Thursday, July 11, 2013

How Hospital Week Can Solve Event Issues


The year holds many appreciation events for different staff members of a hospital. From National Nurses Week and Volunteer Week to Housekeeping Week and Doctors Day, it seems as though every week could be a celebration for a different department. Observing these events can become a logistic nightmare and a strain on the budget. Good intentions can quickly become offensive halfway through the year if funds for these kind of events run out. Additionally, these events can take away attention from awareness and education initiatives that the hospital wants to support. By covering the staff in one appreciation event, National Hospital Week, administrators can free up time and budget for other topics.

Team Building - Observing National Hospital Week gives administrators the chance to show appreciation to the entire hospital staff at the same time. While it may not be logistically possible to assemble the entire group into one place at one time, the healthcare facility can plan a weeklong series of events, giving individual departments their chance to be the focus. Even though the groups will be celebrating separately, the facility will be decorated and supportive of the staff. The employees can derive a feeling of team belonging, knowing that they are being recognized for their contributions to the hospital. Also, by including the entire hospital staff, organizers can be sure that no department is left out.

Cost Savings - Decorating is a big part of recognition events. Banners, balloons and announcements can add up when they have to be purchased for each appreciation week. And if the organizers imprint the date on the decorations, they render them disposable, necessitating re-purchase each year. By unifying the staff recognition into a Hospital Week celebration, the budget that would normally be allocated to many different events can be combined, allowing for high volume pricing on gift items, as well as a single decoration investment.

Health & Wellness Focus - The goal of a hospital is to care for the sick, heal the injured and improve the health of the community. By holding a Hospital Week rather than a series of smaller staff appreciation events throughout the year, hospital administrators can focus event planning on initiatives such as awareness fundraisers, blood and donor drives and wellness education. Making use of prime spring and fall months, hospitals can hold health fairs, walks & runs and free education sessions in place of the individual appreciation events. Budget freed up from consolidating into Hospital Week will go a long way towards supporting the planning.

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