Creating shared values for a stronger future
In 2017, it was announced that HealthSouth and its subsidiary, Encompass Home Health and Hospice, would undergo a rebrand, combining both business legacy segments into Encompass Health.
To unify the segments in more than name and unite all employees in Encompass Health’s promise to deliver connected care and superior outcomes, a shared set of values was created—The Encompass Health Way.
To ensure the guiding principles truly reflected the culture of the Company and its commitment to serving patients, Encompass Health looked to its foundation—its people—to create the values. Here’s how it happened.
- To allow employees to share what makes them proud to work for the Company, post cards were mailed to 200 hospitals and home health and hospice locations. More than 1,000 submissions were received.
- More than 11,100 employees participated in a values dialogue through an online tool to facilitate conversation around these stories and the themes that should drive the Encompass Health brand.
- Fifty employees took part in in-person focus groups.
- Five core values emerged, creating The Encompass Health Way.
“Our values truly reflect our new brand and name,” Encompass Health President and CEO Mark Tarr said of the values. “More importantly, they highlight what goes on in our hospitals and home health and hospice locations daily because they were in fact created for employees, by employees.”
Our values in action
Embedding the values into the culture of Encompass Health has been seamless, connecting employees in both business segments as they have learned they are far more alike than different.
One look inside an inpatient rehabilitation hospital or home health and hospice location will show that The Encompass Health Way lives within all Encompass Health employees and is present in our day-to-day actions, be it going above and beyond to coordinate a patient’s transition or serving food with a smile.
Set the standard
Encompass Health clinicians committed to going above and beyond, never settling for anything less than excellence. They pride themselves on being industry leaders and challenge each other to continuously improve.
At the core of the Encompass Health brand lies the promise to provide connected care to patients across the post-acute continuum. Through the TeamWorks Clinical Collaboration initiative, both segments of the Company are working to improve a patient’s transition after discharge.
“From the time the patient rolls into the hospital to the time they discharge to the home, they really feel they’ve been part of the same organization,” said Kristi Wimberly, director of care transitions. “They get that whole continuum of care and feel that their entire experience has been with one company.”
Lead with empathy
At Encompass Health, employees start with empathy, taking the time to understand the physical, mental and emotional needs of each other and those we support. They listen, make deep connections and engage on a personal level to better serve others.
As a hospice nurse based in Utah, Jared Moore relies on empathy to forge lasting connections with families and patients walking through the most difficult journey they have ever faced. Each patient and their families have their own unique needs, Jared said, and by empathizing with those needs, he hopes to make a difficult time just a little bit easier.
“Some of the things we don’t think about the hardest, like losing the ability to get up and get a drink of water, or to go out and have fun like they used to,” he said. “I try to have fun with them and remind them, for those that have beliefs or faith, there will be a day. That’s helpful for them.”
Do what’s right
Encompass Health employees do the right thing the right way, no matter how difficult, even when no one is looking. They are not afraid to have hard conversations. If they make a mistake, they acknowledge it, proactively find a resolution and make it right going forward.
Taking ownership for your actions means more than admitting your mistakes,” said inpatient rehabilitation employee Lisbeth Kellam. “It means that you accept the responsibility for the role that you plan in improving a patient’s life, it means that you do not accept mediocrity and that you hold yourself and others accountable for a high standard of behavior and integrity.”
Focus on the positive
Encompass Health employees have a positive spirit and find the light even in the most difficult situations. They bring their whole self to work. They celebrate successes and inspire others to create meaningful impact.
Katrina Hill is eager to interact with patients at the Florence, South Carolina hospital. Wearing her signature style—flowers in her hair with outfit and accessories to match—she offers words of encouragement, and, of course, her bright smile.
Though Katrina is not a clinician, she feels it is part of her job to help lift the spirits of patients, especially those who are struggling. Her co-workers said that’s the way she’s always been, but Katrina, a nutrition services aide, said she’s more compelled than ever to help patients after suffering her own health issues last year. At the age of 30, Katrina had a stroke.
“Even before this happened, I had compassion for our patients, but now, even more,” she said. “If I have time, I’ll go in their room and tell them my story. Everybody is different, and everybody’s pain and tolerance is different, but I tell them, ‘Don’t give up; just keep going. It’s not going to be peachy keen, but don’t give up. Just take it one day at a time.”
Stronger together
Encompass Health believes individual strengths make employees stronger together. Clinicians take accountability for their actions, connect across all teams and lean in to get it done, at all levels of the Company.
When it was time for Betty Daniels’ husband, Wilbert, to discharge from an inpatient rehabilitation hospital, she was adamant that her local hospital establish an outpatient therapy department to further the strides her husband made.
“She was very reluctant,” said Rhonda Peters, the care transition coordinator at the hospital. “She said her husband had never progressed like this before. She saw truly what good therapy could do for him, and she’d had home health in the past, and it did nothing for him. I didn’t want to set her up for disappointment. Home health is much different, but it’s a great place to start and build on his progress.”
After bringing in some therapists from Encompass Health Home Health, as well as learning a therapist at the hospital also worked for the home health segment, Betty finally agreed to home health.
After watching Wilbert continue to progress on home health, Betty can’t say enough about the impact of Encompass Health on her husband, and the power of a company that works together across all levels to better the lives of patients.
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