There’s No Place Like Thompson
As the clinical secretary in the Associate Health Department, Valerie Roeland is often among the first to welcome new associates to Thompson Health. Recently, many of them have been familiar faces. That’s because they’re “boomerangs” – former associates who left to work elsewhere and then returned.
Turns out Valerie is also a boomerang. She worked as a credentials assistant in Thompson’s Medical Staff Office from 2011 through 2014, leaving for another workplace but returning to work in Associate Health six years ago.
“Thompson has always felt like ‘home’ to me and once in a new role somewhere else, I realized how much we care for each other and the community,” Valerie said. “Being in a different environment was an eye opener and the grass definitely wasn’t greener on the other side.”
Boomerangs are a trend Vice President of Associate Services and Wellness Jennifer DeVault hopes to see continue, especially given the healthcare staffing shortages throughout the region.
“We love welcoming back former associates,” she said, noting that in addition to having expertise, they are well versed in Thompson’s corporate culture and have often already established relationships with others within the health system.
“They hit the ground running and are exactly the type of people we want on our team” she said.
Having worked in Patient Transport and as a patient care tech, Charles Jensen left Thompson for approximately two years to go back to school with an eye on the information technology field. He returned in late June of this year after deciding health care is what he’s meant to do, and is now a clinical processing tech in the Lab.
“I came back to Thompson because I knew that it’s a great environment with a lot of friendly and helpful people,” Charles said. “I haven’t worked at other hospitals but I don’t think I’d want to because I know this place is so nice.”
As for Valerie, Thompson is simply a place she can trust.
“I have not only been an associate but also a patient,” she said. “As we grow, Thompson Health still has the small community feel that has always remained important not only to the associates who work here but the patients and families who are cared for. I can attest to both.”
To browse current job openings within Thompson, see videos of interviews with current associates, and learn more about the benefits we offer, visit www.ThompsonHealth.com/Careers.