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(Copyright, The Times Mirror Company; Los
Angeles Times, 1992, All Rights Reserved)
With modest pride, Diane DeWalsche entered the pastel hallway,
glanced at the nurses' station and stopped. Looking around, she
smiled.
"This is our heart center," she said, sounding more like a new
homeowner than the administrative director of outpatient services at
a community hospital. "It's really a dream."
DeWalsche, who has worked at Long
Beach Community
Hospital since 1966, is a
valued employee-in more ways than one. During the last decade, she
has donated nearly $11,000 from her paycheck for capital projects at
the nonprofit, 320-bed hospital.
DeWalsche is not alone. Since 1985, the hospital's 850 employees
have made $1.3 million in tax-deductible contributions to hospital
improvement projects.
The money has helped finance construction of a heart center and a
neonatal intensive care unit and funded renovation of the hospital
auditorium and cafeteria.
By contrast, employees at 998-bed Long
Beach Memorial
Medical
Center have provided
minimal financial support for capital projects in the last 10 years,
said Donna Reckseen, president of that hospital's foundation. Long
Beach Memorial, one of the largest nonprofit private hospitals in
the West, has 3,300 full-time employees, but they donate so little
to the hospital that its foundation does not keep track of the
amount.
Many American workers make charitable contributions-a
Gallup survey showed
that 72% of
U.S.
households contributed an average of $899 to charitable concerns in
1991-but they generally do not donate to their employers.
"My perception is that our employees understand that their
survival depends upon the hospital's survival," said Janet Parodi,
president of Long Beach
Community
Hospital. "At the same
time, they're tied to the hospital like a family member. And it's
always been that way."
In 1924, former Long Beach Mayor Fillmore Condit founded the
hospital with a $150,000 donation. Condit's granddaughter was the
first baby born at Long
Beach Community
Hospital.
Despite that legacy, Parodi-who has given about $50,000 to
support capital projects at the hospital-is delighted by the
continuing financial support of her employees, one of whom regularly
donates her vacation pay.
"When I first came here in 1986 I thought, `I've never heard of
such a thing,' " she said." I wanted to give to the neonatal
intensive care unit, but our volunteers and employees had it funded
before I could get my checkbook out."
Despite the recession, which is choking hospitals from
Long Island to Long
Beach, Long
Beach Community
Hospital employees are
again showing their generosity: The Employees Foundation Committee,
an arm of the Long Beach Community Hospital Foundation, recently
pledged some $200,000 toward a $1-million open-heart surgery suite.
The pledge was offered during a period of fiscal belt-tightening
that has resulted in a hiring freeze, a yearlong moratorium on pay
increases and forced employee days off without pay when the hospital
occupancy is low.
DeWalsche, chairwoman of the Employees Foundation Committee, said
employee pride and an interest in preserving their own jobs are
largely responsible.
"I think our employees recognize the need for improvements," she
said. "Our campus is old, and . . . they understand the importance
of upgrading the plant."
She added that with the growth of cost-conscious health
maintenance organizations and shrinking insurance reimbursement,
profits at many hospitals are down. As a result, less money is
available for physical improvements, particularly at nonprofit
hospitals.
"I'm proud of our hospital," DeWalsche said. "I realize we have
to assist with fund-raising because the capital that had been
available for improvements in previous years just isn't there."
The prime mover in projects since 1985 has been the Employees
Foundation Committee, a 25-member organization that raises money
through payroll deductions as well as bake sales, wine tasting
socials, an annual employee golf tournament and other events.
Annette Kashiwabara, administrative director of professional
services at the hospital, has pledged about $10,000 during her 10
years as a hospital employee.
Why does she do it?
"I feel like this hospital is part of me," said Kashiwabara, who
was one of 402 employees who contributed to the neonatal intensive
care unit. She also was one of 268 employees who gave money toward
construction of the heart center.
"It's like living in a home that you own. You put money into
fixing a crack or a leak, and you're protecting your
investment."
One of the largest contributors through the years has been
Stewart M. (Bus) Bachtelle, president of the hospital foundation.
Bachtelle has contributed about $45,000 to capital projects since
joining the hospital in 1979.
"Today, nonprofit hospitals need a lot of help," Bachtelle said.
"Employees give because they have pride in the hospital."
Bachtelle said employees are not pressured or expected to
contribute.
"When there is a need, we include them in the planning and hope
they'll want to participate," he said. "But I can't say we expect
them to participate. We encourage them to."
Parodi agreed. "I believe our vice presidents need to support the
agenda of the hospital," she said. "But that's only five
people."
Bachtelle said employees also contribute to less visible
fund-raising efforts. Through the years, they have given:
* $115,000 to help buy a nuclear medicine scanner.
* $150,000 to buy six emergency life packs used for treating
heart arrhythmia.
* $7,500 to help remodel a four-bed ward.
"It's pride of ownership in the hospital," Bachtelle said.
Next year, employees may get another chance to participate. The
hospital is considering developing a transitional care unit to
accommodate patients who are discharged from the hospital but who
still require care.
"We allow our employees to be very involved," Parodi said. "They
create their own destiny here."
Reproduced with permission of the copyright
owner. Copyright 2005 Los Angeles
Times. |