MARCH 26, 2003 | The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has much higher ratings among its own clinical employees than the national averages, according to a recent survey.

An independent survey organization polled UAMS clinical employees in November and December 2002, getting responses from 73 percent of employees in the hospital and clinics. Morehead Associates, Inc., compared the UAMS employees’ responses to databases of about 90,000 employee responses in comparable surveys at 200 other academic health centers and hospitals during the last three years.

UAMS ranked higher with its employees than the national averages on every question, from confidence in the hospital, to management’s commitment to customer service, to employee satisfaction in their own responsibilities. It is particularly high in the areas of organizational pride and employee commitment to patient care and customer service.

Even though UAMS Medical Center scored very well overall in the survey, managers are working now with all employees to improve areas where some employees had concerns. Focus groups representing different occupations at the medical center are meeting to discuss ways to improve communication, work culture, and respect for all employees – areas that received lower marks from employees who responded to the survey.

”We intend to continue to work to make UAMS Medical Center a great place to work and your comments and suggestions are important,” Dick Pierson, executive director, told employees in a letter last month.

These items are valued by employees and are considered strengths of UAMS Medical Center:  

• Employees have confidence that UAMS will be successful in the coming years
• Employees would recommend UAMS as a great place to work
• Employees are proud to tell people they work at UAMS
• Employees feel UAMS provides high-quality care and service
• Employees feel UAMS management emphasizes the importance of providing great customer service
• Employees enjoy working with each other
• Employees like the work they do
• Employees would like to continue working at UAMS in the future
• Employees feel UAMS makes good use of their skills and abilities

© University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences 2003. UAMS Update Online is a publication for UAMS employees.  Send story ideas to the UAMS News Bureau in the UAMS Office of Communications & Marketing.