role!

Return of Trunk or Treat

Planning is now underway for the return of CoxHealth’s Trunk or Treat Halloween event in Springfield and Branson. For the first time since the pandemic began, Springfield will be hold a Trunk or Treat in the Wheeler parking garage at Cox South and Branson will host their event in the ortho/neuro building parking lot at 121 Cahill Road.

Both candy-filled events will be held on Oct. 31. So, put your dentist on speed dial, and we’ll share more details as we get closer to the day.

A special ‘thank you’ from the Springfield Cardinals

To honor our health care heroes, the Springfield Cardinals are offering our colleagues a special deal on tickets. We want to thank the Cardinals for thinking of our teams and giving us the chance to catch the season’s last few pitches at Hammons Field. We are excited that our employees and their families have the opportunity to celebrate our community. I hope to see you all at these last few games. Go Cards!

‘All Things Wheels’ car show

It’s time for the CoxHealth Auxiliary to host the annual car show on Sept. 24 at Ferrell-Duncan Clinic. Classic car, bike and truck enthusiasts are invited to join us. If you have a classic vehicle to show off (I just traded in my ’04 Toyota Sequoia – an obvious classic – so I am out of the running), you can see how to participate here.

Registrations help raise money for patients who require atrial fibrillation care. The event is free to attend and will include raffles, food vendors, trophies and more for the whole family.

Voice of the patient

Adapted from inpatient feedback from Cox Branson: “We really appreciated the care from the staff, nurses and doctors. They took such great care of my husband and we recommend this hospital to anyone.”

Thank you for all you do,

Max