Sick time for employees of Sunrise Health Region and related costs are less in the first quarter of the fiscal year. The involvement of front-line health care workers in strategy and monitoring is credited.

“Although we still have a way to go, it is very encouraging that sick time rates have reduced significantly since these new strategies were implemented,” says President and CEO, Suann Laurent.

In 2011-12 the health region paid 92.12 hours per full-time equivalent, at a cost to the health system of over 5.6 million dollars.

The 2012-13 target was budgeted at 82.44 paid sick hours per full-time equivalent. To the end of June 2012, the projected annual paid sick time hours were 74.88 per full-time equivalent. (A full-time equivalent is employee paid time equal to 1,950 hours a year and as of March 31, 2012 there were 2,188 total full-time equivalents in the health region.)

“Most health care employees have excellent attendance records and we want to support their continued good health,” adds Laurent. “We believe that all employees want to help reduce illness and injury in the workplace and need access to related statistics, since absences affect everyone in the workplace.”

Statistical monitoring walls are located in all facilities and provide information related to absence call-in procedures and information about attendance management and modified duties supports which are available to employees. The walls provide a location for managers and front-line employees to view and discuss regional and department statistics and suggestions about how to further reduce injury rates and improve employee health.