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No easy answers for the problems faced by North Shore Health, but a quick fix isn’t one of them
I am writing with the desire to give another perspective on the recent social media posts and WTIP article related to staffing challenges at North Shore Health. I grew up in Cook County, and after high school graduation, I earned a degree in Social Work. I worked for Cook County Human Services for several years before being hired as the Facility Social Worker for North Shore Health almost 10 years ago.
I like my job and I value the organization I work for. There, I said it. I like working at North Shore Health. Media would have you believe that I am a rarity among my coworkers. This is not true, I am not alone. Does that mean that I am 100 percent satisfied all the time in my job? No. Do I have frustrations with administration, management, other partnering agencies, and state/federal regulatory requirements? Most certainly. Do I experience burnt out? Absolutely. Do I solely blame administration for my burnout? No. Do I have ideas for improving North Shore Health? You Betcha. Do I wish I made more money or had improved benefits? Of course, show me anyone, anywhere who doesn’t. Given all of this, I still find my job rewarding and appreciate the organization I work for.
This doesn’t make for a very juicy headline. It’s a perspective rarely sought after by media outlets or community members looking for a comprehensive understanding of the work culture at North Shore Health. Opinions like mine can’t be sensationalized and don’t easily translate into clicks on the internet with shares/likes/comments on local message boards.
Old grievances of past employees are much more intriguing to report on. This negative perspective is multiplied exponentially through social media, given new life, breath and space to influence a community’s opinion of an entire organization. The public calls for transparency and action from their smart phones and computers while making little or no effort to attend board meetings, contact hospital board representation, read independent healthcare industry news, or volunteer within the organization to develop an informed, educated opinion based on facts. To say this type of criticism is unhelpful is an understatement.
Cook County is definitely at a cross roads in many areas. Housing, cost of living, and general staffing shortages, are just a few of the challenges we face. North Shore Health contends with these local factors, but is also adding pandemic response, need for licensed/certified applicants, an increasingly regulated and compliance-based environment, and a limited or reduced reimbursement methodology affecting future revenue to its list of challenges. The result of all of this puts the continuation of local healthcare services into question.
In my opinion, the community is casting blame and reaching for a perceived quick fix to a complex problem in order to feel some sense of security as it relates to availability of health care in our county. Do not allow this problem to be over-simplified, it is too important. We must look at the entirety of the problem and its challenges in order make meaningful change.
The solutions are hard and multi-faceted. They require difficult work and accountability by all of us, facility administration and management, current staff, board representatives, and community members alike. Facility leadership and staff need to be flexible and innovative. The board must provide oversight and support for new initiatives. Community members must prioritize what they financially support in the form of tax-funding for services at North Shore Health. It requires all of us to ask and answer difficult questions and contact our local, state, and federal representatives to push for common sense action.
Despite the direness of our situation, I remain optimistic. Why? Because, I believe in this organization and its mission. I believe in the dedication and commitment of those who are working here. And, I believe in my community’s ability to partner with North Shore Health to move through these challenges together.
Thanks for listening Cook County,
Hilja Iverson, Community Member and North Shore Health Social Worker
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