Geisinger to add 2,000 employees as health system continues to grow
The Pennsylvania system is also recruiting more than 500 nursing positions.
Geisinger Health System announced plans to hire 2,000 new employees in addition to the 1,500 new employees the health system said in September 2016 it would recruit.
The new hires will include both clinical and non-clinical staff at the healthcare system's locations across Pennsylvania. About half of the positions will be direct caregivers, including registered nurses, advanced practitioners and physicians, Geisinger officials said in a statement.
"Geisinger prides itself on innovation, quality and service to create the perfect patient experience, and as patient needs evolve so must our workforce," said Julene Campion, vice president of talent management.
As part of this initiative, Campion added, Geisinger is recruiting more than 500 nursing positions. The health system is offering them a comprehensive benefits package, shared governance structure, tuition assistance, professional certification support, advancement opportunities and hiring incentives up to $15,000.
[Also: Geisinger CEO calls for an end to ER waiting rooms, advocates for consumer-centric model]
"Patient care is the motivation behind every decision at Geisinger," Campion added.
Since announcing last September its goal to hire 1,500 new employees, the health system has hired nearly 2,000 employees. Campion noted this new hiring campaign could take upwards of 18 months because of specialty positions.
The move to augment staffing comes after a decade of growth during which Geisinger went from two to 12 hospitals, expanded its service area to 45 counties, and tripled its number of employees, Campion noted.
And recently nurses at Geisinger's Scranton, Pennsylvania facility rallied over pay and staffing, according to The Times Tribune.
Union Executive Director Bill Cruice specifically contended that the hospital is understaffed and has trouble retaining workers, which has resulted in "crisis level" turnover rates, the newspaper reported.
Geisinger employs more than 30,000 with a medical staff of more than 1,600 physicians. In 2015, Geisinger implemented a $10 minimum wage for all employees.
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