Staff, residents and families at St. Vincent’s: Brock Fahrni came together on November 15 to share their visions for the future of Providence Health Care.
The recent Town Hall meeting at the west side home that includes many residents who are armed forces veterans, was part of a series of facilitated engagement sessions across PHC where employees, patients, residents, family members, clinicians, researchers and volunteers are invited to weigh in on the creation of a new 7-year strategic plan (2019-2026) for the organization.
At Brock Fahrni, approximately 55 people gathered to share their ideas. Three major themes dominated the session: What makes PHC unique and irreplaceable? How do we sustain and grow our world-class reputation? And how can we make PHC the best place where the best people want to work?
Here are some of the things we heard from our people:
1) What makes PHC unique and irreplaceable?
- The whole reason we are here is to make people feel loved, safe and cared for. To make it a home.
- Working here is a genuine love and not a vocation.
- We are family here. I don’t need to say anything and my colleagues just know what I’m thinking.
- As a new employee, I noticed that there is a tangible sense of love and spirit that permeates through this place.
- Learning more ways to take care of and support the elderly based on global evidence and best practices.
- Continue to focus on creating more of a home feeling vs a clinical feeling by expanding art, music and other therapeutic programs for residents.
- More staff resources so current staff can focus on research and education in addition to caring for our residents.
- Build on our legacy and reputation of changing the world in terms of HIV research and treatment. Thanks to PHC, these same people with HIV are now growing old and we must provide world class care to them and other aging vulnerable populations.
- We need a higher ratio of care aides to residents. The care aids work so hard and if they had more support they would have more personal, one-on-one time with residents. Less task-oriented and more patient-oriented time.
- Acknowledge people that go that extra mile by saying thank you more. An extra vacation day or day off would also make a big difference.
- Don’t be blame oriented, be performance oriented. Acknowledge that mistakes happen, they aren’t intentional and more learning and training is needed. No judgement.
- Rotating unit massage therapist to give staff 5-minute neck rubs.
Thanks to everyone who attended for sharing your valuable thoughts and opinions — here’s to planning Providence 2026, together!
Make your voice heard at one of these upcoming Town Hall or Open Forum events.
