Newsworthy

Dear Community Partners,

Here are today’s updates:

• Supporting You: How Our Benefits Promote Your Educational Goals
• We Recognize Tracy O’Rourke, Hero in Healthcare
• Human Subjects Research Lecture: Feb. 28, 2024

Supporting You: How Our Benefits Promote Your Educational Goals

The decision to take college courses toward completing your baccalaureate or advanced degree requires an investment of both your time and financial resources. Stormont Vail Health offers you two types of support – one during your education process and another following graduation.

Tuition reimbursement is available to full- and part-time employees who are pursuing courses that will improve their competence in their current job or prepare for advancement in the future. Reimbursement may be made to offset undergraduate and graduate classes, allied health credentials or vocational programs. The reimbursement limits were increased effective January 1, 2024. Full-time employees may receive 75% of their tuition costs up to $5,000 a year in exchange for a full-time work commitment and part-time employees may receive up to $3,000 a year in exchange for a part-time work commitment. The length of the work commitment varies with how much you are reimbursed.

This program is not new, and participation changes each year. Stormont has been able to provide an average of $295,000 in tuition assistance to team members each year since 2020.  Deadlines for educational reimbursement applications align with spring, summer and fall semester dates. More information and application details are in the policy on Document Central (Educational Reimbursement Policy) or on the SVH team app under “Resources.” 

If your education journey has reached graduation you may find yourself with student loans. Stormont Vail Health offers you a unique option to access student loan forgiveness and relief. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program forgives your remaining loan balance after your make 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. As a 501c3 non-profit organization, Stormont Vail Health is a qualifying employer. 

You can apply and submit the paperwork on your own, or, we have partnered with Fiducius, a student loan expert to assist you. Fiducius can provide both loan education and support and walk you through forgiveness and consolidation options, based upon your specific situation. More information about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program can be found here and information on Fiducius is available on the SVH team app or on SVNet under Benefits. Questions regarding these or any of our benefits may be sent to [email protected]. 

We Recognize Tracy O’Rourke, Hero in Healthcare

As Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Tracy O’Rourke wears many hats, but beneath them all, ensuring patients receive higher-quality, more accessible care is her ultimate goal.

Patient advocacy underlies (and complements) Tracy’s extensive business and healthcare expertise, which have been instrumental in our organization’s success.

Ingram’s Magazine named Tracy as a 2024 Hero in Healthcare, awarding her with the Administration Achievement, which recognizes her for going above and beyond in her role.

Leaders like Tracy bring us closer to accomplishing our mission every day. Tracy, thank you for your commitment, and congratulations on your well-deserved achievement! Congratulations, Tracy!

Human Subjects Research Lecture: Feb. 28, 2024

Mark your calendars for a free upcoming lecture about Human Subjects Research on Feb. 28 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Pozez Auditorium in Topeka.

The Stormont Vail Health Institutional Review Board and Professional Governance Research & Evidence-based Practice Council is hosting the lecture in partnership with St. Luke’s aiming to define research requiring institutional review board oversight under the Revised Common Rule.

We invite all who are interested to attend, and no registration is required!

We together,
Dr. Kenagy