POLICYHOLDER SPOTLIGHT

BY : MICHAEL PALMIERI , PRESIDENT / CEO , HAVENWOOD HERITAGE HEIGHTS

IT STARTS with a safety thought .

Sounds simple , but that ’ s what we tell each of our employees as we strive to create and keep a culture of workplace safety here at Havenwood Heritage Heights . And I ’ m proud to say that culture has taken hold .

Havenwood Heritage Heights , one of New Hampshire and New England ’ s largest continuing-care retirement communities , provides care and services for some 600 residents . We recently celebrated our 50th year in business , a testament to the quality care we provide .

Providing a safe working environment goes hand in hand with quality care . As active partners in our workers ’ compensation management program , we take pride in our results to date . We credit our managers and staff of 325 who truly make safety a priority . And we ’ ve had expert help : from injury prevention consultants Kim Walker and Patricia Coutu at A . I . M . Mutual ; from terrific claim adjusters ; and from Phil Cote and the staff at USI Insurance Services .

Building a safety culture takes time .

Here ’ s how we got there : Safety As A Mission It ’ s not surprising , given the rigorous nature of many jobs in healthcare , that lifting injuries top the list of risks . There is a constant focus and effort to safely — and in the most dignified way — lift and assist residents . There are folks who also lift heavy objects regularly , namely laundry workers or maintenance workers . Lifting is a big part of our healthcare world .

That ’ s why safety education is a priority at our organization . Having a solid and realistic safety program is the first step to ensuring that your employees have a great place to work , and residents , a great place to live . These programs often involve employees at all levels of the organization coming together to identify safety hazards and potential best practices to make the work environment better . The “ Aha !” Moments There was never one particular “ aha ” moment that renewed our focus on safety as part of our culture . There were several . We became acutely aware of the mechanics of how reimbursement works in this industry as it relates to what the paying customer expects . That made us more conscious of the areas where we could become more efficient and effective when dealing with our budget .

We watched and analyzed the trends emerging in our workers ’ compensation

Figure 1 - HHH Workers ’ Comp Experience Modification Factors ( 2001-2017 )

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