In this week's HR headlines, Kathleen Sebelius faces members of Congress, a federal jobs report projects healthy growth in the healthcare sector for years to come, and a wellness program posts impressive stats.
Kathleen Sebelius |
We've all had bad days at work every now and then, but few of us can say we've had one as rough as Kathleen Sebelius last Wednesday.
That was the day the Secretary of Health and Human Services faced a panel of lawmakers demanding answers about the rocky rollout of healthcare.gov. It was an unenviable position to be in, but Sebelius took command in the opening moments by putting the responsibility for what she called the "debacle" on her own shoulders.
"You deserve better," Sebelius said in her opening remarks before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "I apologize. I'm accountable to you for fixing these problems." Her willingness to take responsibility, however, didn't make the grilling [VIDEO] that was to come any easier to endure.
Nearing the end of the three-plus hour hearing, Sebelius's irritation was evident in an exchange with Rep. Greg Harper (R-MS) and in a remark to an aide, which was caught on a hot mic.
So should the secretary stay or should she go? Even before her appearance on Capitol Hill, calls for Sebelius's ouster were ringing throughout Washington. But the White House is not likely to ask for a resignation, at least not soon. For one thing, replacing Sebelius would require recruiting and vetting a replacement and then getting the nominee though a Senate confirmation.
Still, you have to wonder what morale is like these days at HHS and CMS, where workers are toiling in the shadows of a high-profile failed launch, an embattled leader, and the prospect of another government shutdown in January.
Healthcare Jobs Aplenty
Morale in the private sector varies, of course, from organization to organization. But healthcare workers can take comfort in knowing that the industry will continue to add jobs, at least through 2020, according to government data.
It's been almost a year since the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its employment outlook for 2010 to 2020 [PDF]. The bureau's economists concluded then that "The healthcare and social assistance sector and the professional and business services sector will account for almost half the projected job growth from 2010 to 2020."
Hot healthcare jobs unsurprisingly include nurses, medical billers, and medical coders. But some of the hottest jobs in healthcare are in the executive suites of hospitals and health systems, according to Nashville-based recruiting firm DHR International. They are
- Chief medical officer
- VP of patient experience
- Informatics officer
Recruiters at Merritt Hawkins say the role of "chief experience officer," which didn't exist until 2007, is now "one of the best paid, most common, and popular executive positions." Chief strategy officers, too, are now being sought by healthcare organizations.
Wellness Pulls Into Town
Much has been written about wellness programs as a vehicle for lowering employer healthcare costs, but we're still learning how well they actually work. But if a Wisconsin trucking company's results are any indication, a committed workforce and a good plan are success keys.
Truckers share a couple of unhealthy traits with healthcare workers. Both professions are fraught with unpredictable schedules and both types of workers have limited access to healthful food (truck stops and hospital cafeterias).
Now truckers are getting help with getting healthy with a push from the Truckload Carriers Association, a 73-year-old member-driven organization, which promotes weight loss and lifestyle changes for its members through health fairs and weight loss competitions.
Through its association with TCA, Superior, WI-based Halvor Lines committed to bettering the health of its 380 workers by:
- Engaging with a weight-loss program from Lindora Clinic
- Participating in a blood pressure study with the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy
- Elevating a health and wellness director from part-time in January to full-time status last month
Over a 10-week period, the 12-person Halvor Lines team lost 380 pounds combined, a 13.2% drop in the team's combined weight. This won them the TCA's third Trucking's Weight Loss Showdown.
The workplace challenges facing truckers and healthcare workers are similar enough that hospital employees can reasonably view truckers as inspirational figures on a journey toward wellness.