Bayhealth Employees Have 64,858 Years of Experience

As part of Employee Week, Bayhealth Medical Center is honoring its employees who, collectively, have more than 64,000 years of health care experience!

As of May 12, 2010, Bayhealth had exactly 2,825 employees who collectively have 64,858 years of health care experience at Bayhealth Medical Center (Full-time employees have each served an average of 9.5 years at Bayhealth).  During the Employee Service Awards this week, Bayhealth saluted 324 full-time employees who have served collectively for 4,040 years!

"When it comes to something as important as your health care, you probably want a health care provider with experience.  And, nobody is more experienced than Bayhealth," said Bayhealth Vice President of Human Resources Jon McDowell.   "We create a culture of respect, provide an environment where employees may reach their full potential, and support them with the tools they need to succeed.  That's why people spend their entire career at Bayhealth."

Nearly one-third of Bayhealth employees have served at the hospital for more than a decade.   Out of 2,825 total employees, 924 have more than 10 years of service (32.7%), while 406 employees have served more than 20 years (14.37%), 100 employees have served more than 30 years, 16 employees have served more than 40 years, while one employee (Milford Memorial Hospital PACU Nurse Helen Maloney) has served an astonishing 50 years!!!

"This is a great place to work, and I love being part of this family," said Bayhealth Patient Services Manager Anne Burke, who began her Bayhealth career on September 19, 1974 as a dietary aide who assembled trays of food for patients. 

"I do feel like I'm part of a family.  My son literally grew up here.  I took him to the hospital Easter Egg Hunt when he was a little boy and now he's grown up to be a nurse here in the Emergency Department," said Bayhealth Labor & Delivery Nurse Manager Sue Haddad, RN, MSN, who began working at Bayhealth in 1979.  "It's a great privilege being here."

"I've developed a lot of great relationships with my community and with my team.  I feel a commitment to staying here," said Bayhealth Infection Control Manager Kelly Gardner, RN, CIC, who began her Bayhealth nursing career on June 14, 1984.  Gardner notes that her 25 years of service is LESS than all of the other members of her department.  She has no plans of retiring.

"If I hit the lottery tomorrow, I would still be here in some capacity because I still want to make a difference," Gardner said.

Bayhealth Medical Center's mission is to improve the health status of all members of the Bayhealth community.  Central and Southern Delaware's largest healthcare system, Bayhealth is comprised of Kent General and Milford Memorial Hospitals, Middletown Medical Center and numerous satellite facilities.  Bayhealth was ranked Best in Delaware for Cardiac Surgery by HealthGrades 2009 and was recognized by J.D. Power and Associates for the third year for providing an "Outstanding Inpatient Experience."  Bayhealth is a technologically advanced not-for-profit healthcare system employing over 2,900 with a medical staff of 458 physicians.  Bayhealth is a member of the Penn Cancer Network and is an affiliate of Penn Cardiac Care.  In the 2009 fiscal year, Bayhealth recorded 75,916 emergency department visits, 17,168 patients admitted to beds and 2,211 births.  Last year, as part of its mission, Bayhealth provided more than $33.6 million in unreimbursed care to patients.