HJAR Jan/Feb 2021

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  JAN / FEB 2021 11 Dianne Hartley, Editor Tell us a little about the HR department at your organization. QUALENTA FORREST, JD, CHI ST. VINCENT Our HR department functions as the stra- tegic thought-partner, operational support, coach and confidant to our co-workers and leaders. STEPHANIE MOFFETT, OUACHITA COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER The Ouachita County Medical Center Human Resources team consists of myself and a staffing coordi- nator. Cross training and communication are vital components of OCMC’s efforts to ensure the highest quality standards. It is extremely important to the organization that the HR department stay informed of the ever-changing world of HR. DANIELLE LOMBARD-SIMS, PhD, SPHR, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES Our HR department is currently going through a transformation so that our structure enables us to better align with our partners in achieving the goals and mission of the organization. This is done through functions that include our Centers of Excellence, HR Business Partners and HR Shared Services. The Centers of Excellence within our division include Talent Acquisition, Organizational Development, Employee Relations and Total Rewards. Talent Acquisition is responsible for sourcing, recruiting, selecting and onboarding talent, as well as assisting with relocation and workforce planning. Our Organizational Development function provides training and development opportunities at all levels, along with performance management, coaching and engagement. This department expands to include competency models, succession planning, talent reviews and career planning as part of our service offering. The Employee Relations department manages all employee relations investigations, external audits, policy adherence, coaching and EEO/ADA guidance to leaders. The Total Rewards department is responsible for compensation and benefits, including market analysis, equity reviews and management of the system benefit plans. The HR Business Partners are strategi- cally placed within the business to enable our clients to work on human capital plans around workforce planning, engagement, performance and salary planning to achieve business goals. Finally, we are introducing an HR shared services model that will enable standardized questions to be managed through a struc- ture that will enable the Centers of Excel- lence and HR Business Partners to focus on the more strategic goals of the organi- zation. This model is important to achieve the administrative and operational tasks that are necessary within HR, while also providing us with a pool of talent that can be developed and placed into higher-level roles as they come about in HR. HOPE CARRAWAY, WHITE RIVER HEALTH SYSTEM We are a staff of seven, includ- ing myself, who are privileged to manage employee benefit programs, compensation, employment, personnel issues, HR policies and compliance and employee health for White River Health System. Editor Which positions do you have the most difficulty filling and why? FORREST The needs of patients within the healthcare setting are constantly changing, which impacts the types of positions for which we recruit. As a result, we evaluate and adjust staffing, skillsets and approaches based on our patient care needs. During the pandemic, that focus and approach has not changed. For example, we have identified a greater need for telehealth services in