Volume 2
Issue 1
March 15, 2008
NOVEMBER
COMPETITION
WINNER
Congratulations to Golda
Baguio, winner of a $25
gift certificate!! The correct
answer was:
“Betty de Felice is the new
Travel Nurse Manager”
NEW GUARDIAN
LOGO UNVEILED
Guardian Healthcare is
proud to unveil its new logo in
this issue of the newsletter.
The new logo is highlighted with
the color blue, the lettter “I” and
our brand symbol of the “hug”.
The hugging man reaching out
to hold the “i” symbolizes our
values of compassion, support,
comfort and quality care.
“We wanted to reflect our
mission statement in the artwork for the logo,” said Renae
McGregor, C.O.O. “We strive
to ‘provide the highest level of
care to those individuals and
healthcare organizations we
serve through our valued team of
professionals - all of whom are
dedicated to the highest standards of quality and integrity in
healthcare delivery.’ “
The Guardian Herald
A publication by Guardian Healthcare Providers, Inc.
A division of The Guardian Group, Inc.
Connected Through Guardian Healthcare
“We cannot live only for ourselves. A
thousand fibers connect us with our
fellow men; and among those fibers, as
sympathetic threads, our actions run
as causes, and they come back to us as
effects.”
-- Herman Melville
As we wrap-up 2007 and tie the proverbial
ribbon around it, it strikes me, once again,
that Guardian Healthcare Providers has accomplished another successful year.
GHP has grown by over 32% in 2007 and
now has over 400 employees, serving over
30 client contracts, in 8 states. Guardian
Community Living grew by 80% and has
over 600 employees. We have great
expectations of continued growth in 2008
and beyond.
I have met very few of you, yet we are all
connected in some way through GHP. To
some of you, this connection may seem to
be merely a job, an employer, an experience builder, a career move, a contract site,
a community, an agreement, immigration,
money, retirement, a transfer, professional
development, and although it may be all of
those things, I choose to consider it a cause,
in which, we serve others in our respective
professions.
We are a relatively large group of diverse
individuals connected in some way, through
GHP. Why not consider it a cause, to
provide the best quality service that we
are each capable, and collectively we will
achieve continued success.
Don Ireland, Chief Financial Officer
and VP of Operations
Our ongoing success and growth will position us to continue to enhance pay and benefits
programs, and continue to provide stable and
accommodating work environments and
opportunities.
Some of us come from worlds apart, but we are
together now building a top quality company.
Although we may never be physically together,
we are connected, and I appreciate what each of
you accomplishes for GHP. What you do each
day, as a part of GHP, is a cause, and will come
back to you and us as an effect. I challenge you
to make that effect great.
Through our collective and diverse talents, and
with compassion, we will continue to achieve
success in serving others. Congratulations to all
of you for the success of GHP and thank you.
The Guardian Herald
Page 2
Continuing Education Column
Each quarter Alice Johnson-Davis, Guardian’s Director of
Education, focuses on an educational topic. This edition talks
about:
Hand washing vs
Hand Hygiene
Is there a difference?
The latest buzzwords – hand hygiene – are not just a twist on an
old concept. There really is a difference between hand hygiene
and hand washing. Hand washing refers to washing hands with
plain (nonantimicrobial) soap and water. Hand Hygiene is a
more inclusive term that refers to either traditional hand washing
as well as the use of an antiseptic handwash such as alcohol,
chlorhexidine, iodine, an alcohol-based antiseptic hand rub, or
surgical hand antisepsis used prior to a surgical procedure.
Vol 2, Issue 1, March 15, 2008
Staff Satisfaction Survey Big increase in responses
Many, many thanks to all of you who took the time
to complete our ‘07 Employee Satisfaction Survey.
It was very encouraging to see a 50% increase in
responses.. We appreciate hearing from you and
receiving your feedback, both positive ..... and constructively critical. We will continue to use the survey
results to guide us in our employer decisions for 2008
and beyond.
Your response will make a difference.
