Alex Paul
Educate your own and put them to work.
It may be over simplifying the process but for Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital and Linn-Benton Community College, the outcome of a joint venture to educate radiology technicians at a new building on the hospital campus in Lebanon is doing just that.
Lebanon Community Hospital is providing the facility and equipment and LBCC is providing the health education teaching staff in what is being seen as an outstanding partnership from both a business and educational standpoint.
Wednesday, officials from both organizations, staff and community members from East Linn county, celebrated the completion of a $600,000 construction project that is allowing 25 students to experience an 18-month course of study that will result in beginning wages of up to $21 per hour.
Steve Jasperson, C.O.O. for Samaritan Health Services and Lebanon Community Hospital president, said the new facility, “Is a point of a great deal of pride, a new era of our health care system. This will provide a unique opportunity for our students and the people within our health care community to grow. They will be able to achieve a dream that they might never have imagined possible.”
Jasperson said he watched the cost of hiring outside staffing continue to grow in recent years.
“We spent $9 million in extra payroll expenses due to the lack of local staff,” Jasperson said. “The meaning of this program can be quite personal. It’s easier to recruit staff locally and it’s important to the foundation of the community when people who live and work in their own community.”
Larry Mullins, C.E.O. of Samaritan Health Services credit Bill Rauch, hospital foundation president, with having the vision and moral compass to see the project through.
“We have had a great relationship with the community college over the years,” Mullins said. “The vision just kept getting larger and larger and this vision will lead to new realities that will benefit the patients we serve.”
Mullins said the economic benefits of this program will be significant.
“Health care comprises one-fifth of our gross national economy,” Mullins said. “We’re probably among the top three employer groups in the area and this will create new jobs, new opportunities.”
Dr. Brad Johnson, head of Samaritan’s radiology department, said that a similar program operated at Albany General Hospital from 1953 to 1957 and that more than 150 technicians were graduated from there.
“Those graduates have gone on to make a big impact on health care in this state, we have witnessed the value of their training,” he said.
Dr. Cavin, on the job as LBCC president for less than one month, said she is a firm believer in the type of partnership that created the program.
“You can count on LBCC to make a connection with you for Phases two, three and four or however far you want to take this,” Dr. Cavin said.
Stacy Mallory is in charge of the program from the hospital side and said she is excited by the progress made in a short time.
“This is an intense program, 18 months and we push the students hard and heavy,” Mallory said. “They attend classes eight hours twice a week and spend three days a week in hospitals.”
Mallory said graduates will find an open job market with starting pay of $19-$21 per hour.
“That can go up greatly in market areas of critical need,” she said.
Student Susan Fisher of Philomath entered the program after her children “grew up.”
“It’s very intense but also very rewarding,” Fisher said of the program. “They are teaching valuable skills and doing a good job of it.”
Fisher said the program is “much more involved than I had envisioned” but added, she is enjoying the challenge.