Hospital Wins 5th Workplace Excellence Award and Three More

Posted by MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital

 For the fifth consecutive year, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital received the 2013 Workplace Excellence, the Health & Wellness Trailblazer and the EcoLeadership awards through the Alliance for Workplace Excellence (AWE). New this year, the hospital also received the inaugural 2013 Diversity Champion Award. AWE is a non-profit organization that focuses on making companies in the greater Washington, D.C. area excellent places to work.

Given to companies based on programs in communication, diversity, employee growth and more; the first award, the Workplace Excellence Award, recognizes the hospital for, among other things, holding quarterly meetings so hospital associates can ask questions of hospital President Christine R. Wray. Wray also leads department huddles to discuss time-sensitive information with the hospital’s leadership. MedStar St. Mary’s was one of 63 businesses that received the Workplace Excellence Award in the region.

The second award, the Health & Wellness Trailblazer Award, salutes employers who offer programs for employee health and wellness. MedStar St. Mary’s offers Occupational Health services with a nurse practitioner or registered nurse available to see associates; free smoking/tobacco cessation medication for associates and family members; and a Wellness Committee that focuses on developing programs for employees, among a list of other benefits. The hospital was one of 35 companies that received the Health & Wellness Trailblazer Award.

The  EcoLeadership Award, acknowledges the hospital’s commitment to an environmentally sustainable workplace. The hospital, under the guidance of the Green Team, operates a large-scale recycling program; uses eco-friendly cleaning products, biodegradable cups and containers in the cafeteria that turn back into dirt in 45 days; and changed over to lower wattage, energy-efficient light bulbs. The hospital was one of 30 companies that received the EcoLeadership Award.

The Diversity Champion Award, recognizes employers who are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce and work environment. With guidance of its Diversity Committee, the hospital offers education on cultural topics; hosts Diversity Fairs to celebrate associates and their cultural differences; and offers a language translation line for non-English speaking patients, among other programs. The hospital was one of 18 companies that received the Diversity Champion Award.

Hospital representatives officially received the awards at the Alliance for Workplace Excellence’s Annual Awards Luncheon in Bethesda, Md., on May 15, 2013.