Fortune Magazine recently announced the winners of the best healthcare companies to work for in the U.S.
While making the list is an achievement in itself, placing in the top 10 is even better because it highlights a huge accomplishment for employers.
While some healthcare organizations conduct internal surveys to connect with staff to assess their level of engagement and job satisfaction, making the Fortune list involves an external survey.
A new healthcare list is created annually by Fortune with one of their partners, Great Place to Work.
The best healthcare companies to work for rankings are based on the survey they administer. The results are gleaned from the responses of employees within each organization.
We spoke with representatives from three companies ranked in the top 10 of Fortune’s best healthcare companies to work for list published in April 2019 about what it means for their recruiting and branding efforts.
No. 5 — Aledade
Aledade partners with independent practices, health centers and clinics to build and lead Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) anchored in primary care, said Stephanie Rogers, senior practice transformation specialist with the Bethesda, Md.-based company.
“Through these ACOs, Aledade empowers physicians to stay independent, practice medicine and thrive financially by keeping people healthy,” she said. “Aledade’s ACOs deliver care through value-based contracts with Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and commercial health plans.”
Ranked No. 5 on the best healthcare companies to work for list, Aledade also has been recognized by the Washington Post as a Top Workplace.
“While we’re proud of that accomplishment, Aledade has 250 employees who live in nearly 40 states and we wanted to capture that our team is truly national, not just based in the D.C. area. Fortune is widely known and gave all Aledaders an opportunity to voice what it’s like to work at Aledade,” said Jessica Gladden, vice president of people strategy and operations for the company.
Gladden said making the top 10 is due to Aledade instituting a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening the company’s culture and values, such as service, owning it and inclusion.
The types of initiatives the company has implemented, according to Gladden, include:
- All-staff retreats that bring together employees from 31 states.
- Quarterly CEO reprises of board presentations.
- Weekly all-staff meetings where individuals are recognized for doing outstanding work.
- Bi-annual employee engagement surveys.
- An employee-led diversity and inclusion committee.
An award-winning work environment and the presence of dedicated employees who are passionate about Aledade’s mission of serving patients and maintaining a great work culture has been an attractive feature that has drawn many employees to Aledade, Gladden said.
“We are proud to be on this list among so many other great companies,” she said.
No. 9 — Jackson Healthcare
Based in Alpharetta, Ga., Jackson Healthcare is the third-largest U.S. healthcare staffing firm by revenue and a family of highly specialized healthcare staffing, search and technology companies, said Shane Jackson, the company’s president.
“Our mission is to improve the delivery of patient care and the lives of everyone we touch,” he said.
Ranked No. 9 on the Fortune list, Jackson Healthcare has now made the best healthcare companies to work for list for the second year in a row, Jackson said.
“We also received Great Place to Work Certification in 2017 and made the Best Workplaces for Millennials list in 2018, the first year we were eligible,” he said.
Jackson attributes a strong, unique and purposeful culture at Jackson Healthcare as one of the reasons the company threw its hat in the ring.
“Our associates work hard every day to fulfill our mission,” he said. “We’ve experienced extraordinary growth and significantly expanded our corporate campus to include a state-of-the-art associate amenity building, the addition of on-site day care, and we are committed to giving back to our community with our Love Lifts Village and Love Lifts community impact program. We felt that the time was right to compete for a national award.”
The expansion to the Jackson Healthcare’s campus illustrates the environment created for the benefit of their employees.
“The amenities building also includes a state-of-the-art fitness and wellness center, an indoor pool, fitness classes, massage and chiropractic services — with more amenities in the works for this building and for the planned renovation of existing buildings on the campus,” Jackson said. “We’re proud that Fortune has twice named us a Best Workplace and recognizes what we experience daily — that Jackson Healthcare is a very special place to work.”
No. 10 — Cottage Health
Headquartered in Santa Barbara, Calif., Cottage Health ranked No. 10 on the Fortune list.
“The biggest reason is our culture — it’s one that involves our staff living out our values of compassion and integrity with our patients, and includes the practice of shared governance for our teams,” said Herb Geary, chief nursing officer at Cottage Health.
Given that Cottage is the sole hospital in Santa Barbara, some staff may care for a patient, then see the patient at the grocery store the following week, Geary said.
“We have a small-town feel, which is unique for the West Coast,” he said. “In addition to our excellent staff, the warm environment is also physical. We have artwork by local artists on display and offer organic, locally grown vegetables and grass-fed beef on our menus. Patients say they feel like they’re in a hotel rather than a hospital due to our amenities and great staff.”
Cottage is also involved in community-based outreach services and works locally with partners to help the homeless and behavioral health patients in the community, according to Geary.
“It’s wonderful being recognized nationally by Fortune and validates for us and the public the excellent work done here at Cottage and our dedication to our patients,” said Cara Williams, vice president of human resources. “We have a low turnover rate, which illustrates the satisfaction and pride our staff takes in their work.”
Making the Fortune top 10 best healthcare companies to work for list has been an additional asset with regards to recruiting efforts, according to Williams.
“We let all of our applicants know that Cottage Health has been recognized as a great place to work, and earning this award definitely attracts people to apply for our job openings,” she said. “It’s free advertising. Great people want to work for a great company, so it’s a win-win.”
The full list of this year’s top 10 best healthcare companies to work for include:
- Texas Health Resources (Arlington, Texas)
- Encompass Health — Homecare and Hospice (Dallas)
- Livongo Health (Mountain View, Calif.)
- Caring Nurses (Las Vegas)
- Aledade (Bethesda, Md.)
- Southern Ohio Medical Center (Portsmouth)
- BayCare Health System (Clearwater, Fla.)
- Baptist Health South Florida (Coral Gables)
- Jackson Healthcare (Alpharetta, Ga.)
- Cottage Health (Santa Barbara, Calif.)