In terms of RN recruitment, Minnie Hamilton Health System (MHHS) works closely with nursing programs and brings nursing students on-site which helps them recruit new grads.  In addition, MHHS grows its own nurses through a tuition reimbursement program.  In 2007, MHHS helped four LPNs become RNs. 

MHHS also offers tuition reimbursement for allied roles.  They have been able to grow a laboratory tech and two radiology techs recently too.

MHHS offers educational opportunities as part of their recruitment program.  The system serves a teaching site for WVU-Nursing program.  Once a nurse is hired, s/he is assigned a mentor to help with her/his development into MHHS patient care.  Annual validations and various educational classes are available throughout the year to help develop and retain nursing skills.

MHHS relies very heavily on word of mouth and reputation to reach patient in their community.  Providing safe quality patient care is the best marketing MHHS has available.  Living in a rural community, most people know their neighbors, and health is a regular topic of conversation.  MHHS has strived to promote a patient centered process and considers its community health promotion to be vital to the growth and sustainability of the Comprehensive Rural Care Collaborative Model.

The Comprehensive Rural Care Collaborative Model has broad appeal to rural community organizations looking for ways to meet the health care needs of their communities.

A key factor in MHHS’s continued survival is their success with grant.  MHHS has been successful in getting grants, in large part, because staff is allowed the time to pursue grants, but also because MHHS serves an ideal patient population (rural, medically-underserved, financially needy) for grants.