Straight TalkTony Bohn, system vice president and chief human resources officerPulse surveyEvery day, all of us at NortonHealthcare have the chance to makea positive difference. We can setthe standard for quality and caringin our community and live out ourorganization’s values.Soon, we’ll have another important opportunity tohelp our organization, our co-workers, our patients andtheir families.This October, we will invite you to participate inour annual employee engagement survey. We trulyvalue your input. It helps improve our culture andenables Norton Healthcare to become more efficient andeffective.Through past surveys you’ve told us that you seekout ways to improve and accept personal accountabilityfor ensuring positive patient outcomes andorganizational results. You’ve expressed how confidentyou are in our senior leadership and whether you havestrong relationships with your managers.In fact, in last year’s employee engagement “pulse”survey, we asked whether you trust your leader. Of the7,500 of you who responded, 77 percent answered “yes,”which is in the 90th percentile for our survey vendor.Because so many of you responded, we had a solidbasis for creating an effective action plan to improvetrust. We’ve focused on encouraging our leaders todemonstrate their caring for you in ways such asrecognizing you for great work and discussing careergrowth with you, just as they display integrity andcompetence.Your participation in the survey matters! So plan nowto share your thoughts and ideas in the 2015 employeeengagement survey. Your input will help us improve ouremployee and patient experiences and continue to makeNorton Healthcare the health care provider of choice inour region.Pediatric unit blooms with kids’ artworkInspired by a series of stunning photographs of local parks and neighborhoods, studentsfrom Greathouse/Shryock Traditional Elementary School, located on Browns Lane inLouisville, created their own original artwork for Norton Women’s and Kosair Children’sHospital. Kids from Kosair Children’s Hospital also took part in the project.With one-on-one coaching, the children used iPads to create drawings of nature,animals and places in our community that were printed on oversized, medium-densityfiberboard. Fifty of the colorful images have been hung in children’s rooms, play areas andpublic spaces in the hospital, with more to follow. Noted local artists Lloyd Kelly andLynn Dunbar, members of the St. Matthews Art Committee, were instrumental in leadingthis venture.“This was a winning project that exceeded our expectations on so many levels,”said Lynnie Meyer, Ed.D., R.N., CFRE, system vice president, Women’s and Children’sCommunity Partnerships, and chief development officer, Norton Healthcare.As part of a broader initiative, the project reflected tremendous community involvementand provided unique and exceptional artwork on a modest budget. It also was anengaging opportunity for students to sharpen their technology and creative skills.The children’s work has sparked positive feedback from patients, visitors and staff.“It is so much fun as part of our transition to see how the children’s imagesconnect with people as they brighten and distinguish our new pediatric serviceareas,” said Charlotte Ipsan, RNC, MSN, NNP-BC, chief administrativeofficer, Norton Women’s and Kosair Children’s Hospital.–Menisa Marshall6 CONNECT • July/August 2015
Q&AAdventures behind the white coatStephen P. Wright, M.D., has been a pillar forKosair Children’s Hospital and this community fordecades. He served as medical director of the hospitalfor 19 years before retiring in June.Most know Dr. Wright in his “white coat” role.He is a staunch advocate for children, fighting toeliminate child abuse, and he has made countless lastingimpressions as a mentor to medical school students. Tomost, becoming a successful pediatrician would be alifetime achievement, but for Dr. Wright there is muchmore behind the white coat.Behind his humble, caring and charismatic demeanor,Dr. Wright is daring and adventurous. Some might beshocked to know he originally aspired to be a mortician,and only after completing two years of college andprompting from a professor did he continue and go intomedicine. Along the way he changed his focus fromadult cardiology to pediatrics, married his middle schoolsweetheart (whom he met in eighth grade at a basketballgame) and obtained his private pilot’s license — allbefore he graduated from medical school.He and his wife, Diane, welcomed the first of theirtwo daughters just two weeks after he graduated frommedical school. He started in a private pediatrics practicethe day after graduation 40 years ago and never stoppedrunning.His myriad adventures after medical school haveincluded 13 years of service in the Navy Reserve,commander of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s reserveunit, commendation from the Secret Service, certificationas an expert marksman, competitive fishing and playingsaxophone in a jazz band. His favorite adventure of all?“Being a husband and dad,” he said. “Hands-downmy best adventure.”Dr. Wright’s life has proven that his decision to retirefrom Kosair Children’s Hospital is just the end of oneadventure and the beginning of the next.“I am planning to spend more time with my wife,daughters and grandchildren and some of my hobbies,”he said. “I’m looking forward to playing more of thesaxophone, and I do have a couple of ‘adventures’ in theworks that I am considering.”For all those who have had the pleasure of soakingup Dr. Wright’s great energy, we are better off for thetime we spent with this special man.–Lauren DavisStephen P. Wright, M.D., with his wife, DianePhoto by Dean LavensonCONNECT • July/August 2015 7
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