The Connection Magazine The Connection Magazine Spring 2018 | Page 27

claim results. When we joined A.I.M.
Mutual in 2010, we had an effective
program in place. That program got
increasingly stronger in the years since.
Our mission with A.I.M. Mutual, our
carrier, and USI, our broker, became
quite evident: figure out ways to educate
all of our staff to work more safely.
Improvements in employee safety, we
knew, would show in the future metrics
of what we thought we could earn. We
looked specifically at our Experience
Modification Factor; a scorecard, if you
will, of losses to date. We understood
that a lower Experience Modification
Factor would mean cost savings and that
money could be used elsewhere in the
organization.
Setting SMART Goals
We were able to learn more about
setting departmental SMART goals
in the area of safety. A SMART goal,
by definition, is Specific, Measurable,
Achievable, Results-focused, and Time-
bound. This tool was very effective for
us because it involved all departments
utilizing the same platform and the
same performance expectations. No
department was exempt. Of course, the
work was hard at the beginning because
this was a novel experience for everyone.
Over time we updated, refined, and
ultimately perfected these SMART goals
to our benefit.
It didn’t hurt to have a leadership
team that was 100 percent committed
to making this an organizational priority,
with a vision that we could end up as a
“Best Practice” facility and head in a
new direction. Commitment is a pretty
powerful word, yet all of our staff fit the
bill. We took injury prevention measures
to the next level.
Throughout our process, we had a
motto: “Start every day off with a safety
thought, with the expectation that we will
work safely.” That mind-set permeated
the organization, infectious in a very
positive way. Years later, we still lead
with that philosophy. It has made a good
program a great one.
A Look At The Numbers
None of this happened overnight. What
it does prove is that an organization
focused on sustainability opens up a
new world of endless opportunities.
Since joining A.I.M. Mutual in 2010, claim
frequency improved by 43 percent. From
2011 to 2017, claim costs dropped by
nearly 76 percent.
For broader perspective, we went back to
2001 to look at our workers’ compensation
loss experience,
specifically, the
Experience Modification Factor (Figure
1). Now that sounds like a mouthful, but
these numbers were well worth examining.
They revealed that, over time, we made
consistent strides in employee safety.
Keeping A Safety Culture
Havenwood Heritage Heights takes
great pride in its Employee Safety
Program. We focus on hiring the right
people for the job, followed by in-depth
and continuous training. Providing
employees with the right tools to do the
job is another important factor for a safe
work environment.
On an annual basis, we bring outside
expertise into the organization. A.I.M.
Mutual’s safety professionals conduct
safety walk-throughs and inspections,
giving us another set of eyes. Strong
commitment
from
leadership
is
absolutely essential.
Why is measuring employee safety
results important? We found this
actually helps guide us strategically
and financially in many respects. As
workplace injuries go down or level off,
our insurance rates do the same. This
allows us to offer better wages and
benefits as well as control expenses.
Going forward, we remain committed
to the area of risk reduction and
maintaining a strong workplace safety
culture. What starts as a thought can
become a reality with the right people
and priorities in place .
ABOUT
MICHAEL
PALMIERI
MICHAEL PALMIERI has been President
& CEO of Havenwood Heritage Heights
since 1998, the fourth chief executive in
the organization’s 50-year history. He
has 39 years of experience in the field
of long-term care and senior retirement
living, including fundraising, new program
advancement and project development.
He holds a B.S. degree in Health Services
Management from State University of NY
at Utica/Rome and a Master’s in Health
Services Administration from Russell
Sage College.
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