Bassett Healthcare Network Named to Forbes Best-in-State Employers List for 2022

Bassett Healthcare Network has been named to the Forbes list of Best-in-State Employers 2022. This prestigious award is presented by Forbes, renowned American business publication, and Statista, Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider.

America’s Best-in-State Employers 2022 have been identified based on survey results from approximately 70,000 Americans working for companies in the USA that have more than 500 employees. Across 25 industry sectors, 1,380 employers were ranked among the top employers, including Bassett Healthcare Network.

“Bassett is delighted to be recognized on the Forbes list of Best-in-State Employers 2022,” says Dr. Tommy Ibrahim, President and CEO of Bassett Healthcare Network.

“We are committed to becoming a national leader in rural health as well as a best place to work and practice. This award reaffirms the important efforts we take every day to prioritize our caregivers and practitioners – they are the heartbeat of our organization and the reason we provide outstanding care to our patients and communities,” remarks Dr. Ibrahim.

Bassett Healthcare Network has prioritized vast efforts over the past couple of years to improve employee and organizational culture in the wake of COVID-19 and institutional restructuring. The health system has invested nearly $50 million in pay increases for its workforce after undertaking a full compensation analysis for its caregivers and practitioners. Additionally, a recent grant from the Scriven Foundation is allocating $82 million to resources for Bassett’s recruitment and retention of clinicians and nurses, which includes expanding benefits, housing, clinical and virtual tools, childcare, educational opportunities, and much more.

In addition to significant compensation and benefit expansion initiatives over the past year, Bassett has responded to increased workplace violence, investing in a new security response system at all locations – one of the first health systems in the country to do so – providing nearly all employees with a wearable alert button attached to their ID badges to summon security in emergency situations. This, coupled with a broad public campaign speaking out against caregiver violence, has highlighted Bassett as an employer taking a stand against workplace violence in New York State and nationwide.

Bassett has also been working to build innovative strategic partnerships with companies like Optum, which is offering new professional paths for employees while providing Bassett with infrastructure and resources for support services like information technology, analytics, billing, and call center operations. In addition, Bassett’s new collaboration with Masonic Medical Research Institute (MMRI) and longstanding eight decades-long partnership with Columbia University are propelling forward Bassett’s deeply rooted commitment to rural health, fostering opportunities for clinical research professionals. 

The Forbes Best-in-State Employer evaluation was based on direct and indirect recommendations from employees who were asked to rate their willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family. Employees were also asked to evaluate other employers in their respective industry and state that stood out either positively or negatively.

“This distinction is exciting,” says Christine Pirri, Chief People and Diversity Officer at Bassett Healthcare Network.

“Knowing our employees are consistently recommending Bassett as a best place to work is meaningful. The incredible and pioneering work happening across our network every day is being recognized – and this is amazing news not only for the talented caregivers and practitioners who serve our organization, but also for the patients who rely on us for care across Central New York,” says Christine.