Hospital employees are eager to expand a “friendship fund” whose reach could extend into the community, Brad Van Riette told hospital trustees Tuesday night. IN OTHER news, a new family physician, Brian Neely, will join the hospital staff working with Dr. Wes Stone out of the office at 401 S. Washington. Neely is expected to start practice around the end of July.
As a member of the employee advisory group, Van Riette asked Allen County Regional Hospital trustees for their blessing to pursue the idea.
Hospital employees would participate on a volunteer basis to dedicate a set amount of their paychecks into the fund.
“If 80 employees donated $5 per pay period, we could raise more than $10,000 a year,” Van Riette, a respiratory therapist, said. The hospital has about 150 employees.
Ideas for the funds include helping out not only fellow employees but also community members at times of need; scholarships for those pursuing studies in health care; donating to non-profit organizations in the area, or even making improvements to the hospital.
“Helping others in their time of need is a huge positive,” Van Riette said, adding that employees had expressed an interest in becoming “a greater part of the community.”
“We are now Allen County Regional Hospital, and we need to make sure this hospital succeeds, or our taxes will go up,” Van Riette said, noting the hospital is now the responsibility of the county since its divestiture from Hospital Corporation of America a few years back.
The idea helps give a current fund more structure. Employees’ “friendship fund” currently has about $700, Van Riette said, and is used when fellow employees experience time of need. Employees give to the fund on an at-will basis.
Automatically deducting from one’s payroll will make giving easier and more consistent, Van Riette said.
Trustees lauded the effort and pledged their support.
Also, the hospital’s Senior Life Solutions program is on track to open in early June, said Ron Baker, ACHR chief executive officer.
The program helps seniors with mental health issues.
A shortage of nurses has caused the hospital to turn away patients four times in the last month, Baker said.
“We have several RN positions we are trying to fill,” he said.
In these particular instances the emergency waiting room was full when crews with EMS, emergency medical services, also had patients to be seen.
With not enough hands on deck at ACHR, EMS crews were diverted to other hospitals, Baker said.
“It doesn’t happen very often, but it’s a concern,” he said.
The hospital’s ER will always accept “walk-ins,” he said.
Employees consider outreach
