Covenant Health one of Alberta’s top-70 employers
Covenant Health that operates St. Joseph’s Home and Carmel Hospice in Medicine Hat has been named one of Alberta’s top 70 employers.
“We are honoured to be named a leading employer in Alberta again this year as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to place significant demands on our health-care teams and the system as a whole. This award is especially meaningful this year and shows our team’s commitment during challenging times,” says Elaine Watson, chief human resources officer.
Criteria considered for the award include aspects such as the atmosphere in the workplace, employee benefits and professional development opportunities.
Covenant Health is one of Canada’s largest Catholic health care organizations with more than 15,000 physicians, employees and volunteers serving in 12 communities across Alberta.
St. Joseph’s Home was opened by the Carmelite Sisters in 1951 and has been providing assisted-living program in Medicine Hat ever since. Carmel Hospice opened in 2012 in the St. Joseph’s Home building to provide palliative care.
Physicians at Carmel Hospice determined that a special large bed would be desirable in the home. Eight physicians contributed the money to purchase the bed and donated it to the facility in honour of a former patient who passed away there in 2019.
In a press release, Covenant Health said these doctors had worked with the organization to make the donation.
Dr. Anthony Jeraj, director of the Carmel Hospice, felt it was important to have a large hospice bed with a mattress that works well for end of life, so he decided to buy a new bed for the hospice and invited the other doctors working in the hospice to join him in the donation. The doctors worked with Covenant Foundation to make the donation.
More than half of Covenant Health’s 17 facilities are located in rural communities, providing acute and continuing care services as well as employment for people in the community.
“I believe, especially this year, given all the demands and changes it has brought, our success is due to the dedication and loyalty of our staff to those we serve,” said Sheli Murphy, senior operating officer, rural services. “It is not one person, one team, but the collective of great, courageous individuals working together with passion and compassion that propel us forward every single day.”