Brigham and Women’s Hospital has been named an inaugural winner of the Employer of Excellence Award, presented by the American Academy of Physician Assistants’ Center for Healthcare Leadership and Management. The award program is designed to showcase hospitals and health systems that have implemented practices that create positive work environments for physician assistants and encourage collaborative provider teams. The program is the first and only PA-specific award program available to hospitals and health systems.
“The BWH physician assistant team is supported by a centralized onboarding program and offers professional growth and development through various leadership programs,” said Jessica Logsdon, senior director of physician assistant services at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “This collaboration and support is the core of the hospital’s physician assistant program. With more than 320 PAs employed within more than 30 specialty areas, BWH is one of the largest employers in the New England region.”
To determine the criteria for recognition, CHLM partnered with HealthStream, a leading provider of workforce, patient experience, and provider solutions for the health care industry, to gain an understanding of what PAs value in their place of employment. Based on the survey findings, criteria for the Employer of Excellence Awards focused on five key drivers:
“Our work with hospitals and health systems nationwide focuses on helping them achieve better patient outcomes through more efficient use of staff and resources,” said Jennifer Broderick, managing director of CHLM. “This award recognizes the hospitals and health systems that are doing so by prioritizing their PA population and shines a light on qualities that every health care organization should strive for.”
BWH strives to create a strong sense of community for physician assistants, offering several opportunities for networking and continuing education. These opportunities include monthly Grand Rounds, formal preceptor education, and a peer-to-peer program that connects those newly employed with experienced physician assistants from other departments.
“The hospital leadership includes physician assistant representation on numerous hospital-wide committees, which demonstrates the institution’s commitment to the profession and acknowledges the value we add to the organization and its mission,” said Logsdon.
Awardees will retain their designation as an Employer of Excellence for two years