Renae McGregor, C.O.O.
With the current prevalence of invasive methicillin-resistant
Staph aureas (MRSA) infections which are transmitted via direct
person-to-person contact, hand hygiene is needed to prevent the
development of MRSA infections.
Highlights from Performance
Improvement
Center for Disease Control Guidelines for effective hand
hygiene are:
Guardian Healthcare Providers is committed to
continuously improving the way we interact with our
staff and do business with our clients. We have a
policy of striving for utmost integrity in our dealing with you, the staff, our most valuable asset. To
ensure as much transparency as possible, we have
undertaken to publish our policies online, and these
policies are available to all staff simply by going to
our website at www.guardianhealthcare.com and
clicking on Guardian Healthcare, Employees and
Policies. These, and policies yet to be written, are
constantly evolving and are being updated as they are
approved.
When washing with soap and water • wet hands with warm
water, apply soap, rub hands together to make a lather • continue
scrubbing hand surfaces for 20 seconds (sing 2 choruses of
“Happy Birthday”) • rinse hands under running water • Dry with
paper towel or air dryer.
When using an alcohol-based sanitizer • apply gel to palm of
one hand, rub hands together so product reaches all hand and
finger surfaces • continue rubbing until hands are dry • Use hand
rubs before and after each patient contact
Gloving • use of gloves DOES NOT eliminate the need for hand
hygiene
Fingernails • Healthcare staff should avoid wearing artificial
nails • Health care staff who care for patients at high risk of
acquiring infections (ICU or transplant units) should keep
natural nails less than one quarter inch long.
Lina Bell gets a lesson
in the proper use of
paper towels for
hand washing/drying.
Policies Now On-Line
Clinical Orientation Manual to be
distributed in March
The new Clinical Orientation Manual will be
distributed to all clinical staff in March. This manual
contains general material critical to the company
certification by Joint Commission. Please take time
to read the information, and if you have any
questions please ask your Guardian supervisor.
Employee Surveys now in
We were pleased to note a significant increase in the
number of staff who responded to the 2007 Survey.
All responses were dealt with totally confidentially.
The feedback we received is invaluable in planning
for 2008. Thank you!
The Guardian Herald
2008 Benefits Open Enrollment
GREAT NEWS!!! There is no premium
increase this year for medical benefits, and
Guardian will be paying the same amount
toward the cost of the medical plan as last year
or will give you the benefit credit to buy other
benefits if you do not enroll in the medical plan.
That means that there is no increase in what
employees pay for their level of coverage. This
is great news, since, according to consumerhealthratings.com, another 7% rate increase is
expected by most group plans in 2008.
NO INCREASE
IN YOUR MEDICAL
BENEFITS PREMIUM
FOR 2008 ! ! !
There will be a small increase in our dental
benefits but no changes in covered services.
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Tennessee is still our
carrier for our medical, dental and group life
coverage.
We will stay with all of our same insurance
carriers for our other benefits as well. Shortterm and long-term disability will have no rate
changes. Employees who had a salary increase
in 2007 will have a small increase in premiums
due to the increase in their disability benefits.
Also, voluntary life premiums will not change.
This means that if you do not want to make any
changes in your benefits, such as changing from
individual medical insurance to family medical
insurance, adding/dropping coverage, etc. you
will not have to fill out any new paperwork,
with the exception for the Flexible Spending
Accounts (FSA).
As always, if you want to take part in the FSA
plan, you need to fill out new paperwork, even
if you participated in 2007. You still save up
to $3,000 per year for medical FSA and $5,000
for dependent FSA. For those employees who
have not had an FSA before, it is an easy way to
save pre-tax dollars to pay for medical expenses
(such as your insurance deductible or office
visit co-pays) not covered by your medical
plan. The dependent FSA lets you save pre-tax
dollars to pay for day care for children or older
adults who are your dependents.
Page 3
Vol 2, Issue 1, March 15, 2008
Congratulations to the Guardian nurses at Western Mental
Health Institute in Bolivar, TN for such an outstanding job during their
survey by the Joint Commission. You each played an important role in helping the facility renew its accreditation. Guardian Healthcare Providers is very
proud of your efforts. Keep up the good work!
Top left: Dancing Arlington nurses Irene
Olandesca, Bing Demerey, Cora Limbago
and Fatima Agravante. Top right: Laquita
Jones; Bottom right: Rhodora Marquez, an
ADC nurse, singing Karaoke
Holiday Fun in West Tennessee!
The West Tennessee Regional Office held
its annual Holiday Party in December.
Dinner, dancing and karaoke dominated the
evening. Each guest generously brought an
item of clothing to donate to the Metropolitan Interfaith Association, GHP Memphis’s
partner in helping people to have a second
chance at a new begining.
Tidbit: Kudos to Nerissa Ferrell
(right) on her fantastic recruiting skills.
She singlehandedly recruited and placed
a dietitian and Behavioral Analyst at
Cloverbottom in record time!!!
Making the Difference ! ! !
Joyce Bailey, a CNA on the Guardian Louisville team, won the “Em-
ployee of the Month” award from Hazelwood for the month of January
2008. When she was first notified that she had been selected for this
award, her response was “I am only doing what I should be doing!”
Joyce has been a CNA for 13 years and has dedicated her life to helping others. When she is not caring for her clients at Hazelwood, she is
taking care of her family. Joyce has been married for 25 years and has 5
children and 4 grandchildren.
As the recipient of the “employee of the month” award Joyce receives
the following from Hazelwood: her own parking spot at work, her photo
being published on the notice board; a certificate of recognition, and a
special gift at their Annual Employee Recognition Ceremony. Guardian
has also awarded her a gift card to show their appreciation.
Employees like Joyce help set Guardian apart from the rest!
The Guardian Herald
Published by:
Guardian Healthcare
Providers, Inc.
(A member of the
Guardian Group)
Registered Office:
105 West Park Drive
Suite 100
Brentwood, TN 37027
Tel: 615 377 9140
Fax 615 661 6011
www.guardianhealthcare.com
Write to the Editor at
newsletter@guardianhealthcare.com
Page 4
Guardian Matches
401k Contributions
“Guardian realizes that the success
of our company depends upon our
employees” said Joe Owen, CEO
and President of The Guardian
Group. “Based upon the financial
success the company experienced in
2007, we have made a discretionary
company match to the 401k
accounts of our participating
employees.”
If you were actively contributing to
the 401k as of December 31, 2007,
Guardian matched the amount of
your income deferred into your 401k
in 2007.
For every percent that you contributed, Guardian made a 50% match, up
to a maximum of 5% (2.5% company maximum match). The company
match vests over a 6-year schedule,
based on current hire date.
“We have every hope that our
continued success will allow us to
make additional contributions in the
future,” said Mr Owen.
Vol 2, Issue 1, March 15, 2008
COMPETITION:
Does the use of gloves eliminate the need for hand
hygiene? (Answer on page 2.)
For a chance to win a $25 gift voucher, email your
entries to newsletter@guardianhealthcare.com or
fax it to The Editor, The Guardian Herald, 615 661
6011. First Correct Entry drawn wins!
Anniversaries
Guardian would like to thank the following for their commitment and loyalty to
the company: First, congratulations to Charles
Haymon, COTA and Michael Diaz, PT. Both of
these therapists reached their
10 year anniversary
this year with
Guardian Healthcare Providers. Both work at
Shelby Residential and Vocational Services in
Memphis, Tennessee.
Five Years: Vera Nemeth
One Year: Ernest Ita, Mary Alice Maupin, Sheila
Thompson, Adoracion Cordovez, Joevelyn Eubanks, Linda Kelley, Susan Lagura, Robert Lampton, Linda Mahometano, Lora Ozment, Roxanne
Wolf, Stephanie Hall, Don Ireland, Stephen Smith